Does European N scale operate on North American track and power?

[C855B]

Someone educate me - what is the point of working overhead? Modeling it, I absolutely understand, and wish more would - all you GG-1 owners running "a la carte" should be pilloried.

[Scottl]

Somerfeldt has a pretty comprehensive line of product.  Hmmm...

[keeper]

Yes! From Somerfeldt -

Another one would be Vollmer.

Arnold had a non-working catenary with all the masts and a thin rubber band for the wire. I'm not sure if it is still available.

Thomas

[ljudice]

Someone educate me - what is the point of working overhead? Modeling it, I absolutely understand, and wish more would - all you GG-1 owners running "a la carte" should be pilloried.

I agree and would even go so far as to say that modelling the support structure accurately makes for a fine looking model.

I think if you build it properly it gives you 3 points of contact instead of 2 - which has to be better by 50% ?!?!?!

I think the work involved is pretty substantial though.  I bet it is cool to see arcing, etc. in a dark room of course.

Speaking of arcing - this is a big problem on the prototype, pieces of flaming carbon flying off pantographs and into new cars on open car carriers. 

- Lou

[keeper]

Re couplers:
The Rapido couplers are still standard but there are a lot of other couplers available.

http://www.1zu160.net/nspur/kupplungen.php

This site is in German but you get the idea... 

Thomas

[Philip H]

The one caveat to all this would be that if you get older stuff - say 1970's to early 1980's, you can find trains that were set up to run on a stud and slider contact system like the Marklin stuff.  Early Ibertren was like that - which is why my two Era IV Renfe locomotives are still shelf queens.  Plus they have wheel flanges that make MT Pizza Cutters look tiny.

[keeper]

As far as I know only Ibertren had such a system and they dropped it quite quickly.

Thomas

[ljudice]

Re couplers:
The Rapido couplers are still standard but there are a lot of other couplers available.

http://www.1zu160.net/nspur/kupplungen.php

This site is in German but you get the idea... 

Thomas

Yep, they're all pretty bad though -  there is a new one that looks fantastic (I think it was in news on 1zu160 recently) that but was of course a semi-permanent drawbar.  Possibly not a bad idea though for an intermodal or auto unit train...

[Philip H]

some of the Japanese interurban couplers look close to what's on some modern European passenger trains.  I have yet to see anyone attempt a hook and link however.

[ljudice]

some of the Japanese interurban couplers look close to what's on some modern European passenger trains.  I have yet to see anyone attempt a hook and link however.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scharfenberg_coupler

[engineshop]

Re couplers:
The Rapido couplers are still standard but there are a lot of other couplers available.

http://www.1zu160.net/nspur/kupplungen.php

This site is in German but you get the idea... 

Thomas

Almost all models for the European market come with Rapido couplers since every modeler seems to have his own opinion which coupler is the best. Some even use permenent coupling rods since freight spotting layouts are mostly unknown.

[peteski]

For what it's worth, I've never had problems with any European N-models on Peco Code 55 track, including some older stuff picked up on Ebay.

I don't think there's ever been a better time for European modeling - although there is less to choose from for systems outside Germany, Switzerland, Austria - and Spain (a more recent phenomenon). A lot of smaller firms have sprung up (like Euro version of BLMA, Bluford, etc) doing smaller runs of more accurate models. And the big firms are back on track, producing quite a bit of new stuff.

I am no expert on exchange rates, but prices seem to be lower in the US as well. Or maybe the rising prices of US models just make them look less shockingly expensive.

- Lou

Yes, most European N scale models still use deep flanges (but not quite as deep as used to be used on the early models by Minitrix, Arnold, Roco and Fleischmann).  There should be no problems on Peco track (any code) and on code 70 track from other manufacturers. Atlas code 55? I'm not sure if that would work.  But that is not through the fault with the models - the track itself (the oversized plastic spikes) was a poor design which made it incompatible with a lot of N scale rolling stock (not just European, but American too).

As far as prices go, while they have become more reasonable recently, the European models are still pricier than US prototype models.  The best time to buy European models was right after Euro was introduced as currency in Germany (late 1990s and early 2000s).  Euro was worth about 50 US cents and the prices were very affordable. I bought bunch of European models at that time (from German online vendors and on eBay, from European sellers).

[ljudice]

Peteski,  I agree...   Just a lot of new interesting stuff - especially from Fleischmann  which has pretty much covered the most important Swiss and Austrian locos now - as well as some of the cool special paint schemes (Mozart, etc...).   And the DCC ready versions are around $140 or so at Eurolokshop.com,  which is way below what I recall as the going price in the mid 2000's....

Fleischmann now has the OeBB  1016, 1116 and 1216 - and announced a totally new 1044/1144, and for the SBB has
the 460, Re 4/4 and Ae 6/6 - really just missing the RE 6/6 which Hobbytrain does.


- Lou

[christoph]

Let me chime in here 

I use all Peco "Code 55"  and run all kinds of European and US models on it without problems.  Even Fox Valley low profile wheels and BLMA wheels work without problems  (well, almost without problems because some of the large radius turnouts are sometime out of gauge).
When I started building the layout I bought some Atlas code 55 flex tracks and two switches for testing.  None of my European models would roll on the track, and don't even think about using the switches.  What I intend to do now is build a small photo diorama using the Atlas track, and I am absolutely sure that none of my European models will roll away... 

I also have some code 80 track by Minitrix in the industrial district, mainly because I needed the small radius switches there, and have experienced no problems so far, even with low profile wheels  (the Minitrix track might be quite similar to Atlas code 80 track).

[ljudice]

I think I must have misspoken or something, because what I meant to say was Peco Code 55 (which I use exclusively and love) handles every US and European model I've ever owned - Atlas Code 55 does not work with European models - and also I had trouble with some relatively recent Kato models.  I believe it was a manufacturing defect (in the track - the spikes were molded incorrectly or there was flash or something).

I would say to anyone interested in doing some Euro modelling to go with Peco Code 55 and you cannot go wrong.  Of course I use it for NA modelling too.