4mmNG using 2mmFS track

[PenrithBeacon]

I wonder if anyone has tried this. I'm thinking very seriously of moving from P4 into this area. I simply don't have the room to accommodate a layout in P4.

 

Also a subsidiary question. 2mmFS = 2'-6" track gauge, 009 = 2'-3" track gauge, does anybody know of a society that does 4mmNG with a 1'-11.5" track gauge?

 

Regards

[Joseph_Pestell]

I don't know about a Society but Pete Wilson had a superb quarry layout back in the 1980s built with 8mm gauge track. Can't remember the layout name but he was, I think, a member of the Greenwich MRS and close to the guys who ran Meridian Models.

[cornelius]

2'6" would strictly speaking be 10mm gauge. 

 

It's definitely a fringe activity within the 009 Society but it does happen, e.g. Paul Holmes' Borth-y-Gest in 7.83mm gauge for 1'11.5".

 

There aren't really any set conventions, but I've seen recommendations before to use 2mmFS standards for 2' gauge and thereabouts and simply use EM with the gauge narrowed for 2'6" / 10mm - this is as much to do with the heavier weight of rail and stock on the larger gauge than anything else.

[Jub45565]

Paul Holmes has done a Ffestiniog based layout called Borth-Y-Gest in 7.83mm gauge 4mm scale, for which I believe he used 2mmFS wheel and flangeway standards.

 

http://www.narrow-gauge.co.uk/gallery/user.php?user_id=326

 

[pete_mcfarlane]

9.42 would be about 2'4", so ideal for the Snailbeach. Lots of industrial railways seem to be built to odd gauges. 

[Horsetan]

Many years ago, the late Lynden Emery set up a narrow-gauge sub group within the Scalefour Society. I think that gauges were to be made available but after he died it all seemed to fade away a bit.

[Jub45565]

Many years ago, the late Lynden Emery set up a narrow-gauge sub group within the Scalefour Society. I think that gauges were to be made available but after he died it all seemed to fade away a bit.

 

The problem is, picking a narrow gauge 'standard' is the hard part!  In modelling terms, using 2mmFS standards and adjusting the gauge is the compromise I think most people would take - but on the prototype the practices vary wildly.  Even for those of the same gauge there isnt always compatibility - for example FR locos can work on the VoR (as shown by Palmerston in the 1920s, and more recently with the Alco (though not recently enough...) but the VoR wheel profile and back to back is such that they couldn't work on the FR (loading gauge aside).

[Horsetan]

....Even for those of the same gauge there isnt always compatibility - for example FR locos can work on the VoR (as shown by Palmerston in the 1920s, and more recently with the Alco (though not recently enough...) but the VoR wheel profile and back to back is such that they couldn't work on the FR (loading gauge aside).

 

Yes, it's a bit like models built with S4 back-to-backs being able to run on track built to P4 standards, but not the other way round.

[Quarryscapes]

Peter Wilson's 8mm gauge layout was Chwarel Cwm Bach, and it's featured in Issue 6 IIRC of NG&IRM Review. There are no societies or accepted NG standards for finescale narrow gauge, you're very much on your own! I am also slowly building up the courage (and stock of parts) to do 4mm NG using 2FS components. The 2mmSA are very good at selling their tyres separate, so you can make your own narrow gauge wheel centres. When time allows I will be sorting out or trying to, some brass ones. 

 

I've got some NG wagons somewhere running 3D printed double flanged wheels and some other 3DP centres in 2FS tyres. 

[PenrithBeacon]

My thanks to all for their replies.

 

Regards

[Alex Duckworth]

Did you mean using 2mmFS track (i.e. Easitrac) at 9.42mm gauge or using 2mmFS track components set to your own chosen gauge?

 

Alex.

[PenrithBeacon]

Did you mean using 2mmFS track (i.e. Easitrac) at 9.42mm gauge or using 2mmFS track components set to your own chosen gauge?

 

Alex.

The former. To do the latter would require specialist tools which aren't available commercially and I can't make because I don't have a lathe.

 

My ideal would be 2mmFS track set to a scale 600mm. No chance!

 

Regards

[nick_bastable]

The former. To do the latter would require specialist tools which aren't available commercially and I can't make because I don't have a lathe.

