"On30"

[magicman710]

Hey guys! I just wanted to know if anybody can help me clear up; or in other words, tell me, what is "on30" scale?

 

Thanks!

[Dr. John]

On30 (or On2 1/2) is O scale narrow gauge running on HO gauge track. It represents 30" gauge track.

[CSXect]

O is for O scale n is for narrow gauge and 30 is the gauge of the track an Oscale 30 inches between the rails also sometimes called On2 1/2 (as in feet) not to be confused with On3 wich is 3 feet gauge all are O scale but different gauge tracks

[PhilaKnight]

In short it's O scale trains run on HO track

[poppyl]

Just to confuse things a little -- when you first see an On-30 loco or piece of rolling stock you may think that it is a little smaller than O scale.  The reality is that narrow gauge equipment in the real world is smaller than standard gauge equipment.  The On-30 is still scale since it maintains the proper O scale proportion to the real world.

 Poppyl

[pbjwilson]

Lionel 681 on the bottom. Bachmann On30 on top.

 

[magicman710]

Okay, Thanks for clearing it up!

[phillyreading]

I have seen "On30" at my local hobby shop and I think that it looks like S gauge trains mounted on H.O. scale wheels that run on H.O. scale track.  I am not that impressed by On30 size trains, rather have S gauge trains.

Lee F.

[tomikawaTT]

I have seen "On30" at my local hobby shop and I think that it looks like S gauge trains mounted on H.O. scale wheels that run on H.O. scale track.  I am not that impressed by On30 size trains, rather have S gauge trains.

Lee F.

It all depends on your prototype.

If you want to model a standard gauge prototype, then anything with an 'n' in the designator is irrelevant to you.  OTOH, if you want to model Japan's Kiso Forestry Railway (tank steamers so ugly they were beautiful,) Taiwan's Alishan Forest Railway (Shays, 4% continuous grade, tunnels and a real-life helix around and through Tuli-Shan,) Japan's Kurobe Railway (amusement park-scale rolling stock, bridges that could have supported Big Boy) or any of the other 762mm gauge operations on the far side of the Western Ocean, On30 is the larger answer.

The smaller answer is HO scale on N-scale track, for the watchmakers among us.

Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)