Narrow gauge.

[b9y]

Hey guys,

Just a quick one, but if using OO stock on N gauge track is OO9 gauge, what is using N gauge stock on Z gauge called? I'm looking at adding some mine track to my N gauge layout and as such need to know what gauge to look for! Thanks

[b308]

It is called Nn3, "N" for N scale 1:148 (note: "N" is NOT a gauge, it's a scale, same as OO!), "n" for narrow gauge and "3" for 3 foot (prototype) gauge. Over on the European Mainland it's called Nm for metre gauge. Peco do some stuff in Nn3 to fit onto Marklin chassis.

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

One word of caution, the reason all those Z layouts you see are roundy roundy and the trains go quickly is that the older Marklin stuff doesn't do "slow" very well! Make sure your track is flat and you should be OK as the Peco whitemetal bodies do help matters.

Nn3 is much bigger over in the USA, if you do a search you'll find a link to the Nn3 website and Nm is quite big in Europe, over here there are very few modellers doing it.

[Mountain]

I've seen it in a magazine somewhere (Maybe incorrectly) described as Nz, though this maybe the layout contributor who wrote the article.
I hope you have success in the venture.
Wierdly, I ended up in 0-16.5 from 00 gauge... I was a 00 gauge modeller who was planning a large layout across the Wales of the two upstairs bedrooms of a house. It was ideal as the layout could be made in such a way that one walks upstairs into it without knowing one has until one is upstairs. As part of this plan, I wanted to have extra things like working roads and I had a monorail ready to use, and also I wanted narrow gauge to meet thew standard gauge. I wanted a bit of everything!
As no 009 was commercially available, I turned to H0e which was (The H0 equivalent). This looked the part and the tiny scale difference was not noticeable. After I spent a good £500 on three locos, track and rolling stock for the narrow gauge, which was a lot in those days, as one loco cost more then the new (Back then) sound equipped DCC class 37, and the other locos were not too far off being high priced fore what you get, I then left my job which eventually had me sell the house. So the plans didnt happen.
Later I gave the narrow gauge to a friend, but it did start me up with narrow gauge in my mind.
I had also bought a Smallbrook Studio 0-16.5 body kit, for no other reason then I liked the look of it! It remained dormant for a few years. Then one day I decided to give I a go, and was so impressed that it quickly became "My thing"!
These days I rarely look at my 00 gauge. It is stored away safe. I am slowly parting with excess items though.

So a slight word of warning on the plans to mix narrow gauge with standard gauge. It is inspiring stuff and could damage your standard gauge modelling! (In a nice way!)

[b9y]

Haha cheers guys. Should all be ok! ...fingers crossed.

[b9y]

I just realised, I don't know why I'm obsessing over this because I figure that actually, standard Z gauge track and a wagon would be sufficient surely. Not bothered what type of narrrow gauge I want, just that it's smaller than the main layout!

[Mountain]

Just sit an N gauge man on a coach to make it look like a miniature railway.

[Emettman]

An N scale Gazelle would make a nice static loco on Z track, (lose the back cab, maybe trim the footplate for width.)

Ghost powering a carriage behind in 9mm or 6.5 mm would also be a possibility.

https://www.shapeways.com/product/DSMZE ... arketplace

Other N narrow options there, some cheap, some expensive.

Chris