# N Gauge Circus kits



## Steve Rothstein (Jan 1, 2021)

I was recently offered an old N gauge circus train, complete and NIB, along with a canvas model Big Top, a collection of animals and people. The train is DC and I do not want to try to convert it to DCC due to the age. My son and I decided we are going to use this to build a small diorama of a circus with the train going around it. I am thinking either a 3x3 or 4x4 square for this. It will not be started right now, while we "finish" our first layout but I would like to start collecting the things I need. At the very least, the background scenery will be easy, a grass and dirt lot with a bunch of cars and pickups in it.

Does anyone know of any N scale models/kits of things that would fit, like carnival rides and games or sideshow wagons or anything that would help this look good?

Any other ideas would be appreciated also.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Faller has some carnival stuff, several rides, rollercoasters, etc.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

Also check Volmer and Kibri.

Circus themes seem to be popular overseas.


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## Steve Rothstein (Jan 1, 2021)

Thanks, both of you.


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## coblesan (Sep 28, 2019)

I was going to suggest some Faller Kits but, CTValleyRR beat me to it. I have purchased the Faller "Krimi: (Carnival) kits in HO and am very happy with them. There are many kits that are actually rides for the carnival as well as fairway games and food booths that just might fit your needs. 

Best of Luck,
Mike


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## Steve Rothstein (Jan 1, 2021)

coblesan said:


> I was going to suggest some Faller Kits but, CTValleyRR beat me to it. I have purchased the Faller "Krimi: (Carnival) kits in HO and am very happy with them. There are many kits that are actually rides for the carnival as well as fairway games and food booths that just might fit your needs.


Thanks, Mike


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Steve Rothstein said:


> I was recently offered an old N gauge circus train, complete and NIB, along with a canvas model Big Top, a collection of animals and people. The train is DC and I do not want to try to convert it to DCC due to the age. My son and I decided we are going to use this to build a small diorama of a circus with the train going around it. I am thinking either a 3x3 or 4x4 square for this. It will not be started right now, while we "finish" our first layout but I would like to start collecting the things I need. At the very least, the background scenery will be easy, a grass and dirt lot with a bunch of cars and pickups in it.
> 
> Does anyone know of any N scale models/kits of things that would fit, like carnival rides and games or sideshow wagons or anything that would help this look good?
> 
> Any other ideas would be appreciated also.


Lots of sitting people to fill the viewing bleachers.
Lots of other people to place here and there. 
Circus's have lots of people, need workers too.
Freak show people? 
The bearded lady you can paint yourself.


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## Steve Rothstein (Jan 1, 2021)

Big Ed said:


> Lots of sitting people to fill the viewing bleachers.
> Lots of other people to place here and there.
> Circus's have lots of people, need workers too.
> Freak show people?
> The bearded lady you can paint yourself.


Thanks. I figured to cheat a little on the people in the bleachers by having a closed show inside the big top. I did think a lot of cars and pickups for a parking lot, and lots of people walking the midway. I was hoping to find some rides and game/food booths for that. That is turning out to be a little harder than I expected in N gauge. Faller only has two rides and two booths. I think I can get some of the food trailers from Woodland Scenics, which is where I will probably find most of the people for the crowd.

The good news is my son has an artistic bent and likes to paint the models. He will get me the clowns and any freak show people (tattooed lady since it is an older era and bearded lady, maybe heaviest man or strongest man types). Vollmer also had a couple food trailers I can use.

The rides seems to be the hardest past. Lots of them in HO but very few in N.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Steve Rothstein said:


> Thanks. I figured to cheat a little on the people in the bleachers by having a closed show inside the big top. I did think a lot of cars and pickups for a parking lot, and lots of people walking the midway. I was hoping to find some rides and game/food booths for that. That is turning out to be a little harder than I expected in N gauge. Faller only has two rides and two booths. I think I can get some of the food trailers from Woodland Scenics, which is where I will probably find most of the people for the crowd.
> 
> The good news is my son has an artistic bent and likes to paint the models. He will get me the clowns and any freak show people (tattooed lady since it is an older era and bearded lady, maybe heaviest man or strongest man types). Vollmer also had a couple food trailers I can use.
> 
> The rides seems to be the hardest past. Lots of them in HO but very few in N.


