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 :o. 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 :goggleeyes:, 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 :goggleeyes: :goggleeyes:. 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.
Very impressive, especially with the lights etc :thumbsup:
I often struggle with N so no way could I go smaller :no:
Wow, very nice but way too small for me to even contemplate :D
I shall content myself by watching your videos and your T gauge build thread :angel:
cheers John.
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.
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 (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 :thumbsup:
Dont go over yet ... try this ...
http://www.zen98812.zen.co.uk/aasherwood.html (http://www.zen98812.zen.co.uk/aasherwood.html) :hmmm:
(the ultraminiature models of aa sherwood)
Quote from: Calnefoxile on November 28, 2013, 03:05:14 PM
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 :goggleeyes:
Quote from: Lawrence on November 28, 2013, 04:06:58 PM
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 :goggleeyes:
Lawrence,
There is a very fine line between brave and stupidity, which I am not prepared to cross ;) ;)
Regards
Neal.
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?
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.
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 :goggleeyes: 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)
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.
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.
Quote from: johnlambert on November 28, 2013, 07:16:20 PM
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! :goggleeyes: (does this mean that the trains are actually vibrating round the track?? :D )
Quote from: Paul B on November 28, 2013, 07:26:15 PM
Quote from: johnlambert on November 28, 2013, 07:16:20 PM
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! :goggleeyes: (does this mean that the trains are actually vibrating round the track?? :D )
I think Dapol must have copied that idea when it made my N gauge Flying Scotsman, except that FS vibrates itself off the track :veryangry:
Quote from: d-a-n on November 28, 2013, 05:46:22 PM
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?
The 'unrecognisable' EMU is one of the iconic class 103 suburban units, which dominated Tokyo suburban services for 30 years, and can still be seen (in ever decreasing numbers) in Osaka.
T gauge has expanded away from the Japanese market in a bid to revive flagging fortunes...the earlier motors were'nt great. Newer motors are an improvement and there have been some great innovations in T gauge modelling. I have been plotting a T gauge layout for about four or so years now... Never seem to get the time or inspiration though!
(http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh497/shuglet/SDC10890.jpg)
T gauge people and horses with riders next to a 5p piece
Have a lot of the original T gauge stuff here, including track, 6 original 103 train sets,buildings etc.
Quote from: Paul B on November 28, 2013, 07:26:15 PM
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!
That is quite correct Paul, there is (or at least was) a level of magnetism to them, which did cause problems when trains derailed in tunnels, careful planning is required when designing the layout either that or was of those flexible arms to poke it out the other side!
Mike, where did you get the horses and riders from?
Will you make a T gauge layout and do you think, once secured to a base board, the track could be made to be super level?
The next ICE train will be delayed due to someone sneezing and blowing it off the rails :D
Look forward with great interest on this layout developing Pengi ;)
I thought that painting in N was small enough, your painting of these is superb!!
SImon
Quote from: bridgiesimon on November 28, 2013, 09:56:03 PM
I thought that painting in N was small enough, your painting of these is superb!!
SImon
Sorry to dissappoint but I bought them ready painted. Do have some unpainted motor bikes though. There is about £500 worth of T gauge lurking here, For road vehicles I have some of the Herpa 1/500 aviation vehicles, level crossings, the support pillars for an elevated section but no points or crossings
I think most of the figures I have originally came from Japan but also bought stuff fromT Gauge.com
This is the figure set http://www.tgauge.com/product/46/4/figure-and-animal-set (http://www.tgauge.com/product/46/4/figure-and-animal-set)
Do all these T gauge sets come with a microscope as well as a controller? :worried:
Eek! The controllers (http://www.tgauge.com/product/147/4/tgauge-pwm-power-box) are £59.90 each :goggleeyes:
Bang goes my idea of running four trains at once :(
I saw them at Warley too. They are a perfect example of the Japanese love of of buying things for their engineering excellence - in this case miniaturisation. At one time small robots were also the rage in Japan and the Japanese swore that no-one else would understand them. It was all about what was achievable and not what you could do with them.
I think that these were the trains running on plain flat azure coloured flat featureless baseboard.
Are you really supposed to build a scenic layout - or just buy all the bits and run it just for the appreciation of the technology. What do the Japanese do - as opposed to just quoting Rule #1.
Has anyone seen T gauge with DCC control ?
If the locos motors will be fine running with an adaptor & DCC control say the NCE powercab then more trains could be run naking it more economical than four convetional controllers.
Quote from: ParkeNd on November 29, 2013, 10:22:29 AM
Are you really supposed to build a scenic layout ...
No ;)
Quote... What do the Japanese do - as opposed to just quoting Rule #1.
Knowing the notorious lack of space in Japanese abodes take it out the box, put it together on the floor and play with it, put it back in the box until next time :)
Quote from: upnick on November 29, 2013, 11:12:03 PM
Has anyone seen T gauge with DCC control ?
If the locos motors will be fine running with an adaptor & DCC control say the NCE powercab then more trains could be run naking it more economical than four convetional controllers.
Not seen it so far, I'd imagine the difficulty there would be getting a decoder to fit in such a small train?! :goggleeyes:
Paul
Quote from: Sprintex on November 30, 2013, 06:00:33 AM
Quote from: ParkeNd on November 29, 2013, 10:22:29 AM
Are you really supposed to build a scenic layout ...
