my inspiration into On30

Randy May

New Member
:wave:I wanted to share with you the "Red Rocks Railroad",,a display that was the inspiration/ or bug that enticed me into On30 modeling,,,,,,The bigger,,,,taller,,,,easier to scratch build aspect and look,,,,,especially for older eyes like mine!!!!:violin1:got me hook line and sinker!!!!
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http://martinswannell.fotopic.net/c541071.html
heres a link to the site which has more pictures
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Tileguy

Member
Very Nice!! If you like Martins stuff you might like to see Steve Pettit's On30 creations also.

Steve is an Aussie modeler.........Perhaps youve heard of the Red Stag Lumber Co Layout??
Steve is a prolific scratchbuilder .heres a teaser...a shot of a potion of just one of his sawmills.

Randy Pepprock from Downtown Deco is another extraordinary On30 Modeler. The second picture is of a Diorama he did in On30
(permission was attained to post these photo's. Most modelers if asked do not mind........But please, Do ASK BEFORE POSTING SOMEONE ELSE"S WORK!!)
 

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Dan Vincent

Member
Randy, I bought a Bachmann D&RGW Bumble Bee freight set a couple of years ago, set it up as a Christmas tree layout and am still trying to figure out what I want to build for a layout.

i'm also into N-scale ERIE with a bunch of diesels waiting for some track to run on.

Every time I get some money together I spend it on diecast cars.
 

Randy May

New Member
Dan;
are those diecast vehicles 1:43 scale,,,,,,thats the scale size for On30,,,,,,,,,,,last winter I collected quite a few vehicles off ebay.:mrgreen: I had a couple of Bumble bees in HO,,,,modeling 1935'.:thumb: I'm still modeling 1935' but now with O scale/On30.:cool: This time around I wanted to build all my structures since there so much larger.:twisted: Its a big jump for you from "N" to On30.:confused: Instead of a long running layouts you'll have to concentrate on more specific operations:eek:ops:,,,,,such as "Mining",,,"Logging",announce1check my other posts.:mrgreen::thumb::wave:enjoy Randy May
 

Dan Vincent

Member
Most of my diecasts are 1/24 and 1/18 but I do have some stuff in 1/43.

About the closest thing I can get for an On30 layout would be a '40 Ford station wagon and some Ford and Chevy pickups from the '50's.

On the other hand, I could make it a nostalgia type railroad set in modern times and anything goes.

I don't plan to give up on N-scale because I have a lot of stuff in ERIE, Erie Lackawanna and Great Northern.

Also have a lot of HO Santa Fe diesels and freight cars.

I may settle for a fiddle-yard type On30 just to get into it.

On30 looks like a real personal type of modelling where you get involved with every facet of the operation. Shamus has been my hero since I started looking into On30.
 

Randy May

New Member
Diecasts

dan;
You must collect diecasts strickly as collectables? I collect them just to trash them :cry: ,into model railroad scenes of course :twisted:. I've primer blacked, and primer browned a number of perfectly good diecasts!
So do you have a large layout in "N".:eek:ops: Is your layout pictured in these forums?:thumb:
( Shamas has got his layout in pics from start to finish on the "All Model Railroading" forum site,,,,,,,,,Its called the "On30 Badger Creek",,,,if you haven't seen it ,you should take a look.
Randy May
 

Dan Vincent

Member
Randy, I built an open framework layout that fits on top of a bunk bed and put a double track in folded dogbone. The track is mounted on cork on top of cookie cutter plywood but I haven't done any scenery yet as I want to test, test and test some more the elevations to make sure the locos pull the grades and curve transitions with no problems.

This will be my third N-scale layout and my first one was back around 1964 when I first saw the Atlas 4-6-2 Pacfic. I built a 2' X 4' coffee table layout and that Pacific handled the grades with no problem. I still have that loco, plus a Mikado, a couple of 0-4-0 swichers and three 0-8-0 switchers. I think they all still run.

All of my modern stuff is diesel in ERIE, EL and G/N.

Trouble is I'm thinking about moving and don't want to do anything until the dust has settled.

That's also the reason I've delayed getting started in an On30 pike although I did by some Evergreen Plastic sheets for various things like a "Galloping Goose" type and structures. I need some O-scale doors and window frames.
 

