Kwik 16mm scale question

Garden Railroading
1

I don’t model in this scale but I’m wondering if someone can explain the gauge used and the prototype modeled.

I’m guessing 16mm uses O gauge track (32mm).

I’m also guessing that it represents 2 feet gauge.

Last guess is that 16mm represents 16mm to the centimeter (16mm:1c). Or, does 16mm represent 1 foot?

2

the 16mm represents 1 foot it’s 1:19. Maybe someone from the other side of the pond will chime in about what track is used and waht it represents.

Jack

3

thanks, Jack,

I guess what confused me is that 16mm and “feet” are in the proportion (mixing measurements); probably b/c 16mm doesn’t work out well to inches I’m guessing

4

I come from a pure Metric background… I use the ratio 19.1:1 as my guide.

The most popular track for 16mm is 32mm AKA SM32 emulating a 2 foot or 600mm track.
There is also 45mm track AKA SM45 for the larger 2 feet 6inch, three feet, 750/760mm and metre gauges.

There is a very small group building what they are calling “T” gauge of 57mm for emulating CAPE gauge of 3 feet 6 inches. I have taken the easier route and I am using 63.5mm track for my CAPE gauge. Yes it is too wide -but am I bothered??? Not in the slightest!!!

regards

ralph

5

See I knew someone would come up with it.

Thanks Ralph.

There’s a web site to you might want to look at http://www.16mm.org.uk/

Hope that helps David.

Jack

6

I believe 16mm scale uses O scale standard gauge track to represent two foot gauge propotypes. The scale ratio is 1:19.1. It’s too bad this isn’t popular on this side of the pond as it is a good alternative for those who would like to model the two footers but find On30 too small and 7/8 scale too big (for most spaces). I would jump into 16mm scale in a New York Minute if only even one affordable loco was available. I’d probably use the 1:20.32 ratio as it’s much more convenient. Of course if I had a space the size of an auditorium, I’d love to do 7/8 scale.

7

Over ‘this’ side of the pond (the Pacific one) old light railways used a gauge of 610mm or larger, which is two foot and upwards. My railway (http://www.freewebs.com/mjhfoster/) models the two foot gauge in 1/19th scale so I use Pico SM32 (Sixteen Millimetre=one foot 32mm gauge track) 32mm gauge track.

That leaves me free to scrounge old O’ gauge track, which is 32mm too.

I recently bought a live steam loco from Regner in Germany direct. They have a US supplier too. I paid 479 Euros ($703) plus 95 Euros ($139) postage to Japan. To me this is a very reasonable price for a live steam geared loco that has water glass, pressure gauge, safety valve, gas tank, water top-up valve, lubricator all as standard. This loco is re-gaugeable from 45mm to 30mm (re-gaugeing tool supplied)

What do you think?

Regards,

8

Dear on30Francisco…

Where HAVE you been looking?!?!?!?! 16mm scale is the de Facto scratch builders scale(!) Yes the ready built locos are an arm and a leg -but have a look around at the kits and suppliers that are available for 16mm. I have only one 16mm loco that I have not built, and I assembled that from a kit.

Hit the home page icon on either mine or Matts entry and have a tour around the 16mm web ring.

16mm is a scale and ethos where a finely crafted steam locomotive has equal standing with a meccano clockwork powered collection of lollipop sticks pulling a wagon made from a tobacco tin using a paper clip.

My son is the very proud owner of a “Toby” and “Percy” made to run on my SM32 track -they cost me maybe £5 each to build. He now wants a “Duck” and a “Mavis” building, these are somewhat more difficult to build and I have budgeted £8 each for them…

There are NO RULES whan it comes to 16mm scale, if you like it, you build it -out of whatever junk and scrap you can find. If you examne the collection of locos found on my web page then I suppose I should explain something…

I chose the locos because no-one else had ever contemplated making them, this to my mind was very sad. They are ugly, they are articulated and they were built for work -not to be be admired!

regards

ralph

9

Thank you for the encouragement. I think I’ll begin by putting modified trucks on some small pieces of logging rolling stock I’ve already built for the 45mm gauge. I have to get up the nerve to regauge a cheap locomotive. I know Sierra Valley Enterprises sells their Large Scale wheelsets gauged to O scale and Aristo-Craft’s Classic trucks, besides being inexpensive, can easily be regauged to accept these wheelsets.

10

I modifed the “troublesome trucks” for my son from HLW kits for 45mm to 32mm by the simple means of attacking the wheel spacer with a bread knife and throwing away the coupler. The connection used is an 18p self adhesive plastic bracket used to secure curtain rods on uPVC window frames -and a paper clip…

Have look at these sites:

http://www.cambrianmodels.co.uk/16intro.html
http://www.grsuk.com/index.asp?info/welcome.htm
http://www.brandbright.co.uk/catindex.htm
http://www.ipengineering.co.uk/

You will know when the true bug has bitten when you pick up a item at the supermarket and think to yourself “that’s almost the right shape for…”

regards

ralph