The On30 conspiracy

Two Christmases ago my Kids got me a Bachmann On30 train set..More then once I have been tempted to move up to On30 as I really like that scale.I see many possibilities modeling a narrow gauge short line around say 1890 or 1900. or as late as 1920s or 30s..One thing I do like about On30 it is big enough to work on but still small enough not to require a extra large space.
 
Ok............

Thanks Pete! So this is the 0n30 conspiracy? There is also one on Yahoo. The next time you bash one of those combines. Please show the steps.

philip :thumb:
 
I'm loosing my will to resist assimilation.

I first became interested in On30 when I came across Laurie Green's "Old Ophir" modified (with scenery) "timesaver" which is actually On3. He has since changed his URL so I won't post his obsolete one here.
What fascinated me was that he had (in my mind) huge rolling stock operating in a space of only 4' 6" x 2'.

Then, for the first time, I've plodded through every post in this thread and am convinced that On30 is a most desirable gauge/scale to work with.

Pete's rolling stock/loco bashing is superb as is Shamus's. :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

I hit on a site that has rough drawings of converting B/mann 44 tonner and Athearn SW7 into On30 locos. As I have both of those HO locos I want to have a bash at innovating a loco BUT........ what is a typical width of a On30 car or loco??? ....... I estimate it to be about 45 to 47 mm overall and my guess is that the coupler height will be the same as HO standard.

Is there any hope for me to recover from this fascination that has gripped me so hard? :eek: Wanna know the best part of this? .... My wife wants a 0n30 Bachmann 0-4-0 Porter and one is available 70 miles away from me!!!!!!
Should I resist??

Errol
 
Is there any hope for me to recover from this fascination that has gripped me so hard? Wanna know the best part of this? .... My wife wants a 0n30 Bachmann 0-4-0 Porter and one is available 70 miles away from me!!!!!!
Click to expand...

Have you bought it yet????

A safe width for 0n30 cars and locos ia around 7 to 8 '.Actually you can use 0n3 measurements because the real difference in the two scales is really just the track gauge.
 
If you are going to use the Porter, use it for a guide on the width of your cars. Make them long enough to look good but not over size. For trucks, I'd use Kadee archbar or Walthers archbar trucks. They look fine under cars that are pulled by the Porters. Remember the people are still O scale and a six foot tall man will be 1.5" tall. Also as a size reference, consider how people look next to the trains at Disneyland. Not so wide but tall enough to walk in.

Greg
 
Thanks guys

Thanks Catt and Greg, I won't be buying the Porter just yet, (disposable funds are not to hand here). I was thinking of scratching a body for perhaps my 44 tonner, SW7 or one of my MDC Shays, that's why I asked about typical widths and coupler heights.

Like Charlie, I'm dreaming up some kind of setup to get a feel for this On30 stuff and spent 5 hrs surfing On30 layouts (let's hear it for Google :) ) and my resistance is definately weakening. My wife can handle the buildings construction in this scale which leaves me free to dream up contours and trees for a diorama.

Just recently I've been kick-started into getting off my butt and "doing" modelling. I'm still wondering why I backed off for so long :confused: .

Errol
 
Errol,

Some sheet styrene and your off to the On30 races. :D The SW-7 lends itself quite well to On30 small dieseldom. If you don't want to worry about the walkway and such, a box cab diesel would really be easy to do. It could fit a new shell over the SW-7 and then you wouldn't have to cut up the switcher shell. I'd use the switcher as a base to hold the box cab. Just my own day dreaming mind you. :D The Bachmann caboose and box car scale out to 7.5' and Catt was right on with his 7'-8' width.

Cheers,
Greg
 
kettlestack said:
Pete's rolling stock/loco bashing is superb as is Shamus's. :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

I hit on a site that has rough drawings of converting B/mann 44 tonner and Athearn SW7 into On30 locos. As I have both of those HO locos I want to have a bash at innovating a loco BUT........ what is a typical width of a On30 car or loco??? ....... I estimate it to be about 45 to 47 mm overall and my guess is that the coupler height will be the same as HO standard.

Is there any hope for me to recover from this fascination that has gripped me so hard? :eek: Wanna know the best part of this? .... My wife wants a 0n30 Bachmann 0-4-0 Porter and one is available 70 miles away from me!!!!!!
Should I resist??

Errol
Click to expand...
Errol,
I have some Body drawings I made for converting Bachmann 44 tonne chassis into. My Galloping Goose uses one as does the Speeder also the Centre Cab bash ("Yellow critter") SW1's are also excellent, I scratchbuilt a class A climax body for one. Don't know if you have the Rivarossi Heisler, but I kitbashed one of those into 0n30.

cheers
Shamus
 
Thanks Shamus

Shamus my friend, I've now spent something like 20 hrs surfing a lot of On30 layout sites (including yours :thumb: :thumb: ). It's the freelance scratched stuff that has bitten me hard. I'm currently scratching an On30 steeamer body for the MDC centre cab diesel and I'm having some success with it.

Any drawings you have of conversions would be greatly appreciated. I'll build a diorama first in the theme of "Fiddleton & Copperopolis" :) :D because those fanciful things tickle me pink (and guarantees my wife will be just as enthusiastic).

I curently have a Bachmann streetcar as well as those locos I mentioned earlier which might also finish up as an On30 chassis. Geeeeee, I never should have started reading this thread and surfing for info, I'm beyond redemption! :D :D :D

Errol
 
Well Errol, when you get bitten by the 0n30 bug, you get bitten again to do more.
For the plans I have, just PM me with your email Errol, I will get them off to you.
Better still, why not pop down and see my layout and get bitten some more. :thumb: :rolleyes: :thumb:

Shamus
 
Thanks Shamus, I've PM'd you my e-mail addy.
I'd love to visit your terrific layout, thanks for the offer but it won't be for a month or two before we might meet up.

This On30 thingy has got me going, (when the bug bites, it bites HARD) I've posted pics of my scratched On30 loco in the "Narrow Gauge" section.

Thanks again my friend.

Errol
 
Hey fellow conspirators....Bachmann has a new On30 product out, it's a "train set" with a four wheel trolley, engine shed w/time delay, and auto reversing track. The trolley mechanism is all below the floor, so this could become a powered flat car, or whatever your imagination can come up with. FYI
Pete
 
Pete how well does it run?
Click to expand...

When I first posted this, I hadn't had a chance to do a trial run. So......to answer Tyson's question................Oh!, look! there's a full moon tonight! :oops: :oops:

Ok, not as well as I'd hoped, but I think it can be made to run a lot better, with a little patience...........and jmarksberry's pile driver! Really, the motor is about the size of older n scale locos, and even though it only has to move the trolley, it is just a little underpowered, and just a touch noisy. Still, the mechanism really does lend itself to On30 critter building, as all the drive is down between the axles.
This is one project that will have to wait until after the Ntrak module is done.
Pete
 
G'Day All,
As l have just become a member of the group l would like to bring the other member up to speed as to what l model.
As l live in OZ l model Victorian Railways narrow gauge in ON30 having 2-6-2 Baldwin tank locos and narrow gauge rolling stock. As my layout is freelance l can also convert the layout to logging or mining and use Climax and Shay locos.

Cheers
Ken Hughes
OZ
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom