Mines and mining cars

[tharte01]

I am building a new garden railroad.  I live in the Mother Lode area of California and want to incorporate a small mine using manpower as the motive method.   Using G-scale track and cars for the mine for my size layout doesn't seem practical.  I was thinking of using HO-scale track and cars.  Do you think this would blend with the G-scale mainline?

[altterrain]

Using HO gauge track has been around for awhile. In G scale (roughly 1:24) it scales out to 15 inches. Peco On30 brass flex track will hold up outdoors.

Ozark miniatures sells these cars and a mining loco (based on Herb Deeks Models) -  http://www.ozarkminiatures.com/scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=1230

I have one of the original Herb Deeks kits I found on eBay that I am using for a mining diorama.

Tom Yorke makes some Gn15 models - http://www.thomasayorke.com/

Gn15 info/forums -  http://www.gn15.info/

micro layouts of various scales - http://www.carendt.com/

-Brian 

[kstrong]

HO gauge track scales to 15" (plus or minus) in large scale, depending on exactly which scale you're modeling. I don't know what the mines used out there, but it might be worth looking into. Most mines out here in Colorado used either 2' or 3' gauge tracks in the mines.

If you're modeling narrow gauge (1:20.3 throug 1:24) then O-gauge track will work for 2' gauge, and the same track you're using for the trains will work for 3' gauge. If you're doing standard gauge (1:32, 1:29) then I'd use O-gauge track for 3' gauge, S-gauge for 2'.

Later,

K

[Southwest Chief]

HO track works well for a "manpowered" mine in G scale.  Check out the G scale ore car made by Silver Ridge Mining Company that fits on HO scale track:

Silver Ridge Mining Company

 

 

If you are ever interested in a larger mine using G scale track, I use Bachmann ore cars pulled by an Accucraft Whitcomb loco for our mine: