Conversions from 16.5mm to 12mm or 13mm?

[Ken Ford]

Idle curiosity at this point...

 

I've always admired the pics I've seen of the Kato DE10 and other 1/80 models - some of the passenger cars I've seen are spectacular. 

 

I've seen commercial 1/87 HOj models listed on Hobby Search, but I'm wondering if it's common to narrow the gauge of the more available 1/80 models to give them some of the 1067mm gauge appearance. 12mm like HOj uses would be too narrow, but it might look OK.

 

Is this done, or do people that want to correct the gauge just do HOj?

Edited March 3, 2015 by Ken Ford

[miyakoji]

I don't think we've had any threads about doing this to HO, but we did have some discussion about this guy http://www.vivant.jp/taichi.htm who converts n scale to run on z scale track, which is much more accurate for representing 1067mm. The comparison images are impressive.

[Ken Ford]

Interesting - thanks for the link!  I've always liked the way Japanese 1067mm stock looms over the track.

[Ken Ford]

I just came across reference to "JM" gauge, 1/80 with 13mm track. This gorgeous layout was linked in an earlier thread: http://www7.atpages.jp/musashino/

[Ken Ford]

The more I look, the more I'm finding.  Much to my surprise Shinohara offers track in both 12mm and 13mm gauges, and there are small suppliers that offer conversion parts.

[kvp]

 

This gorgeous layout was linked in an earlier thread: 

Yes, that's what many of us would like to build in N scale, but with the same detail level.

 

Imho both 12 and 13mm would work. The owner of the layout you mention has a few videos about home made motor bogies and brass cars, so he is building many things himself. If i understand right, the layout is a double mainline with a yard and a branchline loop that crosses the main at two places. Judging from the control equipment i've seen, he has the layout divided into 3 main loops and can run analog or dcc trains on each loop using 3 throttles and a dcc controller.

[marknewton]

I've given it some thought, but after looking at the amount of work necessary to convert my models from 16.5mm gauge to anything narrower I decided against it. If you have a layout that's at eye level the discrepancy in gauge isn't that obvious. Well, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it! :)

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[Ken Ford]

That's a good point, Mark - eye level conceals much.

[Nick_Burman]

I've given it some thought, but after looking at the amount of work necessary to convert my models from 16.5mm gauge to anything narrower I decided against it. If you have a layout that's at eye level the discrepancy in gauge isn't that obvious. Well, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it! :)

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

 

Not only there is the pain of work, but also the issue (often equally if not more painful) of sourcing the necessary parts.

 

 

Cheers NB

[Ken Ford]

Not only there is the pain of work, but also the issue (often equally if not more painful) of sourcing the necessary parts.

 

 

Cheers NB

That's one thing I'm finding - one of the apparently main suppliers of conversion parts is only contactable via phone or fax.

[Martijn Meerts]

If you're just starting out with H0, you could always considering going the H0j route, which is 1:87 on 12mm track. Not cheap, but does look very good.

 

If you already have some H0, or don't like the price of H0j, I probably wouldn't even considering regauging ;)

[Ken Ford]

I like the idea of HOj, but it seems to be mostly aimed at teakettlers - I haven't seen much diesel era equipment.  It looks great, though! 

[marknewton]

That's the other reason I don't want to try converting to 12 or 13mm gauge. I have a fair-sized fleet of model steam locos, with more on the way courtesy of our own Keitaro. I don't even want to think about what would be necessary to convert them.

 

I wasn't being completely flippant when I made that comment about having the layout at or near eye level to make the gauge difference less obvious. My experience so far suggests that even other, knowledgable railway modellers don't immediately realise I'm running on 16.5mm gauge track. When I tell them they're looking at models of narrow gauge trains they seem to see the HO gauge track as narrow gauge. The cosmetic tweaks I make also help. So that's confirmed in my mind that modelling in 1/80th is a compromise I can happily accept.

 

(And I don't want to go back to my hair-shirt, scrupulously prototypical US modelling style, either.)

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[keiichi77]

The more I look, the more I'm finding.  Much to my surprise Shinohara offers track in both 12mm and 13mm gauges, and there are small suppliers that offer conversion parts.

Does Shinohara have a website? I am having no luck finding 13mm track, do they still make it? I only own 1 HO locomotive and a few freight cars, I think I am crazy but I would like to try the conversion.