Common carrier United States narrow gauge railroads were THREE foot. Here is how it goes, HO track is 16.5mm. If we divide 16.5 by 3 we get 5.5mm. That scales to 1/55 for an inch, strange scale right, 1/55? Military modeling has 1/56 or 28mm figures, there are figures, wagons, vehicles in the 28mm world. Why not make the models to 5.5mm/ft?
There are two narrow gauge eras: the era of narrow gauge fever and the era of survivors after the narrow gauge crash. Historians consider narrow gauge dead after 1893 because very little new narrow gauge was built in the United States. There were pockets of survivors that lasted into the 1960's.
The On30 Bachmann inside frame 4-4-0 is really too small to be a 1/48 scale locomotive. In 1/55 it is great. Looks like the picture, eh! The other Bachmann On30 locomotives are suitable for the post narrow gauge crash era 55n3.
The Bachmann On30 freight cars are very small early 3 foot prototypes. They scale better as 1/55 cars than 1/48. The ladders and grabs are the right size and placement also. The figure is a modified 1/50 Preiser.
Three foot locomotives can be made from HO locomotives. The Mantua HO ten-wheeler is a good starting point for a 5.5mm/foot three foot gauge loco.
Google "28mm vehicles" and you will find a wide variety of options. There is a wide variety of nineteenth century vehicles and horsepower.
A Mantua HO Ten-Wheeler against a 1/55 scale plan of a Pacific Coast Railway Mogul. It can be converted to many 55n3 configurations.
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The Bachmann On30 cars boxcars match the early cars of the Pacfic Coast Railway.
The Bachmann On30 gondolas and flats can be narrowed a scale foot to represent a typical early era narrow gauge gondola. An hour is all that it takes to narrow a gondola. The cars match those of the Uintah railroad "late" built flats so it really isn't necessary.
The Bachmann On30 stock car has no known prototype except Bachmann's large scale rendition using a standard gauge car. It will suffice.
"We DON'T need no stinkin' letter!!!"
5.5mm/ft - 1:55 - Scale 55 Sounds good
A classic On30 car modeled after Yosemite valley plans in Railroad Model Craftsman. I made this car in the mid-eighties. I thought that United States narrow gauge couldn't be modeled on HO track using HO components and tried Sn3.5. At that time there were very few small HO mechanisms suitable for Sn3.5. The car has handscribed styrene, S scale grab irons and MDC archbars. Geez, if I had only figured out Scale 55 then.
On30 freight cars as 55n3
The Original On30, was it really 55n3 and didn't know it
Ever have one of those D-oh!!! moments. Looking through my photos from the old On30 site I found these photos. Why didn't I see the light then? Now that looks like three foot narrow gauge. That was my handlaid On30 track that looked so very "sucky" trying to represent 3 foot narrow gauge track in 1/48 when I put a Scale48 figure next to the track. In Scale48 it looks like, DUH, thirty inch gauge. The track looks perfect if you project those locos as three foot in Scale 55.
Oh so very dumb!!!!!!!!!!
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On30 passenger cars as 55n3
The passenger cars go well with our high drivered 4-4-0.
The 12 foot height matches cars from the Waynesburg & Washington and the Ohio River & Western. The body height matches this early "duck-bill" car. So they can be used without modification.
The windows match this Pacific Coast Railway Coach. The cars become 40-1/2 feet in 55n3, a big improvement, the width is 8-1/2 feet to match the plan.
There has been modeling 2 foot prototypes. They have been modeling in 5.5mm/foot since 1963.
Here is Malcom Savage's model of Tasmania's North-East Dundas Tramway locomotive K1 - the first Beyer-Garratt.
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HO Track IS Scale 55 Three Foot Track
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Narrow Gauge track usually had the ties closer together because of the dirt roadbed. Look at the pictures of narrow gauge track, most ties are about a tie width apart. They are usually spaced close to keep from sinking in the dirt.
This Model Power HO Code 83 track gives us a 55n3 ties of 6 inch wide x 5.5 feet long on 15 inch centers. The code 83 rail weighs in at 60 pounds.
Atlas HO code 83 track is similar in size. The track under the lowered boxcar below is Atlas.
Preiser offers well sculpted figures in 1/50 scale that can be altered to 1/55. The little unpainted figure in the pictures is a shortened 1/50. The Preiser figures tend to be "leggy" so the alteration isn't that difficult.
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First's ya needs a scale rule - OVER 700 DOWNLOADS Join the FUN
Bachmann's 55n3 4-4-0 with a lowered Bachmann On30 boxcar
Structures probably could be made from O or S Scale kits. Since no one I know can afford them, there are other sources. There are many HO scale structures that can be used. Structures won't have to be scratchbuilt. Print out our scale rule and measure structures at the hobby shop. There are more Scale55 structures available than one can imagine.
The first thing you need is a "scale", click our link .
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Whitewash City offers paper buildings in Scale 55, ignore their 1/60 scale. Print the saloon out and make one of cardstock. See what Scale55 offers in size.
That is Atlas Code 83 HO track under our boxcar. Sure looks like three foot narrow gauge track. The Bachmann On30 freight cars scale out to a typical 29 feet in Scale 55.
Forums and Associations discussing 5.5mm/ft
There is also their Yahoo Forum
Buildings Unlimited(Ameri-towne) offers inexpensive plastic O scale buildings suitable for Scale 55.
The doors will need a typical transom added to reduce their height.
This garage will make a nice freight house.
What does only 10-15% scale difference mean?
A linear difference of 10-15% doesn't sound like much, right. Here is our rogues gallery of figures of major scales HO(3.5mm, 1/87), OO(4mm, 1/76), S(3/16",1/64), 55(5.5mm, 1/55), American O(1/4", 1/48). Notice the big difference in volume. That is our HO gauge track representing three foot track in Scale55 next to PSC On3 track. Big difference, more railroad in less space.
The real thing at the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad and Museum , compare it to the converted boxcar.
Objects aren't "N, HO...S, O, etc. SCALE". An object is what it measures.
That is the idea behind 55n3, we are taking models from other scales and converting them to 55n3. No one makes 55n3, Bachmann makes models that can be used in 55n3 because they match plans in Scale55. That is why we have a scale rule. Measure a model, if it is the right size for Scale55 it is Scale55. The Bachmann On30 equipment is small O scale narrow gauge, but put a Scale55 ruler on the equipment and it becomes 55n3. Now it is realistic three foot equipment.
Friend of the Scale and proprietor of Boulder Valley Models Dallas Mallerich is building a Micro Layout in 55n3 on The Rail-Line Forum.
55n3 gives a modeler the ability to model both periods of THREE FOOT American narrow gauge in the same space as HO scale within a realizable budget. It is a format that EVERYONE can build in and AFFORD. There is enough available to accomplish this goal, more than any other scale. 55n3 uses track available at the local hobby shop, no other narrow gauge scale can say that.
Hope you join me in this endeavor.
REAL American Narrow Gauge for EVERYONE
Track is what sets 55n3 apart from other scales. You can go to your hobby shop and buy 55n3 track, it is ALWAYS readily available HO gauge track!!!
This is the Blue Moon Manufacturing Army Supply wagon. It is composed of excellent white metal castings and a resin body. (Click Images to Enlarge)
Tamiya has 1/48 WWII figure sets. The figures are long legged with short torsos and can be converted. There are also separate arms. (Click Image to Enlarge)
A photo from Friend of the Scale Dallas Mallerich, proprietor of Boulder Valley Models. It shows two 28mm Dixon Wild West figures and our 5'-6" MTH figure. The giant is Scale48. Scale55 will offer more railroad in less space.
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Knuckleduster offers this Studebaker farm wagon in Resin and white metal. Included is a well sculpted driver
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Imex has this 1/72 wagon train. It offers more delicate wheels and wagon frames. Everything else is too small. It is "soft" plastic and requires special primer for painting. There are ten sets of wheels and frames for about $30 with shipping on the net or $3 a set, cheap.
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Wargames Factory offers "Zombies". They can be brought back to "life" with very little work. The set has separate heads and arms and a torso with a "Duster". (Click Images to Enlarge)
This Model Power "HO" water tank and mine scales perfectly to Scale 55. Ya, just gotta look.
Work in progress conversion of a "Zombie" to "Engineer Bill"
Roundhouse HO locomotives become smaller mining and logging locomotives.
Blue Moon Manufacturing offers 1930's era vehicles
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Disney "Pixar" offers this Model T as "Lizzie"
HO Buildings converting to Scale55
These DPM storefronts can be used as Scale55 with minimal modification. The clapboard siding measures 3" and the doors just have to be rearranged. The brick storefront section has doors that work without modification.
Brick from the DPM and Walthers Packing House HO scale buildings measures 2x5, most brick is 2-1/2x8. The brick will hold up as Scale55.
This HO LifeLike Modular Stock Pen matches up to our 55n3 stock car.
