Bob S

A recent detail; tracks done, now it’s time for scenery. I got the henge stones in a little box at a book store. It had a history and layout of the Stonehenge monument. I didn’t use all of them, and squeezed the ones I used into the vacant corner.

Thanks for sharing your experience! Of course it makes sense, but it’s nice to know the reality. Still wonder why it was done...

First of all, I want to thank everyone for their advice and observations - invaluable. So, mine came today. I conducted some surgery, removing the tension lock components and hogging out a pocket on the top of the brace. A regular #3 Kadee fits just fine and does not interfere with anything. the coach runs smoothly through an s-curve on my board. On a tangent, I’ve observed coaches having white roofs. This can’t have lasted, could they? What have folks done to make them look more realistic?

Hey folks, greetings from California. Have a question regarding couplers. Hornby has released (haven't seen one yet) some GWR clerestory coaches. I have a preference for Kadee couplers, they even make a set that fit NEM sockets. Has anyone modified these or other similar coaches to accommodate Kadees? From the scarce pictures of these coaches, it looks like the stock couplers are molded onto the bogies. Thanks for any help or advice!

Argh! Thinking the 2095 was OOS, I just spent my "allotment" on an OO Peckett 0-6-0. Thanks for the tip on Gaugemaster though. I'll keep an eye on them.

Thanks for the reply. Repainting was exactly what I'd planned to do. Now, however, my sole source in the USA is out of stock, so I have to wander the web looking for them! My mini layout has 5% grades on Peco first radius OO9 curves. The Bachmann Skarloey and Rheneas will pull 2 to 3 Peco micro cars, but there will be times I want to pull more!

Steve, nice locos. Perhaps you might share some info? I’m building a U.K. themed OO9 mountain layout (it’s over in the narrow gauge modeling section), with Peco curves on a 5% grade. My Bachmann Skarloey, Rheneas and 10-12-D all can climb with a maximum of three Peco shorty style cars. I’ve cobbled together an n-gauge Bo-Bo and these cars, and it’ll pull all I own! In a hypothetical universe, in your opinion would a narrow gauge U.K. railroad ever import a Bo-Bo 2095 for use, say for tourist excursions? What I’m really asking is whether the 2095 looks thematically compatible with U.K. rolling stock? If necessary, I could paint over the OBB scheme with something “generically regional”. If you have mated these, I’d love to see a photo! I know scales aren’t identical.

Did a little experimenting. I have some Graham Farish and Bachmann US n-gauge rolling stock. I tried swapping wheels, found out that some axles on the GF are slightly larger so bind up, and the B-US wheels themselves are slightly smaller in diameter. Both are 20 years old, so perhaps wear or re-tooling may have occurred. So, I'll be waiting for the real thing...

Hi Nile. Does the announcement mention the option of purchasing them apart from the rolling stock? If they will be available, can anyone recommend a good source for small items like these? It would have to be a source that ships to California! Thanks in advance, guys.

Thank you Nile for both bits of information. I’d thought the Bachmann issue was new, but apparently everyone knew! Call me mushroom man, in the dark! As for the wheels, your news is great. I do like the sound of “iron on iron”.

Hesitant to start a whole new topic for a single question, but in Southern California, info on OO9 is essentially nonexistent. Does any company make replacement metal wheelsets for Peco’s short wagons? Stock plastic ones seem a bit grabby, something I’ve noticed in other gauges. Just curious. By the way, I was just told that Hattons won’t be selling Bachmann narrow gauge products. Anybody know why? Again, I’m in an info vacuum.

I posted a clip n YouTube. Hope you enjoy it!

Here’s my final setup; the two points are remotely operated with Kato mechanisms. The base is just some 1/4” plywood with green felt glued over it. The wiring is threaded through holes in the wood and cloth under the points and power hookup.

I’ve put mine together, minus a point. The Bachmann Skarloey 0-4-2, Rheneas 0-4-0 and 10-12-D 4-6-0 have no problems negotiating the route. The 90deg crossing doesn’t stall any of the locos, unless you bring them to a stop right on it. I’m building a green cloth felt slab for it to sit on, when all is done I’ll post a YouTube video and leave a link here. (I also run n scale stock on it. Don’t tell anyone!)