Randy May

New Member
dan;
Well I'm processing a 3'x5' section that includes a mine head building as a center piece,,,,,, a take off from the "Red Rocks Railroad" mine building. I've sculpted the section with 2" foam cores, and started the plastering of the mountains and gully this weekend. I have a 3" open frame benchwork. from the bottom of the gully to the level of the mine is 9", behind it the mtns. rise another 16", and the trees I've made will tower up to 30".The landscaping is my favorite part of this hobby.:mrgreen: Thats what so great about this larger scale is your ability to model in great detail.:thumb: Randy May
 

Randy May

New Member
1:43/ 1:48?

Er,,,,announce1For me 1:43 is very much the right size for On30,,,,,,,1:48 looks to puny,,,,,,,,,but to each his own right. :wave:Randy May
 

sumpter250

multiscale modelbuilder
OK, Technicalities. 1/43 scale is 7mm=1 foot which is O scale.
1/48 scale is 1/4" = 1 foot which is considered "American O scale".

In 1/48 scale, there haven't been too many vehicle kits made, and not much in ready to run. On the other hand, there are a ton of aircraft kits!
1/43, and 1/50 scale vehicles have been used in American O for a long time now, and are generally accepted.
With the "size" of On30, the relationship between "train", and "vehicle", is hard for most to "see". Put a 1/43 scale vehicle next to a 1/48 scale standard gauge box car, and a lot of people will be aware of the relative size difference, not as much so with a 1/48th scale 30" gauge boxcar. No, 1/43rd, and 1/50th are "not scale", but until there are more 1/48th scale details available, they will have to do.
 
While the 1/50th vehicles are smallish for standard gauge, I like them next to the On30 equipment. Just seems right in my mind, maybe because it makes the Colorado 3' stuff look better since the Bachmann On30 is that 6" narrower. Confused, I am and won't try to rewrite that last statement. :D A lot of the nice buildings I see with the On30 seem to be condensed a bit to not over whelm the trains.

Greg
 

nkp174

Active Member
Randy, I built an open framework layout that fits on top of a bunk bed and put a double track in folded dogbone. The track is mounted on cork on top of cookie cutter plywood but I haven't done any scenery yet as I want to test, test and test some more the elevations to make sure the locos pull the grades and curve transitions with no problems.

This will be my third N-scale layout and my first one was back around 1964 when I first saw the Atlas 4-6-2 Pacfic. I built a 2' X 4' coffee table layout and that Pacific handled the grades with no problem. I still have that loco, plus a Mikado, a couple of 0-4-0 swichers and three 0-8-0 switchers. I think they all still run.

All of my modern stuff is diesel in ERIE, EL and G/N.

Trouble is I'm thinking about moving and don't want to do anything until the dust has settled.

That's also the reason I've delayed getting started in an On30 pike although I did by some Evergreen Plastic sheets for various things like a "Galloping Goose" type and structures. I need some O-scale doors and window frames.

How about keeping the N-scale for Ntrak...and going On30 for your home layout? I've sort of settled on that compromise for now with balancing my HO and On3...the HO is for a future club for me to join (or a the lower level in a huge basement :mrgreen:)...while the On3 will be the primary layout.

I don't have any problems with finding vehicles in 1:48th scale...not that I have any...but in 1884...all the vehicles were either powered by steam...or they were grain powered early ATVs.:mrgreen:
 

Randy May

New Member
Nkp174;
is your 1884' layout here in pics in this forum, or elsewhere? I was intending to do around that time, then I opted for 1935'. I got a unusual,maybe a little rare item off ebay a couple of years ago for that 1884' type era,,,,,,,,,,,,the "20 mule team" kit made by borax,,,,3 wagons of different sizes, a driver,,,and of course the "20 mule team",I'm guessing it was sold originally in the early 1960's, It would go great with any pre 1900's O scale layout. Randy May
 

nkp174

Active Member
Nkp174;
is your 1884' layout here in pics in this forum, or elsewhere? I was intending to do around that time, then I opted for 1935'. I got a unusual,maybe a little rare item off ebay a couple of years ago for that 1884' type era,,,,,,,,,,,,the "20 mule team" kit made by borax,,,,3 wagons of different sizes, a driver,,,and of course the "20 mule team",I'm guessing it was sold originally in the early 1960's, It would go great with any pre 1900's O scale layout. Randy May

I don't have any scenery completed yet...neither have I uploaded pictures. I hope to have some scenery up by spring...I've currently got the mainline 80% completed. I'll be adding a couple trestles at some point and some hilly terrain. At least 1 station. Most of my money goes into tools and scratch building supplies.
 
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