Does anyone still model in American OO scale? I am looking to start modeling in it, just because I enjoy building models, and am curious if there is anyone left to talk to about it.
You can scratchbuild in any scale. Why not give S scale a try? It’s a good size for scratchbuilding, and it’s commonly used for architectural modeling, so there should be lots of materials and detail parts available.
Steve S
OO SIG here.
I second looking at S scale instead. Plenty of challenges available, but also enough stuff that you don’t have to scratch build everything - like wheelsets.
Enjoy
Paul
My reasoning is that there is just enough available in these other scales that I would get sidetracked and just start converting tinplate or using rtr rather than scratch build or kitbash, the things I enjoyed in my HO modeling until I got sidetracked by rtr equip.
Trying less popular scales is always a challenge. There is not much ready made stuff out there, and what is there could be expensive and hard to find due to low sales volume and small production runs. As mentioned above, be ready to do a lot of scratch building and look into 3D printing.
I definitly will be! Honestly, for some reason, I am not a fan of the operation aspect of the hobby, but rather the building of the models involved and the like. For me, with the exception of my Cherokee Valley, all of the layouts I have built have been for just watching the trains go by, so really just glorified test tracks. As such, it would be a challenge to have to do more of this from scratch than I did with the CV. At any rate, it would be nice to know if there are any OO scale modeler a out there.
Jack —
See my comments on the thread about dabbling in O scale.
Tom
Honestly, the proto48 does look interesting, but for me it is a matter of space as well as My appreciation of our hobbies origins. I would rather not let them be forgotten, and OO seems to fir both of those billings. Heck, why don’t some of us who want to dabble in another scale work on this? Some of the regions coordinate on building module layouts in some of these obscure scales? I personally would love to see what all some people could do in the less common ones, like OO, TT, Q and the like with the better quality tools and materials available today.
I didn’t have any idea what OO scale is, so I looked it up.
Not a lot of difference between OO and HO.
OO equals 1/76 scale compared to HO which equals 1/87 scale. Both scales run on HO gauge track on which the rails are 16.5 mm apart.
OO scale is pretty common in England, but apparently nowhere else.
Is there such a thing as American OO?
Rich
Yes rich, there is. It is scaled at 4mm/ft, like British OO, but has a track gauge of 19mm instead of 16.5mm like British OO or HO. I believe the Brits call it Scalefour or else EM scale, I don’t remembeer, as it doesn’t have a significant following there either.
Is American OO stuff being currently produced?
Rich
Insofar as I am aware, it has not been actively produced since the early 1950’s. As such, any modeler interested would have to be willing to either scratch build a lot or else convert oversized HO equip.
Can the OP just use American HO code 83 track or does he need to (for some reason) consider the British market OO track. Or can he use either.
This relates to my interest, whether I can run an occasional OO train on my HO code 83 layout. From the Railway Modeller magazine (a British Peco publication) I recently picked up there I see the primary OO loco manufacturers are Bachmann, Hornby and Graham Farish. The prices for DC (12 volt) seem reasonable for the steamers I like. I assume I could convert them to DCC. And I assume the shipping and/or duties would not nix the idea.
Before leaping in I’d want to better understand the track specifics, to clarify that a British OO loco and cars will run fine on American code 83 track. Just looking at the Peco sites I’m not able to clarify the specs on the American code 83 versus the British targeted code 75. Not sure why the products would be different unless the ties appearance is an issue or the radii, turnout numbers, etc are different , but there are different product numbers. Perhaps someone can clarify.
EDIT: Looking at some ads, I see the British Peco OO seems to be a choice of code 100 “Setrack” or code 100 “Streamline HO/OO” or “Streamline HO/OO” code 75 (which one ad calls “finescale”). Some of the advertised OO items there have the same product numbers of the code 100 “HO” items sold here (e.g., at MBK), so that confirms the basic compatibility issue. And the code 75 items are sold here as “HO” and there as “OO”, another confirmation. But then there are code 83 items sold here, which I don’t see advertised in UK., so I presume their more realistic rail choice is the code 75 advertised there. The remaining question…I would assume (uh-oh) the current UK OO loco offerings therefore are designed (flange depth) for code 75, so that
British OO is just HO with over scale bodies. American OO, however, is 2.5mm wider in its gauge.
As normally posted as the history and reason behind things, British locos are typically smaller than their American counterparts - they run more frequenct but shorter trains than we do here - so the larger bodies were to fit motors. Remember even the early Athearn Geeps had over scale width hoods to fit the motor. US OO used a track gauge that matched the scale, so it was wider than British OO. In the early days it was a bit of a fighht between OO and HO, OO proponents mainly seeing the slightly larger size as easier to fit with motors and gears, but advancements during the war resulted in much smaller permag motors and better ability to mass produce small accurate gears and OO pretty much died out.
One of the nicest OO layouts was that of Carl Appel, a jeweler in Allentown PA. he had a rather large OO layout that was featured in MR at least once - if you have the All Access pass you can check it out. Another name that appeared often in connection with OO was Temple Neiter, one of the original MR subscribers. He would write in every so often to report that at least someone was still active in OO scale.
Certainly going to be a challenge to build a complete layout in this all but forgotten scale, but it will be something unique and distinctive when you get it ‘done’. Just enough different I think to give HO modelers pause when the look at it since everything will seem just a little bit bigger.
–Randy
A layout, as such, I don’t think so.
Trackwork should be the easiest. Handlaid, of course. The rail, spikes, even cork roadbed will transfer from HO. But HO ties won’t do. This all should suit the OP.
The buildings will all be scratch, I guess. Which should also suit OP. Good news is that HO window castings will likely do nicely. And some other detailing parts will, like external lighting fixtures and smoke jacks. The doors will have to be scratch.
Scenery? No problem. Wiring, again no problem.
But once rolling stock is ON the layout, YIKES!
Well, we all saw that coming. Ya either run “old stuff” or you and/or scratch. Some few things might come over from HO. Say, a brake wheel. I’d use an HO one in a flash. Besides, someone likely makes an oversize one in HO. Bells and air horns might also be useable. But if you want a GP30, you’re going to be a very busy fellow/person.
Also of interest: pretty much EVERYTHING in British OO/HO is useable. Except the stuff that’s “adjusted” for the track gage. And the stuff that’s so obviously British that your friends will point and laugh. Those doors I mentioned above that have to be scratch? Probably not, really. The Brits surely have OO doors available. And much much more.
And the all time good news: 38" HO wheels will make GREAT OO 33". And the treads will be narrower. New axles, of course. NMRA standards? Beats me.
Ed
My intent was to adjust some HO parts, so as to make proper castings for the under frames and trucks and the like, and then scratch build or convert the rest. As to track, I actually won’t have to hand lay that, because I did a little research, and On3 trackwork is actually to the exact same dimensions. Drivers for the locomotives might be an issue, as I intend for them to be all steam, but I will figure them out. All depends on the electrical conductivity of Cerrobend and some of those other low melting point metals that we all love to use. Depending on how well the scratch building and mold making goes, who knows? Maybe it might just become a commercially available scale again, if ya get what I mean…
I have actually been trying to get in touch with, but with little luck.
An Ammerican prototype switch engine was produced within the last year. I saw the info with photos on a model railroad forum (I think another magazines forum) a few months ago but, so far, have been unable to find it again.