# New guy into HOn3



## Alan Wood (Feb 20, 2009)

Today 02:13 PMAlan Wood 
I have built several model Railways, mainly British outline, but including a garden railway based on American narrow gauge and running on O-gauge track. It wasn't On3, that hadn't been thought of then. The scale was three eighths of an inch to the foot, which actually made the track a scale three foot four inches, but hey, nobody quibbled! More of that if anyone's interested. Since I retired I am heavily into Colorado railroading, standard and narrow gauge, and the only place I could build was my loft, not ideal but I can ignore the roof trusses until I crack my head on one. I'd like to exchange notes and pics with anyone, ideally in the UK, who has a similar project. The biggest problem is availability of track and turnouts - basically I can't get any at the moment, a concern shared by, among others, Blackstone Models. Not much use them producing rolling stock if you can't get anything to run 'em on! But I don't regret going down this route, everything you can get is brilliant. The second biggest problem is trying to put together Kaydee 714 couplers - just can't see well enough! Might have to change to the standard gauge size. Hoping for great dialog with you all.


----------



## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

Welcome to the Forum.
Narrow gage was also popular in the Northeast because of logging and the fact that the trees were in the way. Portland has a RR Narrow Gage museum. They have a few miles of track that run along the water. Very nice.
I can understand your loyalty to brands when it comes to track. Isn't HOn3 just N gage track? Our Member Fsm1000 actually lays his own track and I have seen stencils used to make switches. I guess anything is possible if the need is there.
I don't enjoy small projects for the same reason. Recently I invested in a number of magnifiers. One has a small light and clamps to the bench. It's 2x with a small 5x in a corner. It's a lot easier on the eyes.
Take a look around and hope to hear more from you.
Bob


----------



## tworail (Apr 13, 2006)

Hi Alan,

Welcome aboard.

Please post in the Welcome forum so all the members can say hello proper.

http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=1

Thanks!


----------



## stationmaster (Dec 7, 2008)

Welcome Alan. Yes, narrow gauge is poular in the Northeast, Northwest and the West as T-Man noted. The west was for mining, while the others for forestry.

bob


----------



## Alan Wood (Feb 20, 2009)

*HOn3*



tworail said:


> Hi Alan,
> 
> Welcome aboard.
> 
> ...


I would love to have posted in the Welcome forum but speaking as a technophobe I'm lucky to have posted it anywhere! Can I copy it over or something?


----------



## Alan Wood (Feb 20, 2009)

T-Man said:


> Welcome to the Forum.
> Narrow gage was also popular in the Northeast because of logging and the fact that the trees were in the way. Portland has a RR Narrow Gage museum. They have a few miles of track that run along the water. Very nice.
> I can understand your loyalty to brands when it comes to track. Isn't HOn3 just N gage track? Our Member Fsm1000 actually lays his own track and I have seen stencils used to make switches. I guess anything is possible if the need is there.
> I don't enjoy small projects for the same reason. Recently I invested in a number of magnifiers. One has a small light and clamps to the bench. It's 2x with a small 5x in a corner. It's a lot easier on the eyes.
> ...


Thanks for the response - I've been told off for not posting it in the Welcome forum, but I couldn't find my way there! No, HOn3 stands for HO scale, narrow gauge, 3 foot and we use 10.5 mm track gauge - and I ain't building it! If only it was N-gauge I wouldn't have a problem. Anyway, I've plenty of scenery to build to fill my time - the rest of the track will be laid when it will.


----------



## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

*Straight and Narrow*

After you posted I read up on narrow gage. Evidently there are many widths. Maine is 2 feet. Then there is a 30 inch and 3 feet. So I am just trying to learn a little. The intro thread is under the first catagory. Sometimes it gets bumped by another post.
Bob


----------



## tworail (Apr 13, 2006)

Alan Wood said:


> Thanks for the response - I've been told off for not posting it in the Welcome forum, but I couldn't find my way there!


Hi Alan,

Didn't mean to sound rude. Here is the link to the Welcome forum 

http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=1


----------



## tejohn (Oct 13, 2009)

Hi Alan
I model HOn3 and also have dual guage. My dual guage is code70 and some of my narrow guage is Micro Engineering code 55. The code 55 is difficult to work with, putting on a rail joiner can be a major project. The code 70 is much easier to work with and the cost is about the same. I didn't have alot of trouble finding track, switches can be a little harder. I do have some online hobby shops that I've some luck with. Let me know and I can e-mail you the web sites.


----------



## Alan Wood (Feb 20, 2009)

Hi, TEJohn, and thanks for your comments. I compiled a long reply but it seems to have gone missing! I got my narrow-gauge points made by Marcway Models & Hobbies, 598-600 Attercliffe Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S9 3QS (UK of course), tel: (0044) 01142 449170. More expensive than Shinohara, but with flexible as distinct from hinged blades. But at least I got 'em! I'm using Code 70 on both gauges with Peco Code 75 points and track in the standard gauge storage loops. Works just fine. Is there anybody out there modelling American narrow gauge anywhere near me?


----------



## Alan Wood (Feb 20, 2009)

*HOn3 714 couplers*

Further to my previous comment about my inability to put these little sobs together, I spoke nicely to Kaydee contact slot and they built 'em for me for a small fee. If you don't ask, you don't get. I'm still building the layout - a good model railway is never finished - but I think I might try to post some pics. Watch this space, or one near it.


----------



## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Welcome, Alan! I don't know a thing about HOn3, but there are a lot of experienced people on this site who are a great resource.


----------



## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

Alan Wood said:


> Further to my previous comment about my inability to put these little sobs together, I spoke nicely to Kaydee contact slot and they built 'em for me for a small fee. If you don't ask, you don't get. I'm still building the layout - a good model railway is never finished - but I think I might try to post some pics. Watch this space, or one near it.


Hi Alan, 

Do post some pictures when you have the opportunity. I *love* the look of HOn3, and would have chosen it if sectional tracks were more readily available. N tracks don't look near as good as real HOn3, as the N ties are too small and narrow. The charm of narrow gauge is the relationship of the large widely spaced ties with the closely spaced rails. 

I also struggled with Kadees and found a large freestanding magnifying glass and a heavy magnet to be of great help. I pin the coupler and box assembly to the magnet with an allen wrench and then install the metal cylinder and spring. As well as holding the coupler in the box, the magnet also holds the little steel cylinder in the slot while I'm putting in the spring and laying on the top piece. Now I can pop those little puppies right in!

Greg


----------



## Alan Wood (Feb 20, 2009)

*New guy on HOn3*

Dear Greg - Thanks for sharing your thoughts, very timely as one of my Kaydees just fell apart! I think you may be a little confused about HOn3: you can't use N-gauge track, regardless of the tie spacing. N-gauge is 9mm back to back and HOn3 is 10.5mm back to back. Stay in touch. I will try to get some pics on soon but I'm still very much in the construction stage, and I'm not sure how it'll look on a photo. As I have said elsewhere, I'm building in the loft and I don't notice the roof trusses much (until I bash my head on one) but they seem very obtrusive in photos. Still, we'll give it a go. One end of the narrow gauge is modelled on Cumbres, but as I've had to modify the plan slightly to fit I want to find another Spanish name to call it. The Spanish for "somewhere else" doesn't sound right! Any suggestions?


----------



## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

Hey Alan, 

Thanks so much for the correction.:thumbsup:
I know very little about gauges and so am prone to making faulty assumptions. I thought it was like On30... O scale rolling stock on HO track.

I look forward to any layout updates you may care to post.

Take Care,

Greg


----------