Make some of your own rides?
Like the spinning tea cup or seat ride shouldn't be that hard
Cars for the parking lot? I bought a bunch off e bay, cheap China cars but not that bad for parking lots.
I got like 50 cheap, watch what is on e bay right now, too expensive. People too, though they look mostly look like Asians, but they are so small you cant see that anyway. 

I cant find the Wong Kong ding dong, me good seller right now.
I don't have time to search right now.
I picked up a bag of 50 years ago, not a bad price tag, my people I bought are somewhere in my shelf boxes packed away.......somewhere. 
Here is the bag of cars, ( N scale)


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## Steve Rothstein (Jan 1, 2021)

Big Ed said:


> Make some of your own rides?
> Like the spinning tea cup or seat ride shouldn't be that hard


I think this is what I am going to have to do. One ride I particularly wanted was a ferris wheel, which really should not be too hard to build. I like the idea of a seated ride, maybe a tilt-a-whirl or scrambler type thing. Again, I don't think it would be too hard. Of course, since I don't do the scratch building stuff, it definitely won't be hard for me. Now my son might argue otherwise, btu I think he might surprise me by being up for the challenge.



> Cars for the parking lot? I bought a bunch off e bay, cheap China cars but not that bad for parking lots.
> I got like 50 cheap, watch what is on e bay right now, too expensive. People too, though they look mostly look like Asians, but they are so small you cant see that anyway.
> 
> I cant find the Wong Kong ding dong, me good seller right now.
> ...


I generally avoid ebay for personal reasons. In addition to not liking their policies, I do not see very much that I consider a good buy on there. I know they have mostly honest sellers but too many scam people with the shipping or other ways. I probably would have stayed with it longer if it had not transformed itself from an actual auction site to a market place with almost no auction to it. But you are right that it is probably the best way to get a decent number of cars for the parking lot and people walking around.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Steve Rothstein said:


> I think this is what I am going to have to do. One ride I particularly wanted was a ferris wheel, which really should not be too hard to build. I like the idea of a seated ride, maybe a tilt-a-whirl or scrambler type thing. Again, I don't think it would be too hard. Of course, since I don't do the scratch building stuff, it definitely won't be hard for me. Now my son might argue otherwise, btu I think he might surprise me by being up for the challenge.
> 
> 
> 
> I generally avoid ebay for personal reasons. In addition to not liking their policies, I do not see very much that I consider a good buy on there. I know they have mostly honest sellers but too many scam people with the shipping or other ways. I probably would have stayed with it longer if it had not transformed itself from an actual auction site to a market place with almost no auction to it. But you are right that it is probably the best way to get a decent number of cars for the parking lot and people walking around.


For something like a Ferris wheel you can use old popsicle sticks maybe cut in half? Tongue depressors too. I used to have Chinees food delivered and always ordered extra chop sticks. They come in handy for building. Toothpicks can be used. Old toothpaste caps for the seats on a ride? Use your dremal tool.
I have a box filled with all kinds of stuff I find in my travels. Some come in handy for my RR. 
Everything that you toss in the garbage take a look first and ask if you can use it for something. 

I never had a problem with e bay, but I don't sell.
Any I really don't even buy there much anymore, but I do look.
When the price started creeping up for soap products last spring, I did buy a 5 gallon pail of dawn like dish soap. $60 bucks shipped and you get a pump for the pail.
All you got to do is start pumping.
Well worth the price if you do the math.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

There are still plenty of actual auctions on eBay. 7 times in the past two weeks, I've watched people pay $50 or more bidding on Walthers turnouts (a $30 MSRP item).


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

With a motor on the one. Ferris Wheel, Carnival or Circus N Scale Model Railroad Buildings

EDIT, Oh well, the are currently unavailable.


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## Steve Rothstein (Jan 1, 2021)

Big Ed said:


> With a motor on the one. Ferris Wheel, Carnival or Circus N Scale Model Railroad Buildings
> 
> EDIT, Oh well, the are currently unavailable.


That is not good that it says they are unavailable. Those are the two rides I found on the Faller site and had planned on using. Fortunately, Reynauld's shows that they have them. I better order them now though to be safe.


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## Steve Rothstein (Jan 1, 2021)

CTValleyRR said:


> There are still plenty of actual auctions on eBay. 7 times in the past two weeks, I've watched people pay $50 or more bidding on Walthers turnouts (a $30 MSRP item).


I guess they do still have auctions. I just see so many where it has a "buy now" button that I don't think of them as real auctions. I guess it can be a guess whether the auction will go as high as the buy now price or not.


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