Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

The "N" crowd: Part II

14068 views
79 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: Memphis, TN
  • 3,876 posts
The "N" crowd: Part II
Posted by Packers#1 on Thursday, March 20, 2008 3:32 PM
Like Bergie said, someone needs to start a the "N" crowd, Part II, so I might as we go ahead, since I saw his suggestion first.

Sawyer Berry

Clemson University c/o 2018

Building a protolanced industrial park layout

 

  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: US
  • 1,431 posts
Posted by Bergie on Thursday, March 20, 2008 3:44 PM

Sorry, anyone but a Packers fan. I'm going to lock this so someone else can start a new part II.

Signed, Bergie (the Bears fan)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

just kidding (sort of... about the locking part)  Clown [:o)]

Erik Bergstrom
  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: Redding, California
  • 1,428 posts
Posted by Train 284 on Thursday, March 20, 2008 3:56 PM
Bergie you crack me up!
Matt Cool Espee Forever! Modeling the Modoc Northern Railroad in HO scale Brakeman/Conductor/Fireman on the Yreka Western Railroad Member of Rouge Valley Model RR Club
  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Phoenix, AZ
  • 39 posts
Posted by nscale1969 on Thursday, March 20, 2008 4:04 PM
The sting of the SB loss and a pitiful showing last season must still be with you.....It could be worse...I am a Cards fan..Sad [:(]
Modeling the "Way of the Zephyrs". N Scale Laurel Subdivision 1955 and beyond....
  • Member since
    November 2007
  • From: south central PA
  • 580 posts
Posted by concretelackey on Thursday, March 20, 2008 4:33 PM

Sign - Off Topic!! [#offtopic]

my opinion- if it ain't the COWBOYS in the super bowl in ain't worth watching. and I say that living in a house where my wife, daughter and both sons are die hard steeler fans.Smile,Wink, & Grin [swg]

Ken aka "CL" "TIS QUITE EASY TO SCREW CONCRETE UP BUT TIS DARN NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO UNSCREW IT"
  • Member since
    January 2008
  • 1,132 posts
Posted by saronaterry on Thursday, March 20, 2008 4:36 PM
 Bergie wrote:

Sorry, anyone but a Packers fan. I'm going to lock this so someone else can start a new part II.

Signed, Bergie (the Bears fan)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

just kidding (sort of... about the locking part)  Clown [:o)]

Easy there, Bergie. Weren't da bearz on the golf course a little EARLYThis year?Whistling [:-^]

Terry, from Northern Wisconsin

(HO modeler, but I couldn't let THAT post go by!Laugh [(-D])

Terry in NW Wisconsin

Queenbogey715 is my Youtube channel

  • Member since
    May 2015
  • 779 posts
Posted by Dallas Model Works on Thursday, March 20, 2008 4:37 PM

Okay... so I'll ask again, since nobody can now reply to my original question.

Can anybody suggest a manufacturer(s) of decent mid 19th century rolling stock, specifically passenger, in N scale?

Something craftsman maybe? I haven't been able to turn up much and wondered if something had escaped my search.

Thanks!

Craig

DMW

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: In the State of insanity!
  • 7,982 posts
Posted by pcarrell on Thursday, March 20, 2008 8:21 PM
The MDC would be the easiest to find, with a decent price and good detail.  You can also look at train shows, swap meets, and EvilBay for the Bachmann Old Timers series of cars.  They can be had at bargin basement prices, but they need a little work to look good and I always swap out the trucks for some decent Micro Trains.  Other then that, there's not much out there.  Occasionally you come across some brass car sides of that era, but it's up to you to bash the rest.
Philip
  • Member since
    November 2007
  • From: Southern California
  • 1,475 posts
Posted by New Haven I-5 on Thursday, March 20, 2008 8:27 PM
  Can I start The "HO" Crowd? Me and the guys that model HO scale really need something that is HO scale only.

- Luke

Modeling the Southern Pacific in the 1960's-1980's

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 20, 2008 8:34 PM

 New Haven I-5 wrote:
  Can I start The "HO" Crowd? Me and the guys that model HO scale really need something that is HO scale only.