 

My ideal would be 2mmFS track set to a scale 600mm. No chance!

 

Regards

1-251  

Track and turnout roller gauge (Brass) for 6.5mm Narrow Gauge track 

 

is quite  close although designed for 30 thou rail

 

scrub that the brains not working this morning a 8mm wide strip of brass/wood would make a basic track gauge 

 

Nick

[rue_d_etropal]

Although I am not into finescale, I would suggest starting with the gauge and adjust the scale to suit. This means you can make use of existing finescale standards and parts. These days there is less need to stick to established scales, as 3D printed models can be designed to what ever scale you want, just ask. In fact in this case scale is close to S scale, so might be able to use S scale accessories. Just done calculation and it is closer than I thought. 600 divided by 9.42, gives a scale of 1/63.7,

[hayfield]

David

 

Rather than go for 009 why not try 5.5 mm scale with TT track using finer scale wheels, OK its a bit bigger than 009 but will still a lot smaller than standard gauge.

 

I am not too up whether there are fine TT gauge standards, but you could use smaller Gibson drivers gauged to 12 mm at worst and use something like Peco code 60 rail

 

People at this scale are available via wargamers (see 5,5 mm narrow gauge thread which is quite recent) and there is a small amount of kit built stock in this scale

[PenrithBeacon]

David

 

Rather than go for 009 why not try 5.5 mm scale with TT track using finer scale wheels, OK its a bit bigger than 009 but will still a lot smaller than standard gauge.

 

I am not too up whether there are fine TT gauge standards, but you could use smaller Gibson drivers gauged to 12 mm at worst and use something like Peco code 60 rail

 

People at this scale are available via wargamers (see 5,5 mm narrow gauge thread which is quite recent) and there is a small amount of kit built stock in this scale

John,

 

The intention here wasn't to go down the 009 route but to try something that was moving towards finescale. I have looked into the 9mm track approach but nobody sells 9mm track gauges, nobody at all. C&L do sell 9mm track components but they don't sell the gauges required to construct the track. I made a specific email inquiry to ask and got a negative response.

 

The only way forward seems to be the 2mmFS Society if you want to do finescale 4mmNG. They do the track components and the gauges and they also have a wheel re-profiling service which could be very useful given the truly horrendous flanges of so many of the products in the 4mmNG world.

 

I think I'll send off the application form I acquired at the Swindon show and see what happens.

 

Best Regards

[hayfield]

There is a chart somewhere showing the differing codes of rail and their uses, both standard and narrow gauge

 

I enquired some time ago about the turnouts on the new West Highland Railway, they very kindly sent me a scale drawing and its big !! Though they do have Garrets running

 

Good luck with your endeavours 

[pete_mcfarlane]

These people seem to do basic 9mm track gauges.

 

http://motorbogies.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=19_31&zenid=8jdl5bop5b7umb1r2mtr1ljdg4

 

It doesn't solve the wheel issue though. I keep toying over the idea of a NG line on my planned layout, but get put off by the idea that the NG section will have coarser wheel standards than the SG bit (and that's using finescale OO). 

[Quarryscapes]

John,

 

The intention here wasn't to go down the 009 route but to try something that was moving towards finescale. I have looked into the 9mm track approach but nobody sells 9mm track gauges, nobody at all. C&L do sell 9mm track components but they don't sell the gauges required to construct the track. I made a specific email inquiry to ask and got a negative response.

 

The only way forward seems to be the 2mmFS Society if you want to do finescale 4mmNG. They do the track components and the gauges and they also have a wheel re-profiling service which could be very useful given the truly horrendous flanges of so many of the products in the 4mmNG world.

 

I think I'll send off the application form I acquired at the Swindon show and see what happens.

 

Best Regards

 

I'm tempted to make a 3D printed set of gauges, the accuracy should be good enough, but would need to be kept reasonably distant from anywhere being soldered. 

 

Worth mentioning too, that you can only get code 40 flat bottom rail from the society, only the bullhead variant is available elsewhere. 

[wagonman]

Many years ago, the late Lynden Emery set up a narrow-gauge sub group within the Scalefour Society. I think that gauges were to be made available but after he died it all seemed to fade away a bit.

 

 

He even produced a series of Newsletters. I think I've got mine somewhere...