Z/T gauge as HO live steam scene?

[GDorsett]

Has anyone modified a Z or T gauge train to sit HO people? Has anyone considered doing this or done it, themselves?

Is there a way I could purchase just trucks/coupler assemblies and build my own, custom cars?

[cteno4]

for a short period eishindo actually sold i think a set of o scale figures to ride on ttrak, but ive not seen it since the early introduction of t gauge. would put it at 1:9.375 scale so bit bigger than 1" gauge for O scale

 

t scale at ho scale is about 1:5.2 so bigger than most ride on scales.

 

sadly the t gauge distributor in the us passed away a couple of years ago so no great source here. I think most folks now use the UK distributor as they seem to be the one keeping things alive around the world. t gauge pretty much went poof in japan when eishindo moved the biz to hong kong. ardesh here in the us was working on getting more ability to get parts so folks could scratch build and 3d print stuff for their own projects. they have adjustable chassises you can use and a few different length motor chassis as well.

 

check out https://www.tgauge.com. there also use to be a good t gauge forum out there. 

 

cheers

 

jeff

[GDorsett]

What would Z translate into for 1:87 scale? More looking to do the really big models like the 7.5" scale or some of the backyard railroads.

Edited January 4, 2019 by GDorsett

[cteno4]

basically 220/87 or 1:2.5 scale much bigger than 7.5" scale at 1:8

 

t at ho would be 450/87 = 1:5.2

 

jeff

[GDorsett]

So it would be more of a backyard railroad instead of the smaller and more popular scales.

[cteno4]

Yeah nothing lines up perfect for a real standard, but the novelty can get past it. Hardest thing is getting figures in the right position to be riding the mini train.

 

jeff

[GDorsett]

Not necessarily. If I fabricated custom bench cars, I could use people that are posed to ride motourcycles or horses. If I modified a car to sit on a normal seat inside it, I can use any sitting people. Hardest part will be modifying or building cars.

Is there a suggested store or brand for buying just truck and couple assemblies? Not the whole railcar?

[cteno4]

Yep it would be figures like that.

 

i think https://www.tgauge.com/ is about the main option for t scale stuff these days AFAIK.

 

Jeff

[Welshbloke]

I have a feeling Tomytec were offering ride-on cars for N track and a range of large scale anime figures they sell. Idea being that you put a standard N loco on the front.

[cteno4]

yes it was for their 1/12 figures to ride on they were n gage cars. so the train would be 1:12.5 scale to the figures.

[kevsmiththai]

Well I have some form in this area as the first three Z layouts I built were novelty layouts on this theme.

 

Mardy Model Engineers was a representation of an engineering clubs park layout and used N  to represent 'sort of' 7 1/4" ground level track and Z to represent a raised 5" track. It was actually built to hide the entrance to the hidden sidings on our big gauge 1 ''Mardy Colliery' exhibition layout and provided constant movement at one end of the layout.

 

 

1/32nd scale figures and vehicles came from a variety of sources. The riding cars in N were cheap U.S boxcars withe roofs out out and seats added. The Z riding cars were modified Marklin flatcars. When Mardy Colliery was sold I kept the Model Engineers and it went on to do fifty shows over the years before being sold

 

I then decided to push the Scale gauge ratio even further!

 

Mardy Model railway Club was a model of an exhibition layout, a model of a model!

 

It used Z gauge to represent Gauge 1 and Action men and Barbie dolls to represent the club members. Lots of details and in jokes from the real model railway circuit were represented in the details including copious amounts of booze under the layouts, padlocked Emergency exits and a soldering iron on constant standby underneath

 

 

My wife Angie made the uniforms for the figures who were altered to look like the real people who acted as the operating team. I'm at the front, Angie is sat reading a magazine (As usual) and jack and Tony are working the fiddle yard. This was a hugely popular attraction and did a lot of shows.

 

On the same theme I then decided to make a model of a model shop! Hence Mardy Model Shop

 

 

Again it used Action men and Z gauge with lots of model shop clutter. There was a layout running around the ceiling and a very small table top layout

 

All of these layouts were uber-compact, all being 4ft by 2 ft 6 inch and all transported in hard shell flight cases to protect them

 

When their exhibition days were done all three sold instantly when I put them on the market

 

 

Kev

[GDorsett]

That is an amazing idea!

[cteno4]

Excellent work! Really nicely done.

 

jeff