Already been tried. And failed.

http://cs.trains.com/forums/1390261/ShowPost.aspx 

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: Nebraska
  • 173 posts
Posted by 4-6-6-4 Challenger on Thursday, March 20, 2008 8:38 PM
what is the reason for starting part II of the "N" crowd
Nothing is better that a big old Union Pacific Challenger or Big Boy rumbling the ground as it roars by! Modeling the CB&Q in the 1930's in Nebraska
  • Member since
    November 2007
  • From: Southern California
  • 1,475 posts
Posted by New Haven I-5 on Thursday, March 20, 2008 8:58 PM
 Part 1 is closed.

- Luke

Modeling the Southern Pacific in the 1960's-1980's

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: Nebraska
  • 173 posts
Posted by 4-6-6-4 Challenger on Thursday, March 20, 2008 9:01 PM

Why did it close?

I noticed that the "Elliots Trackside Dinner" also closed and they made a new one.

Nothing is better that a big old Union Pacific Challenger or Big Boy rumbling the ground as it roars by! Modeling the CB&Q in the 1930's in Nebraska
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Seattle WA
  • 1,233 posts
Posted by Hoople on Thursday, March 20, 2008 9:02 PM
 concretelackey wrote:

Sign - Off Topic!! [#offtopic]

my opinion- if it ain't the COWBOYS in the super bowl in ain't worth watching. and I say that living in a house where my wife, daughter and both sons are die hard steeler fans.Smile,Wink, & Grin [swg]

 

HOW BOUT THEM COWBOYS?

Mark.
  • Member since
    May 2007
  • From: Troy, Tx
  • 36 posts
Posted by SOO_N Scaler on Thursday, March 20, 2008 9:03 PM

wow look another reason not to like bears fans,, but wait, is'nt GreenBay called titletown,,,and Chi-town the windy city, I guess that is for all the hot air in the town.

  Packers fan forever....70's, 80's, 90's, 2000 and beyond.

  Adios Wyatt

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: Nebraska
  • 173 posts
Posted by 4-6-6-4 Challenger on Thursday, March 20, 2008 9:06 PM
I just tried the HO Crowd thing about 3 days ago it got locked in about 5 hours after I started it.  I guess the dave vollmer asked permisson to start the N crowd. That is what I was told.
Nothing is better that a big old Union Pacific Challenger or Big Boy rumbling the ground as it roars by! Modeling the CB&Q in the 1930's in Nebraska
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 1,414 posts
Posted by Guilford Guy on Thursday, March 20, 2008 9:07 PM

 4-6-6-4 Challenger wrote:
I just tried the HO Crowd thing about 3 days ago it got locked in about 5 hours after I started it.  I guess the dave vollmer asked permisson to start the N crowd. That is what I was told.

Their are far more HOers than N scales on the forum. This thread gives a place for N scalers to converse. An HO thread is pretty much a pointless waste of bandwidth due to the fact that their is a Beer Barn and Diner already in existence...

Alex

  • Member since
    May 2015
  • 779 posts
Posted by Dallas Model Works on Thursday, March 20, 2008 9:10 PM

 pcarrell wrote:
The MDC would be the easiest to find, with a decent price and good detail.  You can also look at train shows, swap meets, and EvilBay for the Bachmann Old Timers series of cars.  They can be had at bargin basement prices, but they need a little work to look good and I always swap out the trucks for some decent Micro Trains.  Other then that, there's not much out there.  Occasionally you come across some brass car sides of that era, but it's up to you to bash the rest.

Thanks guys. I knew about the MDC stuff but wondered if there was something more obscure out there.

I guess the original transition era (covered-wagons-to-trains) isn't as popular as steam-to-diesel!  Wink [;)]

 

Craig

DMW

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: In the State of insanity!
  • 7,982 posts
Posted by pcarrell on Thursday, March 20, 2008 9:20 PM

Craig,

Steam to Diesel is definately the more popular of the two (modern power is most popular in N scale), but a great 19th century layout is definately possible with all of the MDC and Bachmann stuff alone.  Throw in the Atlas 2-6-0 and a few others that have been done over the years like the Minitrix 0-6-0 old timer and some of the cottage industry stuff and it can be done.

If you want to see some cool stuff for N scale, and the detail parts and could definately help on that 19th century theme, check out these links!

http://www.republiclocomotiveworks.com/

http://www.aspenmodel.com/

http://www.urbaneagle.com/slim/

http://www.musketminiatures.com/

A lot of it is N scale narrow guage, but like I said, the detail parts could be used to backdate standard guage models to the 19th century.

Philip
  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Colorado Springs, CO
  • 2,742 posts
Posted by Dave Vollmer on Thursday, March 20, 2008 9:25 PM

 4-6-6-4 Challenger wrote:
I just tried the HO Crowd thing about 3 days ago it got locked in about 5 hours after I started it.  I guess the dave vollmer asked permisson to start the N crowd. That is what I was told.

Not exactly...   

I simply started the thread without any prior permission. 

At the time there seemed to be fewer vocal N scalers than at present (there's a pretty high turnover rate here), but those of use who were active we getting somewhat frustrated at the assumption that everything we posted was HO.  Even if N scale was included in the title, it seemed, HO modelers jumped right in with suggestions on which HO products would fix the problem or which HO locomotive we should purchase instead.  "The 'N' Crowd" grew out of this somewhat irritating, widely-held yet unspoken assumption that all posts were HO unless otherwise stated.

We tossed the idea about that a seperate N scale subforum might be good...  But then it was also pointed out that many other forums had an N scale section, so there was no need to replicate that structure here.  Furthermore, many of us liked the General Discussion anyway, and feared a seperate N scale subforum would cause us to visit less.  In the end, I think Bergie mentioned that he was not supportive of the seperate N scale forum idea, so we went the thread route.

Given that certain common problems and common themes are endemic to N scale (i.e., low-profile versus pizza cutter flanges, code 55 versus code 80 track, etc.), I thought a seperate N scale thread might be a good place to discuss these issues free from certain HO scalers who would invariably answer our questions with HO-scale answers.

Bergie let the "crowd" go mainly because this forum is dominated by HO scalers (N scale is underrepresented here in proportion to the estimated percentage of N scalers to HO scalers hobby-wide; many N scalers go instead to dedicated N scale fora) and it served an important niche in the MR forum demographics.  Recently it seems the N scale population here is growing quite steadily, perhaps making a thread like this superfluous.

LASTLY:

"The 'N' Crowd" did pretty well for itself at first, but after a while became so unwieldy due to length that I rarely visited at all.  Pithy subject matter became buried in social banter, as often happens in long, long threads.  To me, "The 'N' Crowd" ran its course.

Now I'm perfectly content to post directly to the General Discussion forum with N scale in the subject line.  I get fewer of the "assume-I'm-in-HO-anyway" responses.  Also, I'm involved in other fora whose focus is not only N but N with a bent toward Eastern railroading, so that scratches my itch.  But if you folks want to keep the "crowd" going, enjoy!!!

Modeling the Rio Grande Southern First District circa 1938-1946 in HOn3.

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Rogers, Minnesota
  • 219 posts
Posted by Jimmydieselfan on Thursday, March 20, 2008 9:29 PM
N Scale is where its at. HO takes up too much space. Plus you don't have as tight of radius.Thumbs Up [tup]

N Scale Diesels......I like 'em

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: Nebraska
  • 173 posts
Posted by 4-6-6-4 Challenger on Thursday, March 20, 2008 10:41 PM
Dave I do believe that if you posted any info on the general disscusion people would first think of N for you.  You seem to be the TOP DOG of the N scalers.  You sure know your stuff. 
Nothing is better that a big old Union Pacific Challenger or Big Boy rumbling the ground as it roars by! Modeling the CB&Q in the 1930's in Nebraska
  • Member since
    April 2006
  • From: THE FAR, FAR REACHES OF THE WILD, WILD WEST!
  • 3,672 posts
Posted by R. T. POTEET on Friday, March 21, 2008 1:06 AM

As Dave V stated in his 7:25pm entry, it has been nice to have a mini-forum where their was only a minimal possibility of confusion in the scale referenced in a response; unless a response specifically references a scale other than HO-Scale I automatically assume that HO-Scale is the scale being referenced. Such is life I suppose. 

From the far, far reaches of the wild, wild west I am: rtpoteet

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Colorado Springs, CO
  • 2,742 posts
Posted by Dave Vollmer on Friday, March 21, 2008 10:24 AM

 4-6-6-4 Challenger wrote:
Dave I do believe that if you posted any info on the general disscusion people would first think of N for you.  You seem to be the TOP DOG of the N scalers.  You sure know your stuff. 

Well, thank you...  But I am far from a TOP DOG of anything.  I'm just good at making it sound as if I know my stuff!Whistling [:-^]

Modeling the Rio Grande Southern First District circa 1938-1946 in HOn3.

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: Memphis, TN
  • 3,876 posts
Posted by Packers#1 on Friday, March 21, 2008 10:34 AM
 Bergie wrote:

Sorry, anyone but a Packers fan. I'm going to lock this so someone else can start a new part II.

Signed, Bergie (the Bears fan)

Hardy-Har-Har. I got an aunt, uncle and three cousins in Chicago, been there twice, and been to Soldier field(soccer game). Exact opposite for Wisconsin. To put my first train-related post on my thread, I got a little scenery down on my mini-layout, which I now call "Rural Line". 

Sawyer Berry

Clemson University c/o 2018

Building a protolanced industrial park layout

 

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: Memphis, TN
  • 3,876 posts
Posted by Packers#1 on Friday, March 21, 2008 10:36 AM
 4-6-6-4 Challenger wrote:

Why did it close?

I noticed that the "Elliots Trackside Dinner" also closed and they made a new one.

Bergie said it was for "Spring cleaning", as he called it. Packers rule. nuf said.

Sawyer Berry

Clemson University c/o 2018

Building a protolanced industrial park layout

 

  • Member since
    November 2002
  • From: Thornton, CO
  • 763 posts
Posted by jwils1 on Friday, March 21, 2008 9:36 PM

Radius for modern era?

I'm working on my N scale track plan and have a question:

I'll be running modern era equipment and according to NMRA standards a 19" radius should be fine.  I'm unsing Kato Unitrack and their #4 turnouts provide a 19" radius on the diverging route.  None of my turnouts will be high-speed so will the #4 be okay?  I like it better than the #6.

Would there be any problem with S curves, like a siding where the next track section off of the diverging route is a 19" radius curving the other way?

Jerry

Rio Grande vs. Santa Fe.....the battle is over but the glory remains!

  • Member since
    February 2001
  • From: El Dorado Springs, MO
  • 1,519 posts
Posted by n2mopac on Monday, March 24, 2008 10:21 AM

I'm away for a few weeks and what happens? You all pack up, lock the doors, and move. Banged Head [banghead] Good thing I had you tagged with my GPS. Laugh [(-D]

Ron

Owner and superintendant of the N scale Texas Colorado & Western Railway, a protolanced representaion of the BNSF from Fort Worth, TX through Wichita Falls TX and into Colorado. 

Check out the TC&WRy on at https://www.facebook.com/TCWRy

Check out my MRR How-To YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/RonsTrainsNThings

 

  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: Lower Coverdale
  • 11 posts
Posted by Alroy66 on Monday, March 24, 2008 11:17 AM

pcarrell,

You mentioned you had replaced the trucks on the old Bachmann old timers passenger cars. I have some as well what Micro Trains trucks did you use?

Also the Atlas 4-6-0 Mogul...has anyone ever put a decoder in one of these?

 

Al

You do not stop playing because you grow old; You grow old because you stop playing. Now, go play with some trains!!!
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 25, 2008 8:44 AM

hey all, I'm fairly new to N scale, and before now never really thought about detailing or making any changes to my engines or rolling stock. So I was wondering what kind of couplers would be best for a more prototype look. I have a few "Micro Trains" boxcars and I really like the couplers on them, but are they realistic? And the engines just have the hook which definately has to be changed. And also do I need to change the trunks to.......

 

thank....Norman......

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!