Is T Guage about Dead?

[peteski]

Some of the lines in Japan are 1,372 mm (4 ft 6 in). Shinjuku station has at least three gauges (on various lines): 4' 8" for the Marunouchi subway line, 4' 6" for the Keio line, and 3' 6" for JR, Odakyu, and Seibu lines. The Japanese N scale manufactures release models with each of these prototypes to run on the same 9 mm track, so it's not surprising that they would do that for T, too.

Exactly. AFAIK, Japanese N scale trains (both narrow and standard gauge) prototypes are all scaled to 1:150. The way DKS described the problem was that the T-gauge accessories (whatever that means) were not compatible between their initial and current offerings.  That is the puzzling part.  I don't think it is a scale thing either.

[thomasjmdavis]

I never got mine to run nice and slow. Still have it all in a baggie. Flatcar is N scale.

That does make for an interesting load... And maybe we N scalers could use the track to model 18" gauge train at the zoo, or for mine trackage.

To the bigger question of keeping T gauge (or scale) alive, what you may need to do is popularize Zn2 logging equipment.  Once the track becomes readily available, people will find a way to make US prototype standard gauge equipment to run on it.  Think back to the 1960s, when AHM and others started importing N gauge track for use as "HO 2 1/2" or "HOn30".  In N scale, we could also use it for the trains people ride around at the zoo, or trackage for industrial cranes and such.  There is a miniature tourist railroad here in Michigan that has a fantastic hobby shop on the premises (or maybe it is a hobby shop with a miniature train, not really sure how they look at it)- it's on a rural country road- so you can have a hobby shop with miniature railroad in the middle of Midwestern farmland, and there is a prototype for that.

[learmoia]

Wait, so in Japan the 3'6" gauge trains and 4'6" track gauge trains are all built to run on 9mm track.. but they are also built to 1:150..

....    They do a much better job of hiding it than Lionel did..

[DKS]

Sorry if I was vague about Eishindo's scale issue... Their initial offering of commuter trains and accessories were all 1:450. When they later released a bullet train, they switched to something like 1:470 or thereabouts so that the 3mm gauge would be "correct." I thought this was stupid, since (as I'd noted) the difference in the prototype gauges scaled down to less than the variability in manufactured 3mm track.

Granted, using 1:450 accessories for a 1:470-ish train isn't that bad, but the difference in the trains themselves was more noticable, with the bullet train bodies looking oddly small next to the others. This was much more noticable than the difference in model track if gauged correctly, which would have been a small fraction of a millimeter.

And maybe we N scalers could use the track to model 18" gauge train at the zoo, or for mine trackage.

That's exactly why I still have a few lengths of 3mm flex. Incidentally, Eishindo also released some G Scale ride-on train sets and accessories.

To the bigger question of keeping T gauge (or scale) alive, what you may need to do is popularize Zn2 logging equipment....

The problem here is making it functional. T locos barely work as it is, and even then only at rocket speeds. I cannot imagine mass-producing any viable Zn2 equipment.

For myself, if I even bother making any N Scale industrial stuff, it would almost certainly be static.
 

[Chris333]

There is barely track available in HOn30. I had to search all over for some Railcraft c55 flex. The last time ME made a run of HOn30 flex it was c70 and that is huge. Peco doesn't count because it looks like Peco. Last year I ordered some Shinohara c60 flex from the UK (who ordered it from Japan). When I tried to order more the factory was closed for a break.

So good luck with Zn2 

[Mark W]

Another thing to keep in mind, T Gauge rail is STEEL, not nickle-silver.  Locomotive wheels are magnetic, so the steel rails add some extra 'gravity' to help with power pickup. 

Here's a Decoder equipped T Gauge model with directional lighting and super slow speed creep.

[Chris333]

Considering T gauge is the size of a pencil, I'd like to know how they got a decoder in there. 

[Mark W]

http://www.sbs4dcc.com/tutorialstipstricks/ctdcx76zdfdecodermanual.html

[Scottl]

With those specs, that would work with an n scale locomotive.  That could fit in anything n scale!

[narrowminded]

The CT decoder is the smallest I found anywhere and is what I used in my mine loco.  It ran excellent.

[nstars]

The smallest I know are the two versions of the CT Elektronik DCX77. These are even smaller than the DCX76.

Marc

[Lemosteam]

Listings are at various retailers, but no stock.  What's up?

[narrowminded]

The smallest I know are the two versions of the CT Elektronik DCX77. These are even smaller than the DCX76.

Marc

While that's true in one plane it isn't true in the other.  The actual metric dimensions for each are:

DCX 77z =  7.6 x 5 x 1.8
DCX 76z =  6.9 x 6 x 1.7

Pick the best suited for your installation.   Hope that helps.