3mm rolling stock size comparison

[Tartaruga]

The 3mm society says "OO too big? N too small?" but does anybody have an image showing the difference?

I ask because I'm looking to start building a layout from scratch and so I was thinking as 3mm seemingly has most going for it on this side versus 2mm, which I have been leaning towards, but as I am restricted in size due to living conditions is 3mm still too big? I would be grateful if somebody could provide an image of an engine in 3mm against 2mm as I haven't yet found anything online.

My layout will be based around a simple loop initially as I want something to provide for my youngest to run a train around to start with and if they lose interest I can build up for myself after.

[Golden Fleece 30]

Here is a photo of the same loco, A4 Silver Fox, in 0, 00, TT and N gauge.

 

Garry

[whart57]

If you are thinking of your youngster starting out with it then size probably matters more in as far as how easy is it for small hands to put things on the rails. And how robust things are. Garry will be able to tell you how Triang is indestructible in that respect. With a view to future use by yourself though, I should also mention that a former publicity officer of the 3mm Society did have his ten year old daughter demonstrating the building of 3mm scale Parkside wagon kits at various shows. I would say that you should have in mind what you would like to have a few years down the line and work back from that to something your youngster can use now.

[Tartaruga]

4 hours ago, Golden Fleece 30 said:

Here is a photo of the same loco, A4 Silver Fox, in 0, 00, TT and N gauge.

 

Garry

 

Thanks Garry, just what I was after!

[Tartaruga]

2 hours ago, whart57 said:

If you are thinking of your youngster starting out with it then size probably matters more in as far as how easy is it for small hands to put things on the rails. And how robust things are. Garry will be able to tell you how Triang is indestructible in that respect. With a view to future use by yourself though, I should also mention that a former publicity officer of the 3mm Society did have his ten year old daughter demonstrating the building of 3mm scale Parkside wagon kits at various shows. I would say that you should have in mind what you would like to have a few years down the line and work back from that to something your youngster can use now.

 

Thank you for the above advice.

My youngest's experience of railways is mainly in Italy so I'm also looking to see what is available in N and TT over there. I'd like to make the double-decker coaches as that's what they enjoy most at the moment but this is definitely a long term project!

[Golden Fleece 30]

1 hour ago, Tartaruga said:

 

Thanks Garry, just what I was after!

It does depend on what you are after, as Whart says Tri-ang is practically indestructible, easy to service and most items cheap and in plentiful supply.  In that respect ideal for children, our own little girl had her own since she was 6.  Here is a Tri-ang TT layout built from a 1958 design called "A quart in a pint pot", that was done with flexible track, mine is Tri-ang.  The size is 4'9" x 2'6" and has terminus, main line, reverse loop, and second station which gave us fun at a local show.  You can go to fine-scale but Whart can tell you more on that as my large layout is Tri-ang based as I do like Tri-ang and although they only made 8 different locos I have 67 different classes of loco I can run on it, mainly with Tri-ang chassis's fitted to 3D printed bodies, the layout uses all Peco track.

 

Garry

Edited March 16, 2021 by Golden Fleece 30

[Golden Fleece 30]

This is how the Peco track can look, the tank is a 3D printed body on Tri-ang chassis.  The Scot is an old GEM whitemetal kit on a Tri-ang chassis.

 

Garry

[TT-Pete]

On 15/03/2021 at 23:17, Tartaruga said:

The 3mm society says "OO too big? N too small?" but does anybody have an image showing the difference?

I ask because I'm looking to start building a layout from scratch and so I was thinking as 3mm seemingly has most going for it on this side versus 2mm, which I have been leaning towards, but as I am restricted in size due to living conditions is 3mm still too big? I would be grateful if somebody could provide an image of an engine in 3mm against 2mm as I haven't yet found anything online.

My layout will be based around a simple loop initially as I want something to provide for my youngest to run a train around to start with and if they lose interest I can build up for myself after.

 

 

 

 

[DCB]

Great comparison shots.    TT is 75% the size of OO and N is 66% the size of TT.    1:100 is a stadard architectural scale and vast numbers od bulding drawings are avaiable as Survey drawings for planning applications on local council planning websies, the big downside to TT is the lack of RTR loco chassis.  The Triang  chassis really well engieered but most have solid spokes and with the motor "on its side" are OK for 0-6-0 tanks, and 2-6-2 / 2-6-4 tanks but are pretty horrible in 0-6-0 Tender engines, the BEC 4F is paticularly horrible, I stick OO axles in them and use them for small OO locos.    Incidentally the photos of the A4s may well show all of them in the wrong livery, Double chimneys came around 1957 as did the later tender emblem,  There were only 4 "Super A4s" with double chimneys until 1956,  Mallard and the last 3,

[Golden Fleece 30]

On 08/05/2021 at 13:18, DavidCBroad said:

Incidentally the photos of the A4s may well show all of them in the wrong livery, Double chimneys came around 1957 as did the later tender emblem,  There were only 4 "Super A4s" with double chimneys until 1956,  Mallard and the last 3,

David, I don't model any specific period loco condition etc  just what I like, so regarding emblems I much prefer to see the older tender/tank one than the later type.  At times I use the later one just for something different although most diesels only had this one so it is on a few of them.  I do prefer double chimneys on A4's but the TT one is a plastic moulding and with no casting available that is how it stayed.

 

Garry

[Nick Holliday]

On 16/03/2021 at 12:16, Tartaruga said:

 

Thank you for the above advice.

My youngest's experience of railways is mainly in Italy so I'm also looking to see what is available in N and TT over there. I'd like to make the double-decker coaches as that's what they enjoy most at the moment but this is definitely a long term project!

If you are looking at Italian or other European railways, it might be pertinent that the TT scale that is used for proprietary models is not 3mm (approx 1:100) but 1:120. This means that TT stock from the likes of Piko and Tillig is much closer to N scale (roughly 1:150±2) than the British comparisons above would suggest. Double-deck coaches are available RTR in this scale, although perhaps a bit pricey for some children to be "playing" with. 

[NCB]

On 24/05/2021 at 07:33, Nick Holliday said:

If you are looking at Italian or other European railways, it might be pertinent that the TT scale that is used for proprietary models is not 3mm (approx 1:100) but 1:120. This means that TT stock from the likes of Piko and Tillig is much closer to N scale (roughly 1:150±2) than the British comparisons above would suggest. Double-deck coaches are available RTR in this scale, although perhaps a bit pricey for some children to be "playing" with. 

 

But Continental N is 1:160, so there's still a reasonable reduction from Continental TT. I.e. the former is 75% of the latter.