HOn30 vs HO

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I am trying tio get back into this hobby[:D], after 30 yrs away. [:(]
I am not familiar with this HOn30[?]. We had HO back then, but this is new to me.
I looked back 10 pages in this forum to see if any one had asked about it. I sure would like to know a little more about this HOn30 scale before I go out and buy any thing more. I sure would like info on this scale.
thanks, ennout

2

HOn30 is still HO scale modeling, everything is 1:87 proportion. The only thing is different is the width of the track, being 30" wide rather than the standard 4’-8-1/2" wide. The 30" width is achieved by using N scale track. Many modelers in this gauge use N scale engine mechanisms with HO scale bodies. Since there are plenty of fine working N scale engines around, this makes the hobby less expensive than modeling HOn3, which has its tracks 3’ (36") apart. Most of the HOn3 motive power is relatively expensive brass. For the most part, HOn30 is simulating rail lines that were actually 30" apart, as it is much more economical.

The same is happening in O scale - nowadays On30 is becoming quite popular, thanks to Bachmann’s line of rolling stock. They make a Shay, a Climax, a 2-6-0, and several small engines as well as a growing line of rolling stock. It’s the direction that I’m heading!

Bob Boudreau

3

Thanks FundyNorthern, I think that I will stay with just HO for now. I don’t understand why anyone would want to put an HO body on an N scale train.
ennout

4

HOn30 is an attempt to model 2 foot gauge railroads.

During the late 1800’s and early 1900’s it was thought you could build a railroad with a smaller gauge cheaper than a standard gauge railroad so many little railroads were started with 3 foot gauge and a few with 2 foot gauge rather than standard 4’8 1/2" gauge. Turns out its not cheaper and transferring the laods between cars is more expensive so they all pretty much folded or re-gauged by the end of WW2.

There is also a large following of HOn3, modeling the 3 foot gauge.

HOn30 is using N scale mechanisms with HO scale superstructures to model 2 foot gauge railroads or 30" gauge European lines where smaller gauges were more common.

Dave H.

5

This web site http://www.hon30.org/ has information on HOn30. Where HOn30 is an attempt to model 2 foot railroads using existing N scale mechanisms and track, On30 is an economical attempt to do narrow gauge in O scale using HO track and mechanism and seems to be equally divided between 3ft and 2ft modeling. Both of these scales have commercial support. Another one is Sn2 using HOn3 track and mechanisms - see this site http://www.narrowtracks.com/ for info.

For 2 ft models running on HOn30, Sn2, On30 see this site http://www.trainandtrooper.com/
Enjoy
Paul

6

The best cheap HOn3 lokies are the MDC kits, now a part of Athearn, look up Ebay for kits, I did find a vendor online with a kit, so search around.

I will have an HOn3 line on my layout (not HOn30)

Smaller gauged lines could have sharper curves and get across rougher terrain. It didnt need quite as much grading.

7

thanks guys,
Everything now is just so different than it was way back when. With DCC and all the other neat stuff for Model Railroading. For now I think I will stay with my HO scale until I get a little more up to date.[:D]

8

Hi,

met someone at a local train show that sold some kits. The models looked great and it would certainly add some interest to a layout, to have a narrow gauge line as well.

Here is the web site www.railrec.com

Hope it helps.

Frank

9

Just to clarify the nomenclature a little:

First and foremost, there is no VERSUS. HOn30 and standard HO are both built to the same scale, and can happily co-exist on the same layout.

  • HO scale, 3.5mm = 1 foot, or a scale reduction of 87.1:1. This applies to models of everything from the Petronus Towers to fireplugs.

  • Standard gauge - 56.5 inches, the most commonly used track gauge in North America.

  • ‘HO Gauge’ usually refers to track laid to a gauge of 16.5mm, which is within 0.025 inch of being correct for standard gauge in HO scale.

  • 30 inch (or 762mm) gauge. Use of this gauge by prototype rail lines was uncommon in the United States but considerably more common in other countries.

  • HOn30 (or HOn762, HOe, HOn2 1/2) refers to building HO scale models of equipment which runs on 9mm gauge (which is N-scale standard gauge) track.

HOn762 is very popular in Japan, where it is used to model the wide array of 762mm gauge railways that once existed there. Almost every issue of Tetsudo Mokei Shumi carries coverage of somebody’s hyper-detailed layout (which is usually about the size of a place mat…) Themes range from logging and industrial lines to suburban EMU service.

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with two very different 762mm gauge feeder lines)

10

HOe I thought was meter gauge which is more popular for Europe and South America

11

Narrow gauge was around back then–you just didn’t realize it.

12

With HOn3 (36"gauge), an 18-inch-radius curve is equivalent to a 28-inch curve in HO standard gauge as far as appearance and rolling stock compatibility is concerned:

Similarly, In HOn30 (30" gauge), an 18-inch-radius curve is equivalent to about a 35-inch-radius curve in HO standard gauge.

Mark

13

Just to set a few things straight:

  • HOe represents 750 mm or 762 mm (Austria, Bosnia) on 9 mm gauge track in HO scale - this gauge is also called HOn30 or HOn21/2

  • HOm represents 1,000 mm gauge on 12 mm track in HO scale

  • HOf represents 600 mm gauge on 6.5 mm track

HOe and HOm are popular gauges in Europe with quite a nice selection of equipment available from Liliput (Bachmann), Bemo and more than a dozen smaller companies. A word of warning, though. These models are really pricey and make the top range of locos from MTH or Blueline Paragon look like bargains. Bemo steamers are in the range of $ 800 to $ 1,000 - without DCC or sound! Kits are also available, but require a lot of dexterity to assemble.

Bemo´s home page can be visited here

14

Did anyone notice this thread started in 2005, and wonder why it is back?

15

This scene combines HO, HOn30 and Dual Gauge track which is handlayed except for a Tillig prefabbed HO/HOe divergent turnout which is under the bashed Spectrum Shay. Peter Smith, Memphis

16

It looks like Frank da k r a u t brought this thread back from the abyss. His motives are questionable…

17

I hate it when that happens. Peter Smith, Memphis