Large Scale Central

Difference in on30 and on3?

I have been looking into modeling another form of narrow gauge other then 1:20.3. I was looking into on30 and then there is on3. What is the difference. From what I get the difference is the track width and on3 tends to cost more. But is the 0n3 and on30 cars the same size or even close in size?

Brooks, both are O scale i.e. 1:48 (or 1:43) scale ratio http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_scale , but they differ in track gauge, one (On3) is 19.05mm while the other (On30) is 16.5mm modelling gauge. n3 represents 3foot prototype gauge while n30 stands for 30inch prototype gauge. Hope this helps, Best wishes from Tokyo, Zubi

The 0n30 runs on HO gauge track.

(http://www.trainweb.org/rgs/0n30_01.jpg)

Given that 0n3 represents 3’ gauge prototype, it would have made way more sense to have called 0n2½ to represent 2 and ½’ instead of 0n30".

Bob Brown once told me the reason it got labelled 0n30" was because the early computers used for typesetting the “Gazette” did not have the ½ symbol which is much more elegant in appearance than 1/2.

Tony, Even more appropriately, it is sometimes (mainly in UK) referred to as O16.5 which states O scale running on 16.5mm model track. This is the most adequate description, except that O scale itself uses two ratios 1:43.5, 1:45 or 1:48, so there is still some room for confusion. In any case, 0n2½ is also sometimes used instead of On30. I guess the story that it was simpler for typesetters is quite likely, but I doubt that computers were involved, as On30 goes back at least to 1971 article by Bill Livingstone, “Venango Valley RR: Considerations in Track Design”, Railroad Model Craftsman, June 1971, page 20. I do not have this article so I cannot verify that the symbol On30 was already used, if someone can verify please let me know. More info in wikipedia page on On30, please note that Venango Valley RR is misspelled in this entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On30 Best wishes, Zubi

On3 it the correct gauge. On30 is the fudged gauge. What’s the difference? Less than 3 mm. If you’re a prototype rivet counter that’s a big difference. If you’re like most of us than its not.
Lots On30 locos are upscaled HO or based on HO power trucks plus the Bachmann offerings. Peco makes On30 track.
Also take a look at Gn15 - large scale running on HO track as 15 inch gauge industrial and mining lines - www.Gn15.info

-Brian

It is Bachmann that have fudged the models. The 2’ 6" gauge RR’s in the USA were few and far between.

However 2’ 6" is quite common around the World. Our own Puffing Billy is just that gauge. …and runs Baldwins.

BTW, it is 0 (as in zero) not O (as in oh!!)

TonyWalsham said:
It is Bachmann that have fudged the models. The 2' 6" gauge RR's in the USA were few and far between.

However 2’ 6" is quite common around the World. Our own Puffing Billy is just that gauge. …and runs Baldwins.

BTW, it is 0 (as in zero) not O (as in oh!!)


We even have a 2ft 6in gauge line here in UK - the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway is that gauge. In metric dimensions, this gauge works out to 760mm, a VERY common gauge in Austria and the former Austro-Hungarian empire - the old stager of the LGB system - the U1 Class 0-6-2 loco of the Steyrtalbahn and all the others, runs on this gauge. That is why we can use all their cast-offs - many of the passenger cars are ex-Steyrtalbahn. The last set of passenger cars obtained came from Hungary, and a locomotive that was rebuilt to run for about ten years - ‘ORION’ - came from the Jokioinen Forest Railway in Finland. The latest loco running there - a Rumanian 0-8-0 tank loco built by Rezita LW, can be seen on a short vid I have posted on YT.

tac
www.ovgrs.org

Put yourself in the shoes of an engine/rolling stock manufacturer of model trains such as Bachmann. You know you will have to absorb a high investment cost and long lead time to design, tool up, manufacture and distribute your new product. The first decision you have to make is what gauge track will this model operate on to maximize the potential customer base and start people buying your product. If you stick with a current track standard such as HO you will have the largest base of potential customers to sell to in the world. With the interest growing in the larger size (1:43 or 1:48 i.e.) 0 scale trains to replace standard H0 scale you would naturally go with making the trains run on H0 track which is 16.5 mm. Then there is the fact the largest amount of US narrow gauge trains ran on 3’ gauge track and very few that ran on 30" gauge track. You would have to be crazy to force people to purchase all new track at 19.05 mm just to be true to scale for your new 0n3 equipment with all the existing 16.5 mm track in use. The average modeler would need digital calipers to check the equipment for scale accuracy differences in 0n30 versus 0n3 models. In the end using the 0n3 and 0n30 terminology makes sense when you are marketing your products to the average train enthuist. I for one say more power to the manufacturers for promoting model trains with offering the new 0n3 or 0n30 equipment which runs on standard H0 gauge track.

Big John

TonyWalsham said:
Given that 0n3 represents 3' gauge prototype, it would have made way more sense to have called 0n2½ to represent 2 and ½' instead of 0n30".
To me, thirty flows better off the tongue than tuna half.

I build in On30 and Gn15 as well as HO. tell ya what, interesting to have the same structure model in all three scales for comparison, G is BIG!