Friday, May 14th, 2004
Rochester, NY
Im reading the forums at mylargescale.com
(I hang out there all the time)
another thread about multiple scales on G-gauge track is being discussed.
Some of us get into a discussion about modeling Maine 2-footers on G Gauge track.
(this is known as 7/8n2 scale, and has a small but devoted following.)
well, if you model 2-foot gauge on g-gauge (45mm) track, and want track that
LOOKS like 2-foot track, your Aristocraft SD45's are going to look very strange
on that track! ;)
or conversely, if your track looks like standard gauge track, then your 7/8n2 models will look
all wrong on that track!
to me, track is a model too, and it should "fit the part".
What if you wanted to model Maine 2-foot gauge and standard gauge both..but at the SAME SCALE?!
well..you could use your G-gauge track to represent the 2-footers..build huge models of Maine cars
and engines in 7/8n2 scale,
then maybe use the big 4.75" gauge trains to represent standard gauge!
could be done..but very expensive!

well..what if you wanted to keep all your 1/29 scale steamers and diesels, and also model
maine 2-footers in 1/29 scale?? so everything is to the same scale?
hmmm! interesting....what size track would you need?
(24 inch track) X (25.4) = 609.6mm
(609.6mm) diveded by (29) = 21mm

is there an already existing model railroad track close to 21mm??
YES! S-scale! 22mm!! :) only 1mm difference!
(technically, S-scale track works out to 25" in 1/29 scale)

and why 1/29 for the standard gauge?
because that has become the mainstay of Large Scale SG models.
yes 1/32 is technically correct, not 1/29.
but..since I dont ever plan to own much 1/32 trains, and will probably have a ton of 1/29,
I chose 1/29 as my scale..
so yes, both my 2-foot and my standard gauge will both be running on track is *slightly* of incorrect gauge!
but thats fine with me..
the differences will be virtually invisible.
and..the real key here is all the trains are of the SAME scale!
thats the really important factor to me.

I considered calling this new scale An2 ...  or maybe Xn2?
both the "A" and the "X" designation have been suggested for 1/29 scale..
but then I thought "29n2" made the most sense..
it tells you the scale, 1/29, and the "n2" stands for "narrow 2-foot" gauge!
makes sense to me..
 

I really like 7/8n2 scale!
(modeling 2-foot gauge on "G gauge" 45mm track)
thats 1/13.7 scale.
I would love to model in that scale..and still might.
but the models are HUGE!!!
massively huge.
the difference between 1/13.7 scale and 1/29 scale is gigantic..
there is really no way no way the 2 scales can visually co-exist on the same
track, or the same garden railroad, and look reasonable..(unless you just go for the "who cares!" mindset!
which is totally valid..)
but if you want them to look "good" or realistic together, you really can't model
both on the same gauge track.
 
 

Here is a Maine Forney and a SD45 both running on 45mm track.
the Maine forney is 7/8n2 scale, and the SD45 is 1/29 scale.
both would operate on the same track.

Notice anything wrong?!
wow! hugely different scales.
Our lovely model Deb is 6' tall.
In 7/8n2 thats 5.25 inches.
In 1/29 thats 2.5 inches!
 
 
 

now..what happens if we model both engines to the SAME SCALE?
this is how they would look..
(and this is also the same proportion the 2 locomotives would have been
in real-life, both at 1/1. )
 
 

And..since a SD45 and a Portland forney don't really go together..
how about a Maine Central standard gauge Pacific
with the 2' forney? both to the same scale.
(something close to the Aristocraft Pacific in size.)
opps..I couldnt find a good pacific drawing..
so here is a 10-wheeler instead.
but this is still very close in size to the Aristo pacific,
drivers almost the same size..and it represents a small-ish
standard gauge engine that ran alongside the real Maine 2-footers.
 
 

Background image of KCRR #2, and image of SRRR#1,  is © Gary Kohler collection, used by permission. Maine 2-foot Quarterly
(I added in the F-unit to the background image!)
 

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