I am currently looking for models of the ET&WNC’s rolling stock in HOn3, particularly passenger cars, hoppers, gondolas, and caboose 505. I am aware of models of these in 0n30, as well as the Train and Trooper models of the ten wheelers. Right now I am debating on which scale to use, as each provides their own advantages and disadvantages. does anyone know of a firm manufacturing rolling stock kits in HOn3 for the ET&WNC?
Tweetsie stuff is hard to come by, in general, and as I have noted before, in other postings, HOn3, save for Blackstone, is being edged out to a limited degree by On30 stuff being modeled in 36" gauge engines and cars! (Out of gauge, gauging) Of course, this has been done in HO in the past and a tiny bit in the present. Regardless, On30 seems to be all the rage just now. Lots of folks just like the larger models and have the money and space.
It seems genuine On3 and Sn3 are still back waters for the most part with very steep pricing being the norm. Modelers in these gauges are to be commended as it is, and always has been, an uphill climb for them with scratchbuilding being the norm.
I note that Blackstone’s on-line survey does inquire of the person taking the survey, if they would like to see Blackstone make a Tweetsie Loco. Thus, they realize there might be enough of a market for Tweetsie stuff to test the waters, at least.
Search e-bay and google using both ET&WNC and “Tweetsie” and you might find a loco or cars for sale. You might also consider a loco or car bashing exercise if you feel up to the effort inorder to satisfy you need for motive power and rolling stock. Quite often your finished result doesn’t have to be 100% identical in order to please or deceive.
In closing, you are going to have a tough road ahead getting R-T-R Tweetsie stuff in any one gauge, if that is your goal, but you may find just enough offerings scattered over all gauges to be maddening and frustrating.
Narrow gauge can get lonely and make you feel like an outsider. Even walking into a well stocked hobby shop and needing code 70 rail joiners can get you the “free look”.
Richard
David Hoffman specializes in making or carrying locomotives and rolling stock for Eastern and logging narrow gauge - in both HOn3 and HOn30. He has a catalog of available items, which I have at home. I specifically recall some ET&WNC rolling stock in the catalog.
He does not have or use a computer - you deal with him via phone or snail mail. It’s worth getting the catalog. I’ll try to dig out phone number and address in the next day or two, and e-mail you same.
…modeling foggy coastal Oregon, where it’s always 1900…
Fred W
thanks for the help. I am in a position right now that would allow me to go to either HOn3 or 0n30. 0n30 has the rolling stock advantage, as I know of firms that produce most of the railroads passenger equipment, gondolas, and the caboose. however as I plan on modelling the dual gauge portion of the line, this would require me more than likely to scratchbuild the standard gauge loco, something I don’t intend on undertaking. HOn3 has the advantage of 4 tweetsie buildings being produced by different firms. Building the standard gauge loco in HO would also be much easier, as would be handlaying the dual gauge track. However as far as I know little to no rolling stock is produced for this line in HOn3, hence why I started this thread to try and find some. If I can it will be more than likely that I will steer toward HOn3 for my model.
You have it right! If you are bound and determined to go dual gauge and run trains on both gauges, then HOn3 is about your one and only choice, espcially where dollar bills and space is concerned.
In HOn3, the dual gauge track is commonly available in every possible turnout and crossing configuration. Dual gauge trackage can get complicated, but ready built track is there for you. You have a vast selection of rolling stock in standard and narrow HO gauges, so it looks like you are in HO scale and both major HO gauges.
Welcome to the Narrow gauge adventure.
Richard
I agree, HOn3 seems the best way to go. would you be able to point me in the direction of dual gauge turnouts and crossings? my plan calls for many of them, including turnouts where only the narrow gauge track diverges, and standard gauge track crossing dual gauge
Something to consider: because neither On30 nor O use the correct gauge, dual gauge track doesn’t look right. The narrow gauge rail is located 52% of the standard gauge spread from the common rail - effectively a centered third rail. Prototype and HO/HOn3 both have the 63.5% location of the 3rd rail, which is visually not centered. True On3 and O have a 60% ratio, which is probably close enough visually.
For the visual reasons, you will seldom see dual gauge track on an On30 layout. You can have a nice visual effect of an interchange without using dual gauge track. The narrow gauge and standard gauge track can be seen side by side, and still look good. But that’s not going to work for modeling the dual gauge section of the ET&WNC.
my thoughts, your choices
Fred W
Shinohara makes a variety of dual gauge turnouts in Code 70. Railway Engineering (http://www.railwayeng.com/) will custom build a very nice turnout or crossing to your specs for a quite reasonable price (IMHO).
my thoughts, your choices
Fred W
www.jamestowntrains.com also does custom HO/HOn3 trackwork, and they’ll also do their products in code 55 for a bit extra.
Thank you all for the help. Much appreciated. However, the missing piece in the puzzle is still sourcing rolling stock kits. If anyone knows of any available commercially please let me know Thanks!
trainguy,
Here are a couple of things I did on my layout. There aren’t any RTR choices where just SG or NG diverges. However, you can fairly easily hack Shinohara turnouts to solve both. It is, however, a little disconcerting to start hacking at a $40+ turnout, so maybe a good stiff shot of your favorite adult beverage first may be necessary to get you “in the mood” to chop away.
In a couple of cases where I needed SG to continue through one leg of a turnout, but send the NG down the other leg, I just use a dual gauge turnout and removed the NG rail and the standard gauge point to suit. It’s a little ugly, but the prototype did, too, in such cases. In another case, I installed a NG only siding by hacking some dual gauge flax track to notch it to include NG switches at either end of the siding.
As for crossings, Shinohara has a limited selection. However, building a custom crossing is not too big a deal. In fact, my HO/HOn3 crossing was the first bit of handlaid track I did and it came out fine.
If one is not into hand laying track or cutting into the $40.00 dual gauge switch, what you can do was what was often done in yards and at yard limits.
Install the dual gauge switch and continue the track gauge you don’t want for a short distance after the switch, as if a siding for narrow and standard gauge and then continue only the gauge you wish to continue and place a really cool pair of warning posts on both sides of the line stating “Warning” (top line)… “End of stardard gauge track” or “End of Narrow gauge track”. I have seen these signs in old photos at yard limits and spur/ siding limits for particular gauges.
Richard
Richard,
I need to get me a few of those signs. My dual gauge is intended to be a bit of a puzzle for my operators. There are SG-only, NG-only and dual gauge tracks, so a fellow can really get himself into trouble if not paying attention to what track goes where. [*-)][#oops]
You’ll have to make those signs up, of course.
I saw three nifty photos of those signs in Richardson’s “Chasing the Narrow Gauge” One was at Antonito and the other at Alamosa, but I am sure they abounded all over those dual gauge yards and some spurs. One was a warning at a switch leading to a turnaround wye. “Warning - Only narrow gauge track on this wye. Standard gauge engines and cars keep out”
Dual gauge trackage and signage is interesting and really cool, I think.
Richard Hull
If you’re looking to model just the section between Stateline and Cranberry (or Boone if you’re doing the prewar era before the big flood), On30 is really a much better way to go. I’m designing a On30 layout for the WW2 era which won’t include dual tracks: