Does anyone have any ideas for making make some multi gauge track which can run both N or OO gauge? It's for a test oval measuring 160cm by 80cm so not sure if many OO locos will negotiate the curves required anyway, but I'd like to get some small shunting locos like the new Peckett and Hornby Terrier to run with 4 wheel wagons.

I'm thinking something along the lines of adding a third rail in between some OO gauge track to make an N gauge width but not sure where to start with fixing it etc.

Any ideas gratefully received!

You first need to decide what type of rail to use - I'd suggest either code 75 (00 fine profile) or code 80 (N coarse profile).

First take your chosen track type remove approx 1 in 3 sleepers and lay your oval in that gauge as normal.
Replace the removed sleepers with copper-clad sleepers - these need to be of the wider gauge and if starting with N gauge these need to protrude to the side where you want the extra rail. Solder to both rails.
Using a track gauge lay the 3rd rail by soldering to the copper clad sleepers.
gap the copper clad sleepers between the common rail and the other two rails so that the other two rails are bonded by the copper clad sleepers.
attach power supply by your preferred means and away you go!

Tillig make dual gauge HO/HOe track (I.e. OK Gauge track with N Gauge as the narrow gauge.)

Happy Modelling

Steven B

Quote from: Steven B on March 06, 2017, 07:00:56 PM
Tillig make dual gauge HO/HOe track (I.e. OK Gauge track with N Gauge as the narrow gauge.)

Happy Modelling

Steven B

OK gauge is a new one on me. I always thought N gauge was OK

interlaced n gauge tram track would be good, down a narrow street or under a bridge...

anyway....

tillig dual gauge track is going to be easiest solution i should think, never used it myself though...


good luck


tm

If it's just for a test track then there is a simple way that doesn't involve making your own track.  Make a double track loop in N gauge (code 80, as suggested above) and set the track spacing so that the distance between the outer rail of the inner track and the inner rail of the outer track are 16.5mm apart.  That way you can run N gauge on either (or both) tracks and OO on the 'gap' between the two tracks.

That H0/H0e track suggested by Steven B seems the easiest solution to me. I suspect it won't be cheap, though.

Thanks for the responses everyone, the Tillig stuff looks like the most viable option. I didn't even think of searching the phrases HO/HOe or dual gauge; these HO/HOe people think of everything don't they! Now I need to see what the equivalent OO radius will be once this track is laid out on the table top. If I can make equivalent to Hornby R2, I'll give it some serious consideration as most stuff will run on it.

The late P.D. Hancock built this type of track in the 1950s on his classic Craig & Mertonford layout.

He actually built a working dual guage point!!!


Good luck with your idea. I love unusual stuff. 

George

Quote from: d-a-n on March 07, 2017, 10:58:25 AMIf I can make equivalent to Hornby R2, I'll give it some serious consideration as most stuff will run on it.

You're not far off, R2 is 438mm according to Google, so 90cm required to get the track actually on the board.