How do nyou fiqure that, I can get a critter to go round 9" curves.
rtraincollector You need to understand what your talking about befor shooting off. I can get more loops on a 4x8 with O than you can with HO I could even thou would be tight and would have to be smaller engines run O-27, O-31, & O-42 on one board .
O-27, O-31., O-42 and O-72 are O gauge 3-rail curve designations, not "O Scale" curves. (True "O Scale" is 1:48, that is 1/4" = 1'-0'' in the USA but usually made to run on 5' gauge 2-rail track, British O scale is a little larger (1:43) so the same track represents 4' 8-1/2} The cars and locomotives made to run on those curves are usually undersize and often not not to scale poprortions, and with visible detail compromises, although it is possible for some small prototypes to be in scale and run on curves that sharp. The equipment run on those curves is usually railroad toys, not railroad models. True "O scale". whether 2-rail or 3-rail, takes a lot of space. More than twice the space of HO to do it right.
This is not meant to put toy trains down. They can be operated just as realisticly as scale trains. Some of the layouts have some very realistic scenery despite the sharp curves and 3-rail track. Most O toy layouts are not realistic in appearence or operation, but they are a lot of fun.
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
rtraincollector dstarr HO is the most popular gauge/scale right now. That means more and different models are in production, For instance, your 2-6-6-6 triplex is probably in production in HO. It may not be in production in O. In round numbers, HO is half the size of O. For instance HO trains (well perhaps not a 2-6-6-6) can make it around 18 inch radius curves. O guage needs 30 inches. Which means the benchwork to support a 180 degree turn (complete loop) has to be 36 inches wide in HO, it must be 60 inches wide for O. HO locomotives and rolling stock are less expensive than O gauge. If you have lots of space, and like the bulk and heft of the larger O models, go for it. If you have space and money constraints like most of us, HO is very appealing. HO is big enough for scratch building and kit bashing even for those of us with aging eyesight. From your question, I would assume you are just coming into the hobby. Have you found Model Railroader magazine ? For that matter ordinary public libraries often have decent books on model railroading. You need to understand what your talking about befor shooting off.
dstarr HO is the most popular gauge/scale right now. That means more and different models are in production, For instance, your 2-6-6-6 triplex is probably in production in HO. It may not be in production in O. In round numbers, HO is half the size of O. For instance HO trains (well perhaps not a 2-6-6-6) can make it around 18 inch radius curves. O guage needs 30 inches. Which means the benchwork to support a 180 degree turn (complete loop) has to be 36 inches wide in HO, it must be 60 inches wide for O. HO locomotives and rolling stock are less expensive than O gauge. If you have lots of space, and like the bulk and heft of the larger O models, go for it. If you have space and money constraints like most of us, HO is very appealing. HO is big enough for scratch building and kit bashing even for those of us with aging eyesight. From your question, I would assume you are just coming into the hobby. Have you found Model Railroader magazine ? For that matter ordinary public libraries often have decent books on model railroading.
HO is the most popular gauge/scale right now. That means more and different models are in production, For instance, your 2-6-6-6 triplex is probably in production in HO. It may not be in production in O.
In round numbers, HO is half the size of O. For instance HO trains (well perhaps not a 2-6-6-6) can make it around 18 inch radius curves. O guage needs 30 inches. Which means the benchwork to support a 180 degree turn (complete loop) has to be 36 inches wide in HO, it must be 60 inches wide for O. HO locomotives and rolling stock are less expensive than O gauge.
If you have lots of space, and like the bulk and heft of the larger O models, go for it. If you have space and money constraints like most of us, HO is very appealing. HO is big enough for scratch building and kit bashing even for those of us with aging eyesight.
From your question, I would assume you are just coming into the hobby. Have you found Model Railroader magazine ? For that matter ordinary public libraries often have decent books on model railroading.
You need to understand what your talking about befor shooting off.
Dave's reply to the OP seems pretty civil to me, hardly a case of "shooting off" at the mouth.
