Dear Folk,
Can you put HO trucks on HOn3 models without any problem? Or even if they could fit, do they look wrong (like stick out too much on the sides, etc.)?
I really like some of the craftsmen wood car models, but many are in HOn3; and I’m running standard HO track.
Thanks,
Mike
There are plenty of standard HO kits, way more than HOn3 and many just as detailed, La Belle for one.
I’d still like an anser to my questions.
Thanks,
Mike
We can’t answer your question about sticking out the sides without knowing the width of the trucks and car you’re considering. Narrow gauge equipment is usually smaller in all dimensions.
As far as operational issues, the wheelbase and overall length of the trucks could be a problem, as longer trucks could interfere with underframe parts. The longer trucks could also stick out past the end of the car.
I think the answer is yes, if you’re building a wood kit of a narrow gauge car, you could build it in such a way that it would work with standard gauge trucks. BUT it will always look like a narrow gauge car with standard gauge trucks.
As noted there are many model kits for early wood std gauge cars out there.
Thanks for answers. Looks like it is possible to put standard trucks on a narrow gauge car, but it would be car-specific as to IF it would work and what you’d need to do to make it look good, and it would still look odd.
Mike
The prototypes did do a truck swap from standard to narrow gauge in some interchange operations insteadof cross dock loading. Some cars are designed for that. As far as I know. No passenger cars were. So the actual answer is depends. So prototype wise it was done, so it should be doable in model form too. Would be an interesting interchange to model, especially if you could find a way to do the swap out.
shane
I know of operations where standard gauge cars were swapped onto narrow gauge trucks. Is there documentation of narrow gauge cars getting standard gauge trucks?
I recently swaped out On30 trucks for O scale trucks on On30 passenger cars. The trucks do look a bit large but it’s dooable. I agree, it depends on the car.
There’s an interesting article on Wikipedia about Bogie exchanges on prototypes in European countries between railway systems using different gauges. Even locos would be converted (diesel).
Simon
There are examples of narrow gage trucks being swapped out on real railroads. Easier than unloading a car, just to reload into a standard gauge car .
I can’t remember which railroads did this type of " interchange".
Keep in mind when someone says “boxcar” many of us picture a 40’-6" long x 10’-6" high steel standard gauge boxcar…but that car didn’t really become a ‘thing’ until the mid/late 1930s. Before that, cars were generally more like 8’-6" high. 36’ long cars were typical around 1900 or so, before that, 34’ and 28’ cars were being used. If you search around, you can find old-time standard gauge cars that were probably pretty close to size to the narrow gauge cars you’re looking at getting.
https://www.labellemodels.com/scale-freight-cars-c-21_24.html
https://www.labellemodels.com/scale-passenger-cars-c-21_23.html
Most, ( if not all) of Model die Casting old timer cars were based on narrow gauge cars.
They all look at home on either standerd, or narrow gauge trucks.
East Broadtop in Pennsylvania which interchanged with the Pennsylvania at Mt. Union, Pa. They had a covered crane where they would lift the car and walk narrow or standard gauge trucks as required
Yes, they put narrow gague trucks on standard gauge cars. Did the opposite ever occur? I find it hard to believe the Pennsylvania Railroad would accept that.
I’ve never heard of that happening. I could very well be wrong, but documented examples are necessary.
The Newfoundland Railway (1898 - 1988) was narrow gauge, and they would swap standard gauge trucks out of the cars coming from the mainland.
The railway was never financially successful, but during WWII it played a crucial roll in getting supplies to the Newfoundland ports to be shipped overseas.
Cheers!!
Dave
Did the Newfoundland Railway send narrow gauge cars to the mainland to be placed on standard gauge trucks?
Again, I am well aware of standard gauge cars being placed on narrow gauge trucks. I am not aware of the opposite occurring. It seems extremely unlikely that narrow gauge railroads could afford (or would want) to build their equipment to standard gauge interchange standards.
Hi AEP528
Sorry, I got my wires crossed so my answer wasn’t useful.
When the Newfoundland Railway was being dismantled some of their narrow gauge passenger cars were brought to the mainland. I’ll see if I can find out where they went and what gauge the receiving railroad used.
I realize that this doesn’t qualify as an on going practice so it isn’t exactly what you are looking for.
Cheers!!
Dave
Midland terminal railroad is one such line that did indeed take narrow gauge and adapt it for standard gauge use. Apparently colarado midland and drgw did the same. Drgw is a good candidate for more recent since they had narrow gauge territory up til 1968. Ever notcie how thier cabooses, box cars, reefers, and stock cars seam huge over the narrow gauge trucks? I can’t find anything but seams to be the only road that used standard designs to build both gauges. As they made the system standard gauge, any rebuilt cars were adapted to standard gauge use. I do not see any where that says they were in interchange service though, just home road service. So yes. Thier are a few examples of narrow gauge being used on standard gauge. Mostly on ex narrow gauge lines. Makes sense for clearances too.
shane
While there were a few railroads that did it on the prototype-(by the way they had to change the bolsters and everything) it would not work for pretty much most all models. The width of the trucks make it pretty much impossible. Standard gauge trucks will fowl the truss rods, the end of the car and the sides of the car. (and note that is with the truck sitting further in- otherwise it would be past the end of the car) Narrow gauge trucks in most cases “hunkered down” inside the car body too. You are far better to get some of the Labelle old time series that will get you a similar looking car that is actually prototypical and wide enough to accomadate stuck swing- Jim
