What is this, and coupler function?

[Dwight in Toronto]

Found this little guy at a recent train show; picked it up simply because its diminutive size appealed to me.

Just wondering:
- what the heck IS it
- what kind of couplers are those
- how is it supposed to connect up with more cars of the same design?

[Chris333]

It is a Minitrains HOn30 trash car:
https://www.minitrains.eu/mt-freight.html

The loop will lift up and latch on top of the little nub in the middle:
https://www.walthers.com/minitrains-30-quot-narrow-gauge-hoe-trash-car-4-pack-ready-to-run-unlettered-beige-black

[Dwight in Toronto]

Well, I’ll be darned!  Thanks Chris … I had never heard of such a thing.

[garethashenden]

The couplers are “standard” on most European HO or OO narrow gauge stock.

[peteski]

Chris, funny how that tiny car looks similar to the car pictured on the postage stamp in your avatar. 

[nickelplate759]

They made several variations of these on the same chassis.  I had a couple of disconnect logging cars long ago, and I recall that there was a side-dump hopper offered as well.

[Chris333]

Chris, funny how that tiny car looks similar to the car pictured on the postage stamp in your avatar. 

It was a postage stamp  BUT  it was clearly made from this image that just happens to be a 30" gauge car and I model HOn30. 

[Maletrain]

I have been looking for something like that in Z scale to use on Z gauge track for an N scale mine.  Anybody know of something useful?  If not, my plan is to scratch build bodies on top of Z scale passenger trucks with most of the detail on the truck frames milled off.

[Chris333]

These are all Nn3:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/HcweaYAkenpzNLdw6
https://photos.app.goo.gl/xnsfWcaLXvR7xgGj9

[peteski]

I have been looking for something like that in Z scale to use on Z gauge track for an N scale mine.  Anybody know of something useful?  If not, my plan is to scratch build bodies on top of Z scale passenger trucks with most of the detail on the truck frames milled off.

Isn't that what our own @narrowminded was working on before he disappeared?

[Jesse6669]

I have been looking for something like that in Z scale to use on Z gauge track for an N scale mine.  Anybody know of something useful?  If not, my plan is to scratch build bodies on top of Z scale passenger trucks with most of the detail on the truck frames milled off.

You might consider this T-gauge track .  I'm using it for 1:300 scale 3-foot narrow gauge, but at 1:220, T-gauge (3mm) works out to 2' 2" gauge (I've pondered doing some Maine 2-footer models using this track).  A powered mine loco would be possible as well.  Possibly something like this:

[Kentuckian]

I have been looking for something like that in Z scale to use on Z gauge track for an N scale mine.  Anybody know of something useful?  If not, my plan is to scratch build bodies on top of Z scale passenger trucks with most of the detail on the truck frames milled off.

N Sclale Architect makes Nn30 track, a locomotive and mine cars. https://thenarch.com/n-detail-parts-vehicles/. I don’t know how these compare to Z scale track.

[Maletrain]

N Sclale Architect makes Nn30 track, a locomotive and mine cars. https://thenarch.com/n-detail-parts-vehicles/. I don’t know how these compare to Z scale track.

N scale Architect mine loco and cars are "Static model. Not motorized."

I could use them if I give up on a motorized mine display.  But, I am not giving up yet.

Z gauge track would be ~40" gauge in N scale.  A bit large for most mines, but still small enough to say "not main railroad" while large enough to actually motorize.

[nkalanaga]

42" gauge wasn't uncommon in large coal mines, so Z gauge track would be fine.  For something that small, I'd buy some MT passenger trucks (they're a wood-beam design anyway), remove as much of the sideframe detail as you wish, and mount couplers on both ends.  I doubt that you'll be doing any switching with them, so simulating link-and-pin couplers, basically a pivoted drawbar, would work fine.