I’m working on my “Freelance OO9 Layout” (another topic here) and as I was browsing the Internet, I saw a micro layout using Kato N Scale track that looked fun. I mapped it out using Anyrail software and developed the track plan. It should fit on a 34” by 15” board, that one can put on a table. For me, it allows running various rolling stock, to see if they can negotiate the tight curves, and just watch trains while my other layout is in construction. I have some of the track segments, so I did some preliminary tests. The smaller curve radius is 6”/150mm. My Bachmann Rheneas and Skarloey handle them. My Bachmann 10-12-D can also, but complains a bit. The latter also cannot make the curve of the turnout, so it goes straight. Some n scale trains can run on this too, small ones anyway. There appears to be a lot of OO9 product in development, so I hope to use this layout for test and demonstration purposes. You may notice a tiny gap on the outside curves. I’m not sure if it’s real or an artifact of the software. At any rate, it’s just a couple of millimeters, so ther should be enough flex in the track to compensate. Feel free to try this! Let me know what you think if you do.

Yes, their tightest “compact” radius, somewhere around 110mm I believe.

I tested out a video capability, using some components from radio control drones. Being micro sized, resolution is coarse. I’m just starting scenery work, if you view this with your mind’s eye, there’s a lot of potential. Just received a Bachmann 10-12-D. It climbs better than the Thomas engines, but still is limited in the number of cars it’ll pull.

Hey guys, could use a little help. I have a Minitrains Gmeinder Diesel, which I used to my track concepts. The electric motor died! I disassembled it to the point that the problem is inside the can, probably a brush unseated or something. Can’t find any source to get a replacement motor. I bought it as part of a train set on closeout. If it can’t be fixed, it’s not worth a full retail replacement, and its little cars will be orphans! Oh, and another question. Are there any other options than a tunnel for this overlapping track? In the US, there’d be a wood trestle. Maybe a brick viaduct?

This just showed up on Bachmann USA’s website, in their On30 steam engine section. Pretty cool! Most versions are of the USA WW1 liveries, but this one seems ripe for “local” use. DCC & Sound.

Now THIS one Skarloey can handle!

Hi Nile, you’re absolutely right. The Skarloey cannot manage my grades. It’s not so much the transitions, but the curves and grades combinations. As the track curves and climbs, it has to “twist” a bit. Skarloey can’t do it. Ah well, that just means I’ll have to build another layout it can handle! I wonder if the Bachmann 4-6-0 is flexible enough to work. I’ve tried some n scale locomotives, and they work. Anyway, the layout is progressing; fascia boards up, and some scenery. I’m using Woodland Scenics shaper sheet techniques. It’s a bit expensive, but for this size board it’s ok. It’s also easy to modify with a hobby knife. I’m also casting their rocks in plaster.

The route is finalized. Lots of tunnels & grades! It’ll be fun to devise scenery for it. Maybe a snow capped peak, or a quarry pit...who can say? This has been all done with Woodland Scenics products. I did run a pin pin up from the couplers, now they stay connected through the dips and humps. Richard, your coaches look great. I think my curves might be too tight for them. The Rheneas can pull three, but not four Peco coaches up the grade. I have a Skarloey enroute, we’ll see how many it can pull.

Richard, thanks! Armed with your info, I pulled out the coupler, no problems. So, am I correct that Peco’s GR-102 is the direct replacement and the 105 still fits into the pocket, but is closer?

Ok guys, progress is being made. However, I’ve run across a complication. I have a number of transition areas between level and 5% grade segments. Some of my Peco OO9 shorty coaches will disconnect, due to the change in angle of the couplers. If any of you have experienced this, did you do any modifications of the couplers, and were they successful? Are there other couplers on the market, and are they easy to substitute? At at this point I don’t really expect to shunt the coaches, so I could say, add a wire post to one coupler that the corresponding coupler can’t disengage, but any ideas are welcome. I’ll ll post a picture or two once I clean up the board. No scenery, just track bed support at this point. Edit: are the Peco couplers NEM style, in other words pull out removable? That’d make it easy to modify. There’s nobody I know here in Southern California who I can ask!

Gerard, this is all Peco set track; nine inch radius.