Tichy and Grandtline HO windows can be used. S and O scale doors can be modified.
Where will we get standard gauge equipment for interchange?
On3 cars become standard gauge cars for the era. Bachmann On30 supplies 5 foot wheelbase trucks. These can be widened to accommodate 28" O scale wheels regauged to 1.015 to make Scale 55 standard gauge trucks.
This Matchbox 1/50 steam tractor scales out well.
55n3 Will Fit Realistically into HO Scale Space
55n3 will fit into an HO sized space. Here is the NMRA HO Clearance Gage against a large heyday three foot narrow gauge locomotive, the D&RG Class 60 (C-16). The 55n3 track centers are 2-19/32", 12 foot, and HO is 2". So with minor adjustments HO track plans can be used. Since large HO buildings translate to 55n3, they will fit in the given space.
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Blue Moon Manufacturing has civilians. These are from their Wild West group. They also have a 1920's set and a Victorian set.
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MTH makes this set of figures (MTH 30-11043). There are 10 poses. 10 each of the standing figures. The seated figures fit the Bachmann On30 seats perfectly. Available from $23-$30 The standing figure is 5'-6"
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55n3 has the only affordable Ready-to-Run 3 foot gauge 4-4-0
"Modern" Narrow Gauge - Modeling Narrow Gauge Survivors
The Bachmann On30 2-8-0 can be converted to a D&RGW K-27 in 55n3. The Bachmann model matches the plans. William D. Hemmeter/Dave Fletcher have done it in Large Scale. Imagine a K-27 for under $200 dollars. YIKES!!!!!
Before the Crash of Narrow Gauge Fever
Do you want narrow gauge to look like that picture running on THREE FOOT TRACK? There is no other scale that provide equipment to model early narrow gauge. On30 won't do it, On3 won't do it, Sn3 won't do it. This is a great idea to do it, believe me. Common carrier narrow gauge railroads in the United States were THREE FOOT gauge.
The Bachmann On30 2-8-0 scales out to a Baldwin Catalog 10-28-E. It matches this NdeM locomotive in dimensions.
The On30 Mogul won't work as a Mogul. A 2-8-0 can be made using an HO Bowser frame and drivers with very little work. Just needs the domes lowered and boiler mods to become the C&S 74. The tender is the right size for a typical "modern" era small 2-8-0.
The Bachmann Mallet matches the standard gauge Caspar Lumber Company #5 "Trojan".
The Bachmann On30 rod locomotives can be used to model the "second generation" three foot narrow gauge equipment. After 1900 the locomotives got a lot bigger mainly geared for the export market. The only On30 Bachmann locomotive that doesn't translate to 55n3 is the "Tweetsie" ten-wheeler. It is an example of a "second generation" narrow gauge motive power. The 4-6-0 is very large. The remaining Bachmann On30 locomotives represent very small thirty inch gauge prototypes. This translates very well to 55n3.
The Mogul is strange. It doesn't move well to 55n3 as a mogul. Put an HO chassis under the superstructure and it becomes a "second generation" consolidation.
Herb Kephart built these Scale55 cars back in the Mid-50's.
Lledo and Matchbox have suitable vehicles. They are available on the internet.
The 1920 Mack truck is a Matchbox, Models of Yesterday. The other cars and trucks are Lledo, Days Gone By. The steam tractor is unknown and the IHC tractor is an Ertl 1/60.
The odd duck Outside Frame 4-4-0 looks better in Scale55.
Atlas Code 100 on the old PcalRwy. Looks good when it is ballasted and weathered.
A graph showing the two eras of narrow gauge. The mass of extinction of "narrow gauge" began about 1885. That was the end of narrow gauge fever and standard gauging or abandonment.
The remaining narrow gauge lines existed because they were hauling coal or gravel to build the roads that eliminated the railroad.
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Won't we have to scratchbuild everything? Where will we get cars and locomotives? Bachmann On30 gives us the inside frame 4-4-0 and HO locomotives can be converted to represent the narrow gauge before the crash. Bachmann's other On30 locomotives are good representatives of after the crash. Bachmann On30 freight cars convert to 55n3 easily, becoming a more typical 29' car.
This website will post articles about modeling in 5.5mm scale on HO track. Hopefully someone will follow me in this venture.
I guess it has to have a name, Scale55 sounds good, we don't want to go into that "letter jungle" . Sorta like the proto guys with P:87 and P:48. 55n3 being a subset.
Banta Model Works has a D&RGW style cab. It just needs the roof rounded.
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