Does anyone here do HOe?

[Bealman]

Let's wait and see... but, as has been posted, the 009 society is definitely worth a look if you are serious about going down that route.

Also, live frog wiring in 009 is no different to live frog wiring in N. There is heaps of info on this forum already that is relevant. 

George

[Ancient Hermit]

Let's wait and see... but, as has been posted, the 009 society is definitely worth a look if you are serious about going down that route.

Also, live frog wiring in 009 is no different to live frog wiring in N. There is heaps of info on this forum already that is relevant. 

George

Yes, I quite agree the 009 society is absolutely the right thing to investigate, and a natural counterpart to the N gauge Society. However there is still a need for a good forum or subsection in one; but heck that's an awfully complicated looking business from where we are standing right now. 

[jonclox]

Hi all,

I just discovered Minitrains BrigadeLok today, now that one got my attention. 

That's the one that caught my eye. Its a fantastic little runner and theres now a 'watertank' wagon to drag behind it.
I`m lucky in that I require very little stock as its a 'fun' alternative to N gauge and wont get used a terrific   amount.

[jonclox]

Peco and Railway Modeller magazine (both the same, after all) are currently pushing a 009 Renaissance  with some really great looking products.

Very tempting!

Think you'd have to have pots of dosh to afford the latest Peco offerings e.g. about £37 or so for a coach and I've heard tales of the paint rubbing off very easily.

I picked that coach up on a well known auction site and paid far less than that for it  but yes that's a lotta dosh

[Ancient Hermit]

Hi all,

I just discovered Minitrains BrigadeLok today, now that one got my attention. 

That's the one that caught my eye. Its a fantastic little runner and theres now a 'watertank' wagon to drag behind it.
I`m lucky in that I require very little stock as its a 'fun' alternative to N gauge and wont get used a terrific   amount.

Do you actually have one? I'm intrigued to know a little more about them, and the reality of owning one, hence the question!

[dodger]

Using Kato small radius would then allow me use a 60" x 18" board and that would fit my home really quite nicely, I could maybe trade off to 60" x 24" for the Peco, but the technical thing appears a major problem which I'd be quite unlikely to have enough experience to solve. 

So with a slightly heavy heart it looks like it's back to planning for the Kato Alpine stuff for me. I did like the increased scale of 009/HOe as (for my ageing/failing hands and eyesight) it was rather appealing. I have to say the prospect of the Alpine is still appealing though, albeit a bit of a size challenge in terms of manual dexterity and vision by comparison, that and modest home size seem to be totally at odds with each other for me! I will find a way eventually.

Glad you have reached a stage where you can start planning. It looks as though I have found a 42" x 18" space. Now comes the difficult part,

See how Farish and Dapol cope with Kato 216 mm (8 1/2") curves.
Go for Kato Swiss stock.
Go for Kato Trams and use them for a fictitious Alpine private railway.

Give me something to think about.

Dodger

[Ancient Hermit]

Glad you have reached a stage where you can start planning. It looks as though I have found a 42" x 18" space. Now comes the difficult part,

See how Farish and Dapol cope with Kato 216 mm (8 1/2") curves.
Go for Kato Swiss stock.
Go for Kato Trams and use them for a fictitious Alpine private railway.

Give me something to think about.

Dodger

Well, the 18" is the hardest part I found, and it rather suggests the Kato Compact series track. They seem to have curves in 3 sizes and the larger pair of those 150 & 183, will allow the Glacier stuff and the Allegra to run. After than it's about the width of baseboard you can manage. I was surprised how big a space it becomes given those two radii. The 216mm does just fit, but it's perilous close to the edge in many places! The really tiny 117 is more or less trams only as far as I can tell.

Good luck, it's not super easy in a small space, not many of us have the limitation, which overall is probably a fine thing for the greater good; I'm finding it is quite challenging if you are stuck with it though! 

Hope it helps.

[jonclox]

Hi all,

I just discovered Minitrains BrigadeLok today, now that one got my attention. 

That's the one that caught my eye. Its a fantastic little runner and theres now a 'watertank' wagon to drag behind it.
I`m lucky in that I require very little stock as its a 'fun' alternative to N gauge and wont get used a terrific   amount.

Do you actually have one? I'm intrigued to know a little more about them, and the reality of owning one, hence the question!

Its a very nice, sweet runner. Its only been run the once about 2 weeks ago, so isn't fully run in yet.
It was one of the very few locos that ran through  an exceptionally tight curved set of points that I had (now binned)
Hunt around before committing to buy as prices can vary.

[Ancient Hermit]

Its a very nice, sweet runner. Its only been run the once about 2 weeks ago, so isn't fully run in yet.
It was one of the very few locos that ran through  an exceptionally tight curved set of points that I had (now binned)
Hunt around before committing to buy as prices can vary.

Thanks for the heads up  on the prices! 

Do you have any idea how small a radius it can cope with?

If I can get it to work down at the 150mm mark, I'd very likely go there. If not then one of their even smaller locos probably can get down there from what I have been able to see so far on youtube. I just like the look of the Brigade. 150mm is to keep my home happy, the Brigade is to keep my eye happy!

I don't even have a SWMBO, so it's just about practicality rather than anything else. 

[Komata]

Ian

As already suggested (and with no disrespect meant to this site or its members BTW), try the narrow Gauge Railway Modelling Online site (Type in NGRM in Google search).  They would probably be able to answer most of your questions and are usually very helpful and keen to assist.

Have fun. 

[dodger]

Well, the 18" is the hardest part I found, and it rather suggests the Kato Compact series track. They seem to have curves in 3 sizes and the larger pair of those 150 & 183, will allow the Glacier stuff and the Allegra to run. After than it's about the width of baseboard you can manage. I was surprised how big a space it becomes given those two radii. The 216mm does just fit, but it's perilous close to the edge in many places! The really tiny 117 is more or less trams only as far as I can tell.

Good luck, it's not super easy in a small space, not many of us have the limitation, which overall is probably a fine thing for the greater good; I'm finding it is quite challenging if you are stuck with it though! 

Hope it helps.

Yes 216 mm is a bit large for an 18" wide board so I am going to 183 mm, but I still cant decide on a Kato Tram or Allegra unit. It will probably come down to which I can get.

Dodger

[Ancient Hermit]

Ian

As already suggested (and with no disrespect meant to this site or its members BTW), try the narrow Gauge Railway Modelling Online site (Type in NGRM in Google search).  They would probably be able to answer most of your questions and are usually very helpful and keen to assist.

Have fun.

ok, sounds like a plan, I went over there to see what it was all about and the front door is quite certainly closed, and they want me to sign up first, so what's it like over there?

I generally like to look a place over before handing over e-mail addresses; ok, maybe that's just me being picky, but what should I expect to find there?

[jonclox]

Theres a good deal of information at
http://www.buzzrail.co.uk/static/steam.html
It looks like a good museum for narrow gauge locos etc.

[Ancient Hermit]

Theres a good deal of information at
http://www.buzzrail.co.uk/static/steam.html
It looks like a good museum for narrow gauge locos etc.

Just a few miles from me, first time being houe bound has felt that frustrating, seems they now have a BrigadeLok too! 

Oh well. 

Ordered a Kato tram chassis now, and shall have a go at making my own small radius friendly loco I think. Maybe the bigger scale will be a little easier for me to deal with. Mind you the shorter loco might balance the whole thing out to the point of making little or no difference in the end, we shall see! 

[Bealman]

I must admit that sratchbuilding houses and structures is easier in 4mm scale, particularly the older yer get.

But you can run 9mm track through your village!