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HOn3 Comparison With HO
Rick asks:
“Can HO rolling stock trucks be switched out to N scale trucks to accommodate HOn3 style modeling on narrow gauge track? Does a HOn3 engine look proportional with HO rolling stock? If HO rolling stock trucks can be switched to accommodate HOn3 for narrow gauge track would the rolling stock be too long for the smaller radius turns? Is there a special size truck that can be used for this application?”
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3 Responses to HOn3 Comparison With HO
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Unless you are hand-laying your own track, N scale trucks won’t work. They are too small for HOn3 track. You’ll need standard HOn3 trucks. Most of the HO rolling stock can be used with HOn3 trucks although they may look somewhat oversize. In the prototype world, standard gauge cars are often used on narrow gauge railroads, especially those with dual-gauge requirements.
Dale is right, BUT you could convert smaller HO rolling stock to represent, say 18″ or 24″ and run them on N Scale trucks and 9mm track. Remember though that these narrow gauge lines had very low top speeds and lading had to be well balanced to stop cars from falling off the track.
No-one has commented that HOn3 is not HOn30…
HOn3 is 10.5mm track (Strictly speaking the “3” is 3ft gauge). (HO is 3.5mm/ft)
HOn30 is 30″ or 2′ 6″ or 2 1/2 ft. This is approximated by N-track which is 9mm.
Std gauge (HO) rolling stock looks and is wide on HOn30 scale.
TT scale rolling stock is closer, and may just need wheelsets to be changed, sometimes wheels re-gauged on the same axle.
If you want to use 9mm (n-track), so HOn30. n-scale trucks will run OK, there are HOn30 trucks easily available, N-underframes are easily available.
Truck or coach bodies would need to be narrowed to make them look “to scale”
Have fun but decide what scale you want to work with.
Cheers, Bernard