ROCO narrow gauge

[david enghauser]

I am considering the purchase of a ROCO HO9 locomotive and wagons for a narrow gauge layout near my 00 gauge layout. Anyone familiar with this locomotive? any suggestions?

Thank you,  David

[D9020 Nimbus]

You'll need to be more specific—Roco produce many different narrow-gauge locos, some might be suitable, others definitely not.

[friscopete]

Some of Rocos narrow gauge H0e is  quite main line  like the Mariazell  electrics and some is Feldbahn  and minor lines .All good stuff A Tramfabrik motor upgrade works a treat on their Feldbahn steam and diesel.

Edited May 4, 2020 by friscopete

[david enghauser]

This is the one I am considering.

 

https://dundasmodels.co.uk/webstore/index.php/hikashop-menu-for-module-108/product/5269-0-6-0-steam-loco-black-body-includes-choice-of-4-different-chimneys

 

It is somewhat separate from the 00 gauge portion of my layout.  By H09  I assume it is an H0 size body on a narrow gauge chassis . I assume it runs on n scale track.

[JZ]

On 04/05/2020 at 16:37, david enghauser said:

This is the one I am considering.

 

https://dundasmodels.co.uk/webstore/index.php/hikashop-menu-for-module-108/product/5269-0-6-0-steam-loco-black-body-includes-choice-of-4-different-chimneys

 

It is somewhat separate from the 00 gauge portion of my layout.  By H09  I assume it is an H0 size body on a narrow gauge chassis . I assume it runs on n scale track.

I have this one, though mine was bought back in the seventies, it didn't have a choice of chimneys or valve gear back then. But it was and still is a good runner.

Mine cost, back then, £25, I still have the price on the box. Considering what my wages were back then and what they are now, I would consider £97.65 a bargain.

Edited May 5, 2020 by JZ

[Nearholmer]

David

 

those little Roco locos run pretty well.

 

To explain H09:

 

- H0 is the scale, 1:87;

 

- 9 is the gauge, 9mm.

 

The gauge scales out at 783mm, but is commonly used to represent 750mm and 760mm gauge prototypes. Indeed it gets used to represent 600mm gauge prototypes too.

 

To add confusion, the exact same combination is also known as H0e (France) and H0n30 (USA and Japan).

 

The gauge is the same as N, but the actual track shouldn’t really be. Roco, Peco and several other make track that is a good representation of real narrow gauge track.

 

The equivalent for scale compatibility with 00 is 009:

 

- 00 the scale, 1:76;

 

- 9 the gauge, 9mm.

 

This gives a scale track gauge of 2’3” (684mm), but is commonly used to represent anything from 600mm, through 24” to about 30”.

 

The track used is the same as for H09, and in truth many people mix 009 and H09 rolling stock, although a purist never would.

 

Kevin

Edited May 5, 2020 by Nearholmer

[BernardTPM]

9mm scales to 2' 3" in 4mm scale, same as Talyllyn, Corris, Campbeltown & Machrihanish.

 

The current Roco chassis is considerably improved on the version they used in the 1970s and '80s, so represents even better value in real terms.

[Nearholmer]

Yes, brain storm there, now corrected (the metric bit was right!).

[Hobby]

Just to clarify, H09 is a very old designation and is not used by any of the mainstream manufacturers based in mainland Europe. H0e is the accepted designation for European H0 scale narrow gauge using 9mm track.

 

As regards that Roco loco, it's had many incarnations over the years but the one in that link is the latest and the best. As you may have gathered from the spokes on the wheels it shares it's chassis with an N scale loco but is non the worse for that. early versions that used their own chassis had limited valve gear but now with the N scale chassis it is much better detailed.

 

As a little loco for shunting on an 009 layout it will be fine, just bear in mind that it's a HO scale loco and as such it's small! For the same price (nearly!) you can get one of the Bachmann TTE locos based on the Tallylyn fleet which can easily be repainted in less garish liveries and are true 00 scale locos.

[Sturminster_Newton]

..."For the same price (nearly!) you can get one of the Bachmann TTE locos based on the Tallylyn fleet which can easily be repainted in less garish liveries and are true 00 scale locos."

 

I thought you could just run them as is and have a Thomas day as the Tal-y-Llyn is not above having something in Skarloey Railway livery for such events...and for a good while either side of the event dates.

 

(I will admit to having an attraction to London Bus Red applied as a livery to locomotives even though in my childhood I only ever saw London Country buses in their glorious green...)

 

To hide HO against OO would be to have the OO element to the foreground and HO set back forcing perspective...running the line behind houses and giving glimpses of what is occurring.  Once out of the residential the HO can come forward as nature is less "scaleable" than a standard 6'6" door behind an HO scale model...

 

As long as all the stock and motive power are all to the same scale. HO shunting OO don't look too comfortable to the rivet accountants that turn out to nit-pick at shows but for the general public there is more of "Ooo that's nice!" than "scuse me but thatssss alllll wrong!!!"

 

I'm about to start on an O-16.5 and rather like some of the petite properties range of buildings. Some are in 1:48 and some in 1:43.5 so the 1:48 will be behind and above the running line in their own self contained scene whilst the 1:43.5 will be lineside.

 

The only constant will be the rolling stock and locomotion which will be 1:43.5 and only of small four wheeled items. Forcing perspective is I am told 'a good thing'.