Anyhow, this thread seems a bit confused, but that is understandable when the issue of scale versus gauge comes up for discussion.
The OP says that he is looking to build a C&O model set with an Allegheny 2-6-6-6 steam locomotive in either O scale or HO scale. My guess is that he may be considering the MTH version which is available in the Premier Line O Scale series. That is a 1:48 scale locomotive that operates on O-72 curves. MTH produces O-72 track in 3-rail O-gauge, and that O-72 track is going to require a 6' diameter to complete a half circle.
Rich
Alton Junction
richhotrain My guess is that he may be considering the MTH version which is available in the Premier Line O Scale series. That is a 1:48 scale locomotive that operates on O-72 curves. MTH produces O-72 track in 3-rail O-gauge, and that O-72 track is going to require a 6' diameter to complete a half circle. Rich
My guess is that he may be considering the MTH version which is available in the Premier Line O Scale series. That is a 1:48 scale locomotive that operates on O-72 curves. MTH produces O-72 track in 3-rail O-gauge, and that O-72 track is going to require a 6' diameter to complete a half circle.
Some quick google-fu, and I found a Rivarossi Allegheny in HO, looks like the minimum operating radius is 22" -- or, just shy of a 4' diameter return loop (although, it'll probably work better if your minimums are 24" / 4' diameter return loop).
-Dan
Builder of Bowser steam! Railimages Site
I really appeciate all the advice and thoghts on my post. After a lot of thought, and taking in all the advice as well as researching layouts and the space available, I have decided I will go HO. I think the final push was a visit to the B&O museum in Baltimore this week. They have converted an old passenger car into a model train layout. It is an HO scale layout and provides a flavor of the B&O, with the various landscapes from Camden station in Baltimore to the Ohio in Wheeling. I am not sure which way I will go with my layout in either something freelance like the B&O model at the museum with a flavor of the C&O from Newport News to Huntington or more of a prototype of the Hinton to Clifton Forge portion of the railroad. Either route, I plan on late era steam and I think I can fit something that will be about 30-35' end to end. I love the level of detail in that model and think I can only acheive that in HO scale.
Thanks for all the input.
Walt
In the past several years, MR has featured several C&O-themed layouts in the magazine or in some of the specialty publications (Planning; Great Model RR's). In particular, the O Gauge EuDaly layout comes to mind, as well as the HO layout built by a fellow named Zugelter. I believe there have been others as well. Can some member help out here by citing the publications, dates, etc. to help our guy find these articles? I'm sure the info would be helpful.
Tom
This has been mentioned by one poster already. What do you want to achieve in the end? Do you want high scale, accurate look, operations and feel for real railroading or a toy layout in that space to just watch trains go around and round.
Only you can answer that question, not us. If you are after realism to any real degree with high scale locos and rolling stock and real operations, all within the small space you quoted. You must go with a smaller scale than O. You will save money and have more enjoyment in you MR experience. If, however, you are just comming in and are more interested in just running trains for a few occasional visitors who are not MRs and you are not planning on devoting a lot of effort to high end detailing, then three rail O is fine. 12X16 is a very small O scale layout. However, with hairpin turns, a load of switches and crossovers you can load an O layout up with rail that no HO railroader would ever consider.
You really need to visit a good O scale layout and a good HO layout and maybe even an N scale layout to see what you might be in for.
If you are lucky enough to find a good high scale O layout, you will be rather stunned by its size.
Richard
If I can't fix it, I can fix it so it can't be fixed
I model in S scale and am itrigued with possibilities one could acheive with Proto 48 if I retained my current branchline theme with a minimal number of turnouts, rolling stock and motive power it would be achieveable during my lifetime, or I could really go radical and convert to Proto 64!
Dave
V8Vega:
Sorry, but I don't understand your last comment. You don't HAVE to be so serious, no matter what scale you choose. But you can be serious if you wish. It's a HOBBY, for cryin' out loud!