bertiedog Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 After looking at the Z gauged based Feldbahn system from Busch, I wondered idly if you could go to a narrower gauge without too many problems. 4mm scale and 4mm to 5mm track give I foot to 18 inch gauge ranges. 18 inch comes in at .2368 inches, (6 MM) .....15inch at .197 inches, (5mm), and I foot at four mm gauge. Mention is made off 4.5mm gauge being used in HO, this would work out at 13.54 inches, an odd gauge. So standard Z gauge is still best in 4mm to represent 18 inch industrial track. A Loco to fit would be eased by making it outside framed to gain space, a steam engine. The small camera motors and gears could be used, leaving space for a solid body for max weight. 2mm bullhead section rail on PC sleepers should take care of the track, and to ease the running, points with fully closing frogs, and pivoted blades could be made without fuss. No worries over flange sizes or flangeways, purely cosmetic. The idea is for a small contractors line on an existing layout, to be added when the main boards are finished, basically end to end with auto shuttle. I will do a sample track and a loco chassis over the next few days to test the ideas as to whether practical or not. Z gauge has been widely used for narrow gauge in Europe, but not that much in the UK. I will also do a test 4mm track, and a pivoting blade point to test the size difficulties.. Stephen Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cp409067 Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 .....Mention is made off 4.5mm gauge being used in HO, this would work out at 13.54 inches, an odd gauge...... Stephen * That is a curious piece of mathematical calculation. Should it not be 15.43ins? CP Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertiedog Posted July 24, 2017 Author Share Posted July 24, 2017 (edited) * That is a curious piece of mathematical calculation. Should it not be 15.43ins? CP Quite right, the wrong factor left in the calculator, 76 instead of 87. Actually it's 15.413386 inches, give or take a place or two. Stephen Edited July 24, 2017 by bertiedog Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertiedog Posted July 24, 2017 Author Share Posted July 24, 2017 Went to order some PC sleepers from C&L only to find they are closed in transition to new owners. I hope all is OK for them as the supply's of rail and chairs is somewhat vital to other projects at the moment. I think they are the only source of the 2mm bullhead rail, although flatbottom is available in the US in small codes down to 40 or less. Stephen Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killian keane Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 Brian clarke successfully ran 5mm gauge in 4mm scale (representing 15"), have a look at the brian clarke models thread under general discussion Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cp409067 Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 Quite right, the wrong factor left in the calculator, 76 instead of 87. Actually it's 15.413386 inches, give or take a place or two. Stephen * Not if you divide 4.5 by 3.5 and multiply by 12 = 15.42857. CP Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertiedog Posted July 25, 2017 Author Share Posted July 25, 2017 Thats the problem with HO, the 1/87 and 3.5mm do not exactly tally......Multiply the 4.5 by 87, and convert to inches gave my answer....... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
2mm Andy Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 Went to order some PC sleepers from C&L only to find they are closed in transition to new owners. I hope all is OK for them as the supply's of rail and chairs is somewhat vital to other projects at the moment. I think they are the only source of the 2mm bullhead rail, although flatbottom is available in the US in small codes down to 40 or less. Stephen Code 40 bullhead rail is available from the 2mm Scale Association (as is a Code 30 'bar' rail) but you have to be a member to buy from their shops, from British Finescale (producers of Finetrax) and from Marcway in Sheffield. The latter seems to be a slightly different cross-section to that sold by the 2mm SA. http://www.marcway.net/list2.php?col=head&name=RAILS Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarryscapes Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 You can buy code 40 flat bottom from EDM Models if you're not a 2mm scale association member. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertiedog Posted July 29, 2017 Author Share Posted July 29, 2017 Have got several packs of code 4o that are many years old, so unsure who they were made for, they are mainly bullhead, but at this size simply using it as flatbottom gains a bit in being smaller looking rail section any way. The other approach for locos are S/Hand Z gauge, but these tend to hold their price too darn well. The magnets on the Feldbarn are a very good idea, and can be duplicated with steel shim or rod, and neodymium magnets. I am knocking up a simple test chassis with outside frames to try these small gauges, from 3mm up, 3mm would be impossible without the magnets in action. Stephen Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Hilton Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 (edited) I've started working in this scale/gauge combination this year - we've coined 006.5 for it... Both my own scratchbuilt models, and designing kits to sell through Narrow Planet (http://shop.narrowplanet.co.uk - currently just the Ruston Proctor, but Heywood wagons soon, and the Avonside project by the end of the year). Info on my blog under the 006.5 tag: https://paxton-road.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/006.5 Edited August 1, 2017 by James Hilton 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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