Converting Narrow Guage Models to Standard

[camelot]

I was wondering if anyone has done this , there are a lot of nice models kits from the likes of Rio Grande , Keystone and others that are HOn3 narrow guage that i would like to run on my standard HO layout , is it a matter of installing HO truck sets and wheels ?

Cheers

Ian

 

[jon-monon]

Ian, the result would likely be rollin' stock that isn't as wide as the ties, and the trucks might even stick out. I've never seen the kits, but I guess they wouldn't likely be wider than 8 scale ft. I've gone the other way and narowed HO stock to become HOn30. You could do the same and add material. It's a simple matter of ripping the model right down the middle with a table saw, then adding some material, and gluing it all back

 

[camelot]

I thought that may have been a problem , not knowing much about narrow guage i was not sure that NG rolling stock was the same width as the standard guaged but it makes sense that it isn't.

Thanks foir your reply Jon

Cheers

Ian

 

[Vic]

Hi Ian, Actually NG rolling stock was anywhere from a foot to a foot and a half narrower than standard gauge. The addition of standard gauge trucks and wheelsets wouldn't make the conversion as in a lot of instances the sideframes would be sticking out from under the edge of the carbody.

The conversion of locos is even harder......the frame would have to be widened to accomodate standard gauge drivers and etc.

I've converted some standard HO cars to HON3 by shortening the width and adding NG trucks and the result was good. These were some Roundhouse Overton Passenger Cars and some Tichey Group ore cars.

You might want to take a look at the MDC/Roundhouse Line of locos. Most of their narrow gauges locos are just generic versions of some of their standard gauge locos and they look just the same.

 

[sumpter250]

Several narrow gauge railroads placed narrow gauge trucks under standard gauge rolling stock, instead of moving the load to narrow gauge cars. I don't recall seeing any railroad doing the opposite.
Pete