Nn3 -> N (help wil conversion)

[schedule22]

I just ordered some micotrians Nn3 but don't have z-scale track and want to run them on n scale track. Does anyone know what micro-trains wheel sets to buy or have conversion advice.

These deals seemed too good to pass up and I figured they would be good in "N" as hard to find much like them in "N" anyway: https://brooklynlocomotiveworks.com/mt-nn3.htm

[spyder62]

just change the trucks over to N scale, wheel sets will not do it as truck is too narrow.
rich

[Bremner]

Nn3 cars are way too small to be standard gauge...think Z Scale size

[Jugtown Modeler]

just change the trucks over to N scale, wheel sets will not do it as truck is too narrow.
Agree. Although have never seen anyone do this before. Assume it is straight replacement. Might look a bit over-sized.
Exact truck type probably depends on era you are modeling. But even the MTL Nn3 trucks are probably not that accurate as most narrow gauge equipment was built and run in earlier periods.


I just ordered some micotrians Nn3 but don't have z-scale track and want to run them on n scale track.

Out of curiosity, what is your goal here? To simulate narrow gauge using standard gauge track?
As Bremner points out, these Nn3 cars are significantly smaller than standard gauge freight cars.

[Moose2013]

Agree. Although have never seen anyone do this before. Assume it is straight replacement. Might look a bit over-sized.

Moose seem to recall reading in a book once that one way that railroads transferred products from a narrow gauge line to a standard gauge line was to change out the trucks of the rail car from one gauge to the other then the rail cars could continue on their way without the laborious effort of transferring the products from narrow gauge rail cars to standard gauge rail cars.

Might be an interesting feature to model, if the era and location were suitable...

[Intermodalman]

Moose seem to recall reading in a book once that one way that railroads transferred products from a narrow gauge line to a standard gauge line was to change out the trucks of the rail car from one gauge to the other then the rail cars could continue on their way without the laborious effort of transferring the products from narrow gauge rail cars to standard gauge rail cars.

Might be an interesting feature to model, if the era and location were suitable...

I THINK that might have been the EBT, not sure though

[railohio]

I THINK that might have been the EBT, not sure though

East Broad Top could receive and spot standard gauge cars. It's own narrow gauge cars were captive. It also had some dual gauge track and at least one standard gauge steam locomotive.

[Moose2013]

I THINK that might have been the EBT, not sure though

Moose'll see if can find book and see what railroads the author referenced as examples...

[The Ol' Curmudgeon]

Moose seem to recall reading in a book once that one way that railroads transferred products from a narrow gauge line to a standard gauge line was to change out the trucks of the rail car from one gauge to the other then the rail cars could continue on their way without the laborious effort of transferring the products from narrow gauge rail cars to standard gauge rail cars.

Might be an interesting feature to model, if the era and location were suitable...

It was the EBT, as mentioned earlier, and the narrow-gauge trucks went under the standard-gauge cars.

https://ctr.trains.com/sitefiles/resources/image.aspx?media={333A1075-A841-4275-9E5C-2363CF970EC7}

The EBT was three-foot gauge. To my knowledge, truck swapping was never attempted, at least successfully, on the Maine two-footers.

[Moose2013]

Moose checked, mostly the book talks about transferring standard gauge rail cars to narrow gauge trucks. The EBT appears to be the last narrow gauge railroad practicing this, as late as the 1930's, possibly later...

There is one reference to the Illinois Central using a hoist to transfer narrow gauge rail cars off the Texas & St. Louis onto standard gauge trucks for movement to East St. Louis. It goes on to say that the Texas & St. Louis used a hoist system at a number if other interchanges. All this may have been limited to the 19th century. Not sure.

The book is "American Narrow Gauge Railroads" by George W. Hilton.

[schedule22]

I have never seen Nn3 so was not sure how different they would be in terms of size. It sounds much smaller. I think I will go with @Moose2013 's idea of a transfer then. The Virginia and Truckee did this at Mound House: http://www.pacificng.com/template.php?page=roads/nv/cc/index.htm

[ranulf]

Early era cars were pretty tiny. 40 foot didn't become the standard car length until right before the turn of the 20th century.

Swapping out the trucks may not be straightforward depending on how much space there is. Might check Panamint Models on shapeways. They have a lot