navygunner wrote:Is this the FT set you considering? This is from the Intermountain website. http://www.imrcmodels.com/n/images/69011w.jpg I have several sets of these FT's and they are very hefty models. They are nicely detailed, quiet and pull better than almost any thing out there.Bob
Is this the FT set you considering? This is from the Intermountain website.
http://www.imrcmodels.com/n/images/69011w.jpg
I have several sets of these FT's and they are very hefty models. They are nicely detailed, quiet and pull better than almost any thing out there.
Bob
Yes, that's exactly what I purchased, haven't had a chance to run them yet, but they are in good shape visually.
Modeling the fictional B&M Dowe, NH branch in the early 50's.
Cannoli
I have 3 Kato RDC units and have had no problem with them what so ever. I have run them steady up to 6 hours at a time and they run fine.
John
Aaaah! The dark side!
Life Like/Proto has evolved into a real player in N scale. Be wary of older Life Like stuff... The RS-2 is the latest stuff, and is supposed to be very well done.
The FT would either be by Micro Trains or Intermountain. Both companies have released these, although I'm not sure which one did the B&M. They're both supposed to be very good. I have a pair of Intermountain F-7's, and they're top drawer. All of the above mentioned locomotives have drop in decoders available for them from Digitrax, and probably others.
Lee
Route of the Alpha Jets www.wmrywesternlines.net
Thanks everyone for the advice, I'll certainly post pics as things progress, I'm about 1/2 way through the first version of my trackplan now. As for locos, I've seen some maroon B&M Walthers RS-2's on Ebay, along with a maroon B&M FT A/B set, but I'm not sure who makes it. I've had good luck with the Proto stuff in HO, how is the N in comparison and does anyone know who makes the B&M N scale FT's? Are they worth looking at?
Thanks,
Jason
Welcome to n scale. Sounds like a cool concept. One word of advice: For first generation diesels (or any diesel, for that matter) Atlas is where you should look first. You might have to custom-paint, though.
Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
On the subject of wheelsets...
You will probably want to replace your wheelsets with metal wheels eventually. But in the short term, I suggest that if you want to save some bucks, the Atlas low-profile Delrin wheelsets work great, even with MicroTrains trucks.
Modeling the Rio Grande Southern First District circa 1938-1946 in HOn3.
Hello!
I recently got my Kato GS-4 and Morning Daylight passenger cars and I run them on curves with radius ranging from 15.75" to 19.5" and it looks and works Ok. It would probably look better on bigger radius, but this is my givens.
From the far, far reaches of the wild, wild west I am: rtpoteet
interesting about N scale, manufacturers of HO like Athearn at least in earlier days did some "scrunching" of models to fit better on 18" radius, shorter passenger cars IE a few windows missing, the Athearn RDC is shorter than the prototype, there were articles to lengthen it out.
But for N scale it seems theres no gimmicks. I own an Athearn DD40 and I bought an N scale DD40x Bachmann, it is over half the size of the Athearn HO, making it longer if it were in HO.
N-HO isnt exactly twice/half size but thats close enough to tell me the DD40x was not compromised, its scale length. It will NOT run on my test N scale layout, which has 9 inch curves. haha. 12 inch curves it should like better, thats 24" for HO.
For My HO layout I have a range of minimum radius's for certain situations.
Main-24", industrial-18"-15", the South Shore portion is 26" because of my Lil Joe electric.
Wider anytime I can do it.
Thats 12', 9", 7.5 for N scale. Your needs may vary but thats the concept.
Cannoli,
Yes, 18" is plenty in N scale. Of course, as in any scale, broader is always better, but if RDC's are the longest equipment you expect to run, 18" will be fine.
Sounds like a neat concept for a layout. You just have to get a couple of reversing circuits for your loops, and you're off to the races! I've often thought about doing a simple branchline layout... I'm looking forward to seeing how yours works out.
If you need any tips on working with the Atlas 55, let me know. I've had mine down for about 4 years... Absolutely love it, but there are those little tricks that make things go better... I've also put in a lot of decoders in a variety of N scale equipment, so I'll be glad to offer whatever advice I can.
Post some pictures of your progress... looking forward to seeing it.
trainfan1221 wrote:Cannoli, If you can try to have 22" radius at least on the main line. A lot of stuff will fit on 18 but it won't always look good and you have less chance of derailments.
If you can try to have 22" radius at least on the main line. A lot of stuff will fit on 18 but it won't always look good and you have less chance of derailments.
Hi Trainfan, just to confirm, you're referring to 22" curves in N scale correct? I know that in HO 18" is trouble, but in N 18" sounds like it would be a fairly broad curve.
My move is complete, the unpacking is underway, and my mind is focusing almost 100% on what the plans for the new layout is going to be. I have an alcove in my finished basement set aside, wall space measuring 10x9x8, that will be used to hold the new layout. To better take advante of the space available, I'm making the jump from HO to N as I said I possibly would in a previous post.
Here are my givens:
The druthers:
Now I just need to settle on a track plan that will fit the area I have available, and pick up some equipment that is either DCC ready or easily converted.
It has been a long time since I've considered N scale. Are 18" radius curves considered broad? I am considering the Kato RDC's, how do they run? As far as I've seen, code 55 is the N equivilent to code 83 in HO, is this truely the case?
Thanks everyone.