Sn3


Was NG 30" ever used here in the U.S. I've not heard of 30" gauge; or 21/2 foot gauge, in Colorado.
Yes it was used in the United States but almost not worth mentioning. For real railroads, think Hawaii sugar RRs, the Yosemite Short Line in California, and umm ummm something in Michigan related to a port or dock. Nothing in Colorado. Most of the 2.5 gauge in the US is for amusement parks and the like. e.g. I believe the Disney Land mine railroad is one.
 
My favorite RR is the Rio Grande Southern and it is exceeding my interest in the Northern Pacific!
The RGS has a strong pull interest wise. First it is in my home state. Hometown always means something. Makes great models with its home modified second hand and rebuilt equipment, scenery is 2nd to none, interesting track arrangements, but then I think that even at the height of its history, it is operationally sparse. A couple of trains a day, with a tri-weekly sprinkled in. Toward the end, I think of a daily galloping goose in each direction, one coal train a week, and a seasonal sheep train. That is just not enough running trains for me.

I choose not to model the N&W Abingdon branch for the same reason. In its grandeur (1911 or so) there were 9-11 trains a day, but at its end it was a mixed train daily affair. Just doesn't make a very challenging operating session.
 
Iron Horseman, While I agree with you that the real RGS' operations where pretty sparse, that doesn't mean that if I build an RGS layout, my operations would need to be so sparse. i think like most of us, we tend to take reality only so far, before we might selectively de-compress things to make them more interesting!

Thanks for your information on 2 1/2 foot gauge railroads in the U.S.
 
Iron Horseman, While I agree with you that the real RGS' operations where pretty sparse, that doesn't mean that if I build an RGS layout, my operations would need to be so sparse. i think like most of us, we tend to take reality only so far, before we might selectively de-compress things to make them more interesting!
True, for that matter I believe all model railroads always run much heavier traffic
than the prototype does.
 
Possibly HOn3 would also be an option! I sure like Blackstone's prices over any of the Sn3 locomotive manufacturer's prices! However, finding Kit HOn3 might be difficult!
 
Today, I will start designing an Sn3 layout for the space I have. If it appears I can do an Sn3 Rio Grande Southern layout and do justice to those parts I would like to incorporate, I will get into some hard thinking about making the switch. Maybe I will find that I could do justice to the idea, if I went with HOn3; or, maybe I will decide to stay with my current layout! Or, maybe I will see that I have more than enough room for Sn3 and will consider On3 or On30?

You know, I downloaded a track design CAD program thinking I would like to try learning how to do this; but, in the end, I have determined I enjoy designing my plans on paper. All the Tool & Die designing I did as a designer, I did on paper and enjoyed doing it that way. Had CAD come along earlier and did not cost the price of my first house, I would likely be very comfortable using CAD. However, as time goes on, I am finding the things I used to do have many merits and are good skills to know, even though they have fallen from favor by the majority.

It's all about attempting to make life interesting?
 
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Tony, I'm only in the design stage at this point. I'm looking to see if the space I have, would work for what I want to do. Not committing to building anything yet. However, if I do commit, it has to be because what I'd build would need to be far better than what I have.
 
Makes sense mate, no sense in going backwards that'd be a little counter productive. Hope you can make it work though, it would be interesting to watch a build come together other than HO or N scale :)
 
Possibly HOn3 would also be an option! I sure like Blackstone's prices over any of the Sn3 locomotive manufacturer's prices! However, finding Kit HOn3 might be difficult!
For some reason I've found HOn3 equipment much harder to work with than N-scale. Blackstone is great. I've got a C-19 and a K-36.

HOn3 kits abound. One just has to know what to search for. Trout Creek Engineering comes immediately to mind (probably because I knew the founder). Lets see, Labelle (of course), Rio Grande Models, Durango Press, and ummm Myner Models. Probably at least as many more I've not encountered.
 
I was aware of Labelle and Trout Creek Engineering both of which do have a nice inventorys of Narrow Gauge equipment. Also, Rio Grande Models and Durango Press are in my memory; but, I had not visited their websites. Myner Models is something new and interesting. I'd heard of 3D printing companies that will produce your; or, their design parts and that is what Myner does.

Iron Horseman, once again, Thanks!
 
I've had a hard time visualizing a layout in my basement capturing the elements I want to incorporate in this layout. I will follow Tony Koester's lead and call the elements Layout Design Elements or LDEs. As of right now, I have the area I could use to make the layout (the walls and restrictions of my basement) drawn onto graph paper with 1/4th inch graduations with highlighted 1 inch blocks. I am using a scale of one inch to the foot, so I've had to graft two sheets together. The sheets are 17" X 22". My basement is 23 feet 8 and 1/4 inches on the Northern, East to West axis, then I have an 11 foot run along the east wall and attaching to this is an 8 foot run, running east to west, again. and along the west wall I have a 14 foot run that I could put a turn back loop on. So, I know how much of the basement is usable for the layout. To help me visualize how to use this space, starting at the south end of the RGS, I have sketched out an LDE for Lizard Head Pass, which has a wye for turning trains with, an LDE for Ophir loop, an LDE for Vance Junction/Ilium with a turn back loop for the Telluride branch and an LDE for the wye and yards at Telluride. There would be a short lead off at Vance Junction. It would be nice to incorporate some storage for trains from the North (Dallas Divide, Ridgeway) here at Vance, as well as from the South (Rico, Dolores and Durango) at Lizard Head. At both Ridgeway and Durango the RGS connected with the Denver & Rio Grande Western Narrow Gauge lines. The RGS was the western side of the Narrow Gauge Loop. I can fit these LDEs together to see how I might be able to use them in the layout. Having made up the LDEs has really helped me see how I might design the layout.
 
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I have been able to draw the lower deck of a RGS layout. I need to draw the top deck which would go from Ophir Loop to Lizard Head. Working on drawing this Idea out has brought me to a point where I would consider doing this change, to be a huge mistake for me. Once again I have realized that the HO layout I have in hand is pretty much like the Narrow Gauge I wish I had. Only thing missing is the K-27 and K-36 Mikados and C.. that I love. I am attracted to Sn3 as it is a builders scale. However, the price of Sn3 locos is beyond my retirement income, so as it sits right now, I doubt this change is going to happen. However, my guess is once I lay this idea to rest for this year, it likely will come to a head again in the Fall of 2018, then again in the Fall of 2019, if I'm lucky enough to be around. So, if you will allow me this yearly fall distraction, we might pick up again next Fall. This conversation, in all likelihood, is not dead just slightly dormant!
 
I have done a complete flip-over to 1/72 scale per the article in the 2018 Model Railroad Planning by Doug Tagsold on his new Colorado Southern layout. If I wanted to, I could model some 1/72nd scale rolling stock and cars, remove all my current HO stuff from the layout and model in this scale without changing track, buildings or any thing and be modelling Narrow Gauge, tomorrow! If this interests you, see my comments on Doug's layout in General Discussions, General Discussions: New 1/72nd Modeling and/or, purchase the 2018 Model Railroad Planning.
 
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DATED OCTOBER 1st.
This year I have not had the Narrow Gauge fly, land in my ointment! I am committed to continuing on with my HO Northern Pacific Layout. Although, I am still very interested in Narrow Gauge and in particular the Rio Grande Southern in Sn3.
 
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DATED JANUARY 18th
Interestingly, this year in the middle of my winter Model Railroading Season, I have gotten interested in Narrow Gauge, again! What size I would model in, is still up in the air and I'm having some trouble with the idea of scrapping what I've done in HO and starting over at almost 69 years of age. However, the idea of finishing what I have done in HO holds little interest for me and the operations of my HO layout is far less than I had hoped and does not hold any interest for me, either. I do know that what ever scale or gauge I would decide to model, what I would model would be the Rio Grande Southern!

The Jury is still out!
 
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I'd still go with On30 (HO track). You would have to modify (kitbash) your locomotives. but working with 1/48 is easy on the eyes - and you can get as detailed as you wish.

Why does it have to be a "certain" Railroad?
Freelance it like Chet, Greg, and others.
 
It would be the Rio Grande Southern as I love the country the RR went through, the Sunrise logo and K-27 Mikes. So it would be Proto-Freelanced. My present layout started out as Freelanced and I have no problems with people going with freelanced, as that is their choice! In fact you would almost have to say my layout now is Freelanced as nothing on it looks like the real Butte Shortline.

I think that my layout building and modeling skills have progressed to the point where any future layout I would be involved with, to be Interesting, Fun and a Challenge, would necessarily need to be Proto-Freelance. Since I don't have room for the entire 160 miles of Rio Grande Southern RR, I would select parts that I would have room for and string those parts together.
 



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