N guage questions

Tricky as I'm on the other side of the World. Cheap isn't always the best way to go in N/HOe. If you have to throw away every second chassis after short use the price effectively doubles - if you see what I mean.

MiniTrix and Arnold are probably still acceptable. Be careful as they've been around a long time and old ones do wear. I've got 0-6-0ts from both (with W/M bodies) which work well.

Bachmann is often advocated as cheap, but the ones I've used have been cheap and nasty.

Graham Farish. First ones with motor as part of the chassis were nasty. Not sure which version became usable, probably about Mk IV.

Kato: my favourite! The 2-8-2 chassis is lovely, but you probably don't want too many 2-8-2s.

Fleischmann: Much like MiniTrix and Arnold but even better quality. Tender drives are a nuisance when building tank locos. (HOe)

A shunting layout in T scale would be quite small!

IIRC, Japanese business cards can be a bit bigger than the usual Western model. And, speaking of T has anyone done anything with it? I just discovered it yesterday and started rethinking my N scale plans. A 1,000 foot cliff is easily possible on a T scale layout! Why, if I used the whole house I could model Seattle to San Francisco - to Scale!! (collapses with shortness of breath ...)

A Mainline run with large station, depot, freight Depot would be quite small in T scale :-) Simon G

I find 00 fiddly enough, N too toylike, never mind Z or T. At the local train show yesterday, I saw plastic figures down to 1:400. You would need a microscope, a 10x0 brush and a rock-steady hand to paint them.

At present you can only buy Japanese EMUs in T - no shunting locos or freight wagons. A remarkable variety of accessories including points, crossings, buildings and figures is available. There's even a kit to build a complete diorama in an attaché case.

At a US show a few years ago, I saw a "layout" at about 1:1000 but the "train" was driven from below through a circular slot and had no actual wheels or rails.

You'd just have to build your own locos and freight wagons, although there is an adjustable length bogie chassis you can customise!

And a HST, in BR IC livery.

(note: beware of line wrap)

Oops. Didn't see that.

I see you can also buy vinyl overlays to make BR Mk1 coaches and an etched brass conversion kit to make a Deltic both using chassis with clear plastic bodies.

I wonder if we'll ever see T gauge kettles?

Its an 0-6-0 so will look out for those you mentioned. No rush so will just bear in mind when perusing.

Cheers, Simon

As an extra question. Decided to go for electrofrog points but seems am swimming against the tide as so far have found few traders with stocks. Whats the opinion on benefits vs extra work ?

Cheers, Simon

Better running especially at slow speeds.

There are no dead sections to stall on, at the frog.

Buy Peco electrofrog points from Hattons. Code 80 or Code 55, £7 up.

Me buy from Hattons - has hell frozen over :-) Can get them but just wondering if others thought them worthwhile - am certain they are in OO.

Cheers, Simon

AFAIK there is only track and a nice DMU in assorted colours available. My thought would be to make the DMU into a passenger carriage (etched brass overlay perhaps) and make dummy passenger locos for it/them to push around. Possibly the DMU might be shortened down to a 4 axle tender or perhaps a

2 axle goods van. Brits could make a present day GWR branch-line with a DMU shuttling back and forth.

There is that! I'm waiting for steam locos.

Greg.P.

Scratchbuild !

Nick :)

If you intend the 0-6-0 to run you will need either electrofrog turnouts or be prepared to run at HST/TGV/ICE speeds.

Greg.P.

True, that shouldn't be too difficult. :-)))) Probably wouldn't need hand rail knobs and the detailing could be reduced compared to HO. To date I've always bought motors and gears - one would need a considerable gear reduction which could be difficult to arrange in an 0-4-0T. Compensation for the driving axle might also be difficult. Hmmmmm!

Greg.P.

I admit I had in mind whittling a matchstick when I posted, but that's probably taking it a bit far :-)

Nick