On30 ET&WNC R.R.

[davefoxx]

As reported on the Weekend Update this evening, the narrow gauge bug has struck again.  I last dabbled in narrow gauge modeling more than twenty years ago in both HOn3 and G scale.  In fact, my G scale ET&WNC ten wheeler, a tank car, and bobber caboose still reside above my desk at the office.  So, in a moment of weakness this afternoon, I purchased a Bachmann On30 ET&WNC R.R. 4-6-0 with DCC and Tsunami sound on eBay for a very reasonable price.

Why the ET&WNC?  Well, many of you know that I love North Carolina railroading.  I used to live in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and the area where the ET ran (between Johnson City, Tennessee and Boone, North Carolina) is some of my favorite part of the world.  Plus, there's plenty of resources from which to seek guidance and inspiration, and modeling in O scale will allow for some detailing that I cannot do in N scale.  Since I want to keep the size of the layout down to be able to keep the Seaboard Central in the layout room, I will be able to consider handlaid track.

For now, the track plan below is along the lines of what I'm thinking about.  Reasonably compact, but more than just a loop of track on a door.  Of course, this track plan can be scaled down slightly from G scale to O scale, but I'll need to keep plenty of room for the aisle.



This track plan is from the October 1986 issue of Model Railroader, and the issue of Model Railroading Planning 1998 has suggestions to improve the operation of the layout.  I have some other ideas, too.

DFF

[Chris333]

Ha ha...  The Favorite Spot has good prices on On30. Sometimes I keep items in my watch list and then the go on sale even cheaper!

I like the plan too.

[davefoxx]

Yep, it was from The Favorite Spot.  When I saw their price this afternoon, as compared to others', I just knew I'd end up caving in and finally buying an On30 locomotive.  Now, I have to learn about designing a track plan and building models in this scale.  I've never worked in O scale before.  For instance, what are good track centers for On30?

DFF

[Missaberoad]

Nice... Excited to see what you do with this... 

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Oh god dammit, there goes another one... Lol.

[seusscaboose]

I have a friend who says inside of every N Scaler is an O Scaler waiting to get out...

[Chris333]

Here is a cool On30 ET&WNC layout, although I have no idea how true to prototype it is:
http://www.freerails.com/view_topic.php?id=6389&forum_id=4

[Scottl]

Dave this will be great.  That is one of Malcolm Furlow's layout.  I will be interested to see what you do with it.

[davefoxx]

Here is a cool On30 ET&WNC layout, although I have no idea how true to prototype it is:
http://www.freerails.com/view_topic.php?id=6389&forum_id=4

It appears that it's not true to the prototype, but I'll have the same problem: space constraints.  Like most of my layouts, this will be built to merely capture the feel of the ET, and, if I can fit in a layout design element (LDE) here or there, great!

DFF

[basementcalling]

Yep, it was from The Favorite Spot.  When I saw their price this afternoon, as compared to others', I just knew I'd end up caving in and finally buying an On30 locomotive.  Now, I have to learn about designing a track plan and building models in this scale.  I've never worked in O scale before.  For instance, what are good track centers for On30?

DFF

Why? The plan doesn't have any parallel tracks? ☺

[davefoxx]

Peter,

Because that plan needs some improvements, including those recommended by Tony Koester in the MRP 1998 edition and some of my own.  I need to get into the layout room to verify the space I can dedicate to the On30 layout.

DFF

[Chris333]

Just put 2 cars down side by side and figure it out?  Like around 2.5-2.75" or more if you want finger room.

One thing about O scale you probably don't realize how big the buildings and stuff like that really is.

[basementcalling]

Peter,

Because that plan needs some improvements, including those recommended by Tony Koester in the MRP 1998 edition and some of my own.  I need to get into the layout room to verify the space I can dedicate to the On30 layout.

DFF

I was kidding, Dave.

Good choices so far.

[davefoxx]

I was kidding, Dave.

Good choices so far.

Oops, sorry.  Went right over my head, because you were right about there being no parallel tracks in that original, unmodified plan.

Thanks,
DFF

[basementcalling]

Oops, sorry.  Went right over my head, because you were right about there being no parallel tracks in that original, unmodified plan.

Thanks,
DFF

You missed my emoji too, but it's all good.  I thought about On3 once. It seems a reasonable way to keep modeling when the vision is no longer N friendly.  I think that day will come here,  as trw is hard to read on my phone screen some days.