No ;)
Paul
Don't understand this comment, Paul ??? - I've seen some wonderful scenic T layouts :thumbsup:. At the moment, I'm still getting used to T gauge but when I do, I will build a scenic layout. I'm also a bit nervous about taking it out of the box, connecting it up and then putting it back in the box in case I damage any of the connectors.
So far I've not seen anything about DCC for T - maybe it needs electronics at the molecular scale! There is a post about making a digital controller
http://www.talkingtgauge.net/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=13 (http://www.talkingtgauge.net/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=13)
You're not meant to build a fully scenic layout, although some already have and an increasing number of items are being introduced to enable people to do so as it gains popularity. As I said above though it was originally intended for the Japanese market where usage is more akin to Scalextric - set up track on floor or a table, play with it, and pack it away when you're finished. Same reason Kato track came about, which is why it comes with replaceable 'clip' track connectors and simple plug-in electrics ;)
Paul
Quote from: Sprintex on November 30, 2013, 09:18:59 AM
You're not meant to build a fully scenic layout, although some already have and an increasing number of items are being introduced to enable people to do so as it gains popularity. As I said above though it was originally intended for the Japanese market where usage is more akin to Scalextric - set up track on floor or a table, play with it, and pack it away when you're finished. Same reason Kato track came about ;)
Paul
Thanks for that. Makes sense to me.
Hello
I built a T Gauge layout for Hornby Magazine's 3foot challenge.
I blogged it on the T Gauge forum but the site has gone awol!
Here's a summary and a photo http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/39336-garage-layout/ (http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/39336-garage-layout/)
I won £500 of OO equipment!
Best regards
Michael
Michael,
I followed the link - I have to say, what an excellent idea and a wonderful execution.
Fantastic A* !!
Cheers Jon :)
Michael, that is sensational - a really clever idea :thumbsup: brilliantly done!
What is your opinion on the points - are they good enough to run an 8 car train over them? The one way points look interesting but you would still need a manual point as well for a passing loop?
I found the points utterly useless, its one of the things that persuaded me that T was never going to work without major hacking. They can be rebuilt and people have hand laid their own electrofrog points but the RTR ones were junk with big isolated areas so stock would stall all the time.
I'm slowly building 15" gauge stock in N scale for my T track. For the drive however I think I'll be trying to fit a rather better motor to their gearbox (as I have lots more room even if building a 15" gauge quarry Hunslet or similar), and going from 4.5v up to 6v or 9v so its controllable.
No DCC - the voltages it uses are way lower than any existing DCC devices can handle.
There are surprisingly lots of scenic options with all the 1:400-1:500 scale card kits around including some really big buildings (or at least they would be in any other scale!)
Alan
Thanks EP - that is very helpful
Jane - Sankai do some 1:500 kits you know ;) castles and temples I believe, they'll test your eyesight ;D
Facinating stuff I have often looked at T gauge and thought what a long train you could run!
However there are smaller take a look at www.idlmotors.com (http://www.idlmotors.com) for a 1/900 scale system
I'd like to try something with T, if only the points weren't so useless (although, believe it or not, some people have built handbuilt T track...) and if someone would bloody well produce a Co-Co chassis!
Thanks, this has decided me - no points, so Clapham Junction is out! Progress on this project will be slow - as need to do a lot more work on the N gauge layout.
I am thinking of an L shaped end to end layout or a straight shelf layout using the switchback sensors to send the trains back and forth automatically. For location, I've always wanted to do a layout with Venice Santa Lucia at one end and Venice Mestre at the other (with the lagoon in the middle). Will have to be cut down versions of the stations, and the bridge, because I don't want to use points.
Lawrence - will take a look at the Sankei kits :thankyousign: they are the only kits I really enjoy making in N, so maybe I will find them fun in T
This is interesting stuff, but the only reason I would even give T a bat of an eyelid is to possibly add a short narrow gauge line onto my existing layout..... but there again, I can use Z for that.
A plausible idea could be a forced perspective mainline way up in the hills in the background (just a little loop) with trains hurtling between hiils or tunnels, perhaps?
George
Hello
The only thing I've found frustrating with the points is the lack of facility for remote control and the limited radius available.
I haven't used the one-way points.
Here are some more pictures.
(http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/53/thumb_8647.JPG) (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=8647)
(http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/53/thumb_8648.JPG) (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=8648)
(http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/53/thumb_8649.JPG) (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=8649)
(http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/53/thumb_8650.JPG) (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=8650)
(http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/53/thumb_8653.jpg) (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=8653)
Best regards
Michael
I must admit, that's pretty cool!
That garage layout is something else - I love creative thinking like that!
Quote from: Bealman on December 01, 2013, 09:02:43 AM
This is interesting stuff, but the only reason I would even give T a bat of an eyelid is to possibly add a short narrow gauge line onto my existing layout..... but there again, I can use Z for that.
A plausible idea could be a forced perspective mainline way up in the hills in the background (just a little loop) with trains hurtling between hiils or tunnels, perhaps?
George
I believe they experimented with that on Copenhagen Fields at the rear but T wasn't reliable enough at the time.
Thank you all for the kind comments about my garage layout.
The IDL Motors mentioned by rhysapthomas are interesting because they are linear motors.
The rolling stock are magnets made to look roughly like a loco and carriages.
The track doesn't have rails, but is a series of electrical coils etched on a thin PCB.
The controller switches the coils on and off in sequence to move the magnets.
I received one last Christmas :)
Best regards
Michael