Posting Images

Dear Daboo,

While we're still here in the "Old World" forum, the following process should get you posting images like a Pro...

https://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/help/how-to-post-an-image

Looking forward to seeing where your On30 adventure leads...

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

Yea!!

Always enjoy watching On30 layouts come to life.

Jack

New layout?

If you are starting from nothing I'd highly recommend building it in On3 instead of On30. You can make your layout and equipment appear much more realistic if you start with the more common US narrow gauge ....DaveB

On30 Annual

There is article in the 2021 issue about converting Peco code 100 or code 83 HO turnouts to On30. I suspect that it could apply to Atlas and Micro Eng turnouts also.

Jack

Welcome to the dark side...

Always good to see another On30 layout.

On30, On3, ugh...

Dave, these days it's much easier (and less expensive) to do On30 as the equipment and track is much easier to find than On3 is.

They also don't make a lot of different turnout types in On3 than they do in HO that you can use for On30 (for example, I needed a curved #6 that nobody makes in On3).

the track costs

Hi Lee,  I'm reading that the poster says he is going to hand lay track so there would not be much difference in the cost, just a bit longer ties. Rolling stock would be the same cost other than On3 trucks might be more expensive than On30 trucks. On3 engines would cost more but I'd rather have half as many On3 engines as they can be used to model many more railroads realistically, Colorado lines, EBT, SPNG, SPC, etc. The time to decide is at the beginning , once committed it's much more expensive to convert. I had the same problem when I was modeling in O scale and decided to switch to P48 instead. No one had warned me :> ) ......DaveB

Good to see another On30

Good to see another On30 layout being started. is it going to be Logging=  Minning= Backwoods??? I would stay with On30 and not On3 cost wise will be a plus.  The kitwood turntable is a good choise Quality kit  i have 2 of them stashed away.

Why must???

Hi all,

Why must any On30 layout or trackplan almost always appear to measured against 3' gauge Nevada/Colorado prototypes only?? There were many more miles of real 30" or 750/760 mm gauge railways around the world than there ever were of 3' gauge tracks in the USA. 

If you want to bring in 2' gauge prototypes that are also far more easily modelled with On30 than with a correct scale 2' model gauge, then the amount of prototypes that can be considered for inspiration for an On30 layout goes up astronomically (especially if you are prepared to look at prototypes outside the US). And, no, they weren't all logging or mining railroads exclusively. 

If you want to build freelance, then there are many more prototypes other than just 3' gauge Colorado, EBT, SPNG, SPC lines that can be used as inspiration for an On30 layout. 

On30 can be many things, not just masquerading as a cheaper version of ON3. Maybe it is time to take the blinkers off and look at other stuff that can be done with On30 apart from "not-exact-gauged On3?"

Bachmann came into ON30 pretty late in the longer term history of On30. Some of the Bachmann On30 locomotives are even of "real" 30"-gauged prototypes. Others were there in On30 far earlier than Bachmann with kits and scratchbuilds using HO/00 stuff on 16.5mm gauged tracks for On30 locomotives and rolling stock.

Unless you choose to do so, narrow gauge trackage does not necessarily have to be handlaid. There are ways of camouflaging standard off-the-shelf OO/HO track so that it looks suitably "narrow gauge".  Remember, there really is no such thing as a "standard" narrow-gauge track sleeper/tie size and spacing or a standard rail weight for narrow gauge tracks in the real world. Those dimensions are only dependent upon the size and weight of stuff that you want to run on those tracks and the cost of getting those materials to where the tracks were being laid. 

Prototype and model photos and examples can be quoted for additional inspiration if required,   

On30

This project is almost a year old, track is down; so, I'm staying with On30, had I wanted On3, I could have built track for this, using On3 track from Fast Track's fixtures, etc.  After 33 plus years in the Model Railroading hobby, I think I am capable of knowing what I want to do.  My layout will be freelanced, located in Colorado.  I'm using Code 100 rail stripped from my old HO layout's ties which of course is a might big for narrow gauge rail; but, what the hey!  So, Can we please move on?  besides, I've done 33 years of Prototype Model Railroading and now want something different.  Is 6 inches really that big of a difference?

Here will be my first photo,

Here will be my first photo, if I can figure out how Joe wants it done...

Here is the pit with the pit rail soldered in place. and the floor painted a brown color.

Here is the On30 bridge for the Turntable.  I found the Kitwood Hills Turntable a high quality kit with quality instructions and fairly easy to build.  So, now I know how to upload photos (at least for this morning.

Thanks

For moving this thread on.

I have been toying with the idea of doing a On30 diorama to see if working in O scale would be a good choice for me. Like you turntable as a possible layout would require 2 of them.

Any chance for a track plan?

What are doing for cars?

Jack

When I made a scale change

When I made a scale change from N to HO about nine years ago now, I briefly considered going up in size to On30 but decided I just wouldn't have the room to do what I wanted to do. It's HO gauge track but the clearances and buildings are still O gauge. I may revisit that decision in a few years when we are able to build our new house. Good luck on the new layout. That turntable looks great!

Is 6 inches really that big of a difference?

36 / 30 = 1.2 so It's 20% off.....DaveB

20%

Modellers accept errors much larger than 20% all the time (look at flangeway size and flange depth for example).  Depending on what your goal is, 20% is no big deal.

20 %

If you are modeling actual On30 equipment with On30 trucks that's fine but if you put On30 trucks under On3 equipment the 20% off is very apparent. It really depends on your goals and what you are trying to do. ...DaveB

Response to Jackh

Jack 

The track plan was done in Anyrail 6, do you know how I could upload here?  Another reason for my scale change is at 71 years young, bigger size is better!

Mark

Responding to ctxm74

ctxm74

All of the freight cars I have could be used on On3 by switching out the trucks!  I am after all modeling in O scale.

Mark

  "The track plan was done

I'm not familiar with anyrail files but an easy way to post anything is just bring it up on your computer screen and take a photo with your phone or camera and store it as a jpg. file , then you can upload it from the posting menu bar, or if you have a large size print of the plan just photograph that instead. ...DaveB

Mark

If it saved as a jpg file, treat like a photo when up loading. 

You can google convert files to jpg and you should find a real easy to use program that is free for a once or twice use. Directions included.

And you right about the age factor. Being 70 myself I understand completely. I'm always amazed when I read about someone who is our age or older and they are working with N scale.

Jack

AnyRail as jpg

I use AnyRail as well, and you can save the trackplan as an image.

Under the FILE menu at the top left there is and 'Export as' option with 'Picture' choice.

I would change the image size to 1920 pixel width (normal monitor size) and then save as 'JPEG compressed image', or other format if you wish.

Anyrail 6 to jpg

I will mess around attempting to bring the file forward so I can post it here.  May even take photos of my screen, too.  However this takes time and I'm short on that, this morning.

A look at my start.

One of the things I felt would be a good start to my new layout was a Sector Plate.  The purpose of this Sector Plate is to be a method of storing complete trains of four to five cars on storage tracks, in a storage yard behind a back drop screen.

Here is a photos of the Sector Plate:   

As you can see the Sector Plate and storage tracks are HO tracks, which happen to be the same as On30 track.

My track Plan.

Here are some screen shots of my layout design.  Photo 1, Module #1, below, shows the Upper left side of the layout with the small yard and Turntable lead. It also shows the two staging tracks.  Heading to the right shows most of Module #2 and the main track with the beginnings of the switch back 

Photo 2 Below, shows the very end of Module #2, Module #3 and Module # 4 and the beginning of Module 5 nd the very top of the turn back loop, Module 6.  These three Modules show the Switch Back, leading to the Logging Area 

Photo 4 below, Shows the complete Turn Back loop (Module #6) At the upper left of the loop is the Car Ferry leading off of the loop.  The two curved turnouts laying along side the main will eventually be cut into the main along with track extended from the insides of both turn outs.  I found it difficult to cut in the turnouts, so I left them out side of the main, knowing that when building the loop that they would be cut in.  The end of the switch back is on Module #5 and is confusing because the switch back crosses over the main and the main goes through the only Tunnel on the layout.  There will be a couple/few bridges/trestles on both the main and switch back.  I haven't shown them as I prefer to look at the topography of the area to decide where to put them. 

Finally, we are back at the beginning of the layout with Module #1 and we see the bottom of the module.  The track running off the bottom of the module is the Sector Plate.  I realize the drawings are somewhat nebulous.  I never felt a need for everything to be absolutely clear on these plans, as I tend to make changes as I go along and as long as I understand what I am trying to do, I'm good! 

I have called the various pieces of the layout "Modules"  However the modules only come into play when I; or, my sons decide to remove the layout from the basement.  they are not Modules in the sense of making the layout transportable.