Pengi's T Gauge Experiment

[Pengi]

Have been getting frustrated about the amount of space needed to run EMU express trains (would to have my layout in the house not the garage) so decided to try a T gauge experiment.

Here is a starter set compared to a Kato Portram. The box looks the right sort of size for N but the track and controller is also in the box. I bought some extra straight sections - which turned out to be essential, when putting the train on the track.

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The eight car ICE3 in its packaging next to my iPhone  . The other four coaches are on the reverse. Included in the pack is the pantograph but too fiddly for me to fit on the train at the moment.

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The ICE3 next to the Portram

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The lights on the ICE3 stay on even when stationary  There are forward and reverse lights

My experience so far is that T is really fiddly , connecting the track took ages - not as easy as Unitrack. Difficult to get the track really flat too but once it was set up it all worked well.

Then came the really hard part - connecting the train together and putting it on the track  . There is a re-railer but it is not long enough for an 8 car ICE3. Fitting a Farish Voyager together is a doddle after this.

The pack has two switchback sensors which will allow the train to reverse automatically - not tried these yet, a electronic wheel cleaner with cleaning papers and and energizing stabiliser oil pen.

So will I be ditching N gauge for T? - not yet, need to get accustomed to the fiddliness of it and I think T gauge points might be a step too far for me. As yet there are no Voyager or Eurostar in T but there is probably more chance of a T Pendolino than in N. There is a HST but it is in the wrong livery for me and good to know that Electra do Electrostar vinyls.

[Newportnobby]

Very impressive, especially with the lights etc
I often struggle with N so no way could I go smaller

[scotsoft]

Wow, very nice but way too small for me to even contemplate 

I shall content myself by watching your videos and your T gauge build thread 

cheers John.

[Calnefoxile]

I saw the T gauge setup at Warley, they had a full length HST, by that I mean a 2+7 configuration, whizzing around their figure of 8 layout.

I didn't notice any points on the layout at all though.

Oh and another thing, what was the cost like for the ICE set you bought???

Cheers

Neal.

[Pengi]

The cost is horrific but cheaper than buying an N gauge ICE3, track and controller.

http://www.tgauge.com/product/257/20/model-railway-starter-set

Interestingly they sell two versions of the starter set. One has track of a smaller radius so that it can form double track and they are both the same price.

Very impressed with the service from Tgauge.com

[mr bachmann]

Dont go over yet ... try this ...

http://www.zen98812.zen.co.uk/aasherwood.html   

(the ultraminiature models of aa sherwood)

[Lawrence]

I saw the T gauge setup at Warley, they had a full length HST, by that I mean a 2+7 configuration, whizzing around their figure of 8 layout.

I didn't notice any points on the layout at all though.

Oh and another thing, what was the cost like for the ICE set you bought???

Cheers

Neal.

They do a variety of points, flexitrack and a couple of crossovers Neal.  They also have some brass etch kits available if you are feeling brave, including a deltic body and a footbridge 

[Calnefoxile]

They do a variety of points, flexitrack and a couple of crossovers Neal.  They also have some brass etch kits available if you are feeling brave, including a deltic body and a footbridge 

Lawrence,

There is a very fine line between brave and stupidity, which I am not prepared to cross 

Regards

Neal.

[d-a-n]

Last summer I very nearly bought a Japanese T gauge set of some unrecognisable orange Japanese EMU - this looks much more interesting! Is the controller a mains controller?

[Geoff]

That is really tiny Pengi just hope your eyesight is better than mine, I struggle sometimes with N gauge, good luck with the little venture.

[Pengi]

The controller runs on 3xAA batteries. You can get USB adaptors to power it off a computer.

Dan, Electra do vinyls for the Japanese EMUs to convert them into UK. At this sort of scale, it cannot be prototypical though - just look at the gap between the carriages of the ICE train!

Geoff, the worst bit is coupling the train together - the couplings are tiny  I've emailed tgauge.com for some advice on this. I will never complain about N gauge couplings again!!

I am quite excited about T and think it may be the way forward for those of us that like the fast modern EMUs but without the space. You can even get the posts for the overhead wires (and the wires too - although I think they will have to be molecular sized)

[gc4946]

Although I'm not interested in T scale, its big advantage is if you want to model a cityscape, or the countryside, where the scenery dominates the railway, in anywhere like a reasonable size at home.

[johnlambert]

One of my local model shops (now closed) had a T gauge Japanese EMU set.  I couldn't believe how tiny the carriages were, hard to believe anything that size can be motorised.  Not sure I'd be willing to give it a try but I like the idea.

[Paul B]

I couldn't believe how tiny the carriages were, hard to believe anything that size can be motorised. 

I am sure that I read somewhere when T Gauge was first introduced that they are motorised using the same motors that are used to make mobile phones vibrate!  (does this mean that the trains are actually vibrating round the track??  )

[johnlambert]

I couldn't believe how tiny the carriages were, hard to believe anything that size can be motorised. 

I am sure that I read somewhere when T Gauge was first introduced that they are motorised using the same motors that are used to make mobile phones vibrate!  (does this mean that the trains are actually vibrating round the track??  )

I think Dapol must have copied that idea when it made my N gauge Flying Scotsman, except that FS vibrates itself off the track