Southern broad gauge track ? or HO scale on 17.5mm gauge

[highpeak]

Andy Reichert sells rail in 18" lengths which at least in the US reduces shipping expenses quite a bit http://www.proto87.com/product1900.html

[CVSNE]

I think rail soldered directly to PCB ties would be an ideal solution.

If you're even remotely interested in this era/region (US, 1855-75, South) I highly recommend you visit Bernie Kempinski's excellent US Military RR blog -

http://usmrr.blogspot.com

 

Bernie looked extensively at modeling the railroad in HO scale, but found the equipment availability and the like was actually worse in HO than in N scale or O scale. The Mantua General is almost unsalvagable if the goal is a reasonable scale model, and the AHM/IHC etc... 4-4-0s are actually too large - they're closer to S scale in many proportions.

 

He ended settling on O scale 2-rail (which in the US is five-foot gauge). He chose this primarily to utilize SMR Trains brass locomotives - which are pricey, but spectacular models.

 

Although I've played some small role in helping with the layout -  laying some track, making some trees and the like - the majority of the layout is his work. Other than the locomotives, and some of the figures, virtually everything is scratchbuilt. The blog is well worth a visit, and it will answer a lot of questions about North American railroading in that era.

 

And if anyone is in the Washington DC area and would like a visit to Bernie's (or my) layouts, please don't hesitate to ask. We host visitors all the time - the only price is you might end up posed in front of the layout on the blog.

Edited August 26, 2014 by CVSNE

[burgundy]

I think rail soldered directly to PCB ties would be an ideal solution.

If you're even remotely interested in this era/region (US, 1855-75, South) I highly recommend you visit Bernie Kempinski's excellent US Military RR blog -

http://usmrr.blogspot.com

 

Bernie looked extensively at modeling the railroad in HO scale, but found the equipment availability and the like was actually worse in HO than in N scale or O scale. The Mantua General is almost unsalvagable if the goal is a reasonable scale model, and the AHM/IHC etc... 4-4-0s are actually too large - they're closer to S scale in many proportions.

 

He ended settling on O scale 2-rail (which in the US is five-foot gauge). He chose this primarily to utilize SMR Trains brass locomotives - which are pricey, but spectacular models.

 

Although I've played some small role in helping with the layout -  laying some track, making some trees and the like - the majority of the layout is his work. Other than the locomotives, and some of the figures, virtually everything is scratchbuilt. The blog is well worth a visit, and it will answer a lot of questions about North American railroading in that era.

 

And if anyone is in the Washington DC area and would like a visit to Bernie's (or my) layouts, please don't hesitate to ask. We host visitors all the time - the only price is you might end up posed in front of the layout on the blog.

Marty

Thank you for the suggestions.

I think I will stick to HO, despite the limitations of the Mantua General.  I am still kidding myself that, if I develop this idea, it will be a "quickie" (not very expensive in either time or money) as I already have an "unmade kit mountain" of Brighton locos which will take me a fair time to construct. However, the diversion from my interest in the Brighton is a useful way to look at a new subject and from a slightly different angle. I came to the conclusion quite early on in the exercise that I was likely to end up building a new chassis for the General, as I could not live with the telegraph pole that connects the motor in the tender to the driving axle through the centre of the cab. Having taken that step, a change of gauge was less of a show stopper.  

I saw the SMR locos that have been exhibited at Kennesaw and they are, without doubt, absolutely beautiful models. The photos below do not really do them justice, but the way in which they are arranged in a case makes it very difficult to get a decent shot. 

I have followed Bernie Kempinski's blog through the American Civil War e-group  and would love to see the layout. However, our visits at the moment are firmly in the direction of Atlanta where we have a granddaughter, daughter and son in law.   

Best wishes

Eric

Edited August 26, 2014 by burgundy

[2996 Victor]

Eric,

 

A bit of a thread revival - and apologies for hijacking your thread!

 

You should be able to glue down code 40 FB rail, (or solder to PCB ties) and keep both the correct appearance and sufficient clearance for HO wheels.

 

Andy,

 

you mention gluing down the rail to wooden ties - how effective would this be in the longer term, and what sort of glue would be suitable?

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

[k-59]

Interestingly the southern broad gauge is the reason that Russia still uses 5' gauge railways. It was a southern American engineer who built their railways.

 

I've contemplated modelling Russian gauge in N scale (1:160) but using 2FS track as it's almost right and standard gauge versions of a lot of diesels were used in East Germany.

 

As far as your problems are concerned, I would use EM standards for everything except the gauge. Being consistent with the standards will result in something that is much more reliable than trying to mix and match things.

Now I kinda want to use this to model a meeting of standard and broad gauge trolleys.