OO/HO for American Railroading in the 1870's

[hminky]

Does anyone on this list do early rail in 4mm scale? I was looking at the Rivorassi 4-4-0 which is really the V&T engines in 4mm scale. 4mm scale would allow the available. locomotives and cars to depict those early eras easier. The MDC 2-8-0 old timer is almost dead on for a Pennsy H-1. The MDC cars become earlier era size. The compromise in gauge for some would be difficult, but having modeled in On30 to me that is not that important.There are enough 1/72 people and wagons that are only 5% larger. Not as bad as 1/43 on 1/48 like in O scale.

Just a thought
Harold

[Jetrock]

Are you talking US prototype or UK prototype? I'm sure that early UK pattern equipment is available in 4mm, but American equipment would be tough to find indeed.

[hminky]

I was talking about American and what is available presently in HO. The IHC/Rivarossi/AHM Old time 4-4-0 is already OO/HO. The MDC Old timer's work out well as 1870's locomotives in OO/HO. The MDC 1890's cars become 31ft 1870's cars in OO/HO.



That is the IHC old time 4-4-0 and MDC old time 2-8-0 with a OO(4mm/ft)scale figure, actually a 1/72 military figure that is 23mm tall.. The locomotives look right with the ballon stacks in this scale. They are too large and represent a later period in HO.

Just a thought
Harold

[M636C]

I must admit that the Rivarossi (originally Pocher) models have always looked more convincing than the more accurately scaled old time Bachmann models, and while some of this is due to more effort being put in to the Italian made models, the ability of the larger scale to "hide" the neccesarily over scale wheels and flanges is clear.
In this case, the availability of non-rail 1/72 figures and accessories, and the British 1/76 material probably makes it easier still. If you think you can build a whole layout like this, go right ahead - you don't have to "interchange" with other roads!

I have the opposite temptation, to try to model British in HO scale. I have one of the nice Fleischmann class 42 Diesel Hydraulic locomotives. I'm hoping that an HO model of the EMD class 66 will appear and be made available in British colours, EWS, GBRf or similar. I can do it more easily in OO, but why not be original - it will take up less space, for a start! A lot of European and US equipment - containers and so on could be used!

Peter

[Jetrock]

As I mentioned in an earlier thread, there are several sets of "Old West" appropriate miniatures available from Airfix in OO scale, so you could easily utilize such miniatures with these models.

Personally I'm not that hung up about precise scale in this context--if the Rivarossi is actually in OO scale in order to make the proportions work out right, I'd happily put it on my otherwise-HO layout and just call it an HO engine.

Speaking of our favorite 19th Century railroad modeler--Is the Rivarossi 4-4-0 a good runner? SpaceMouse has been futilely looking for a better-running alternative to the Bachmann and IHC toy-train oldtimers, and if those two locos will do the trick, I'm sure he'd be interested in them, and would likely be just as unconcerned about precise scale values as I am, if not more so, if good running could be assured...

[Anonymous]

Peter, Mehano have a HO scale 66 out now - not in EWS or any other UK paint scheme but a repaint shouldn't be too tricky - apparently it's a fine model and a sound/DCC equipped version is available. Hope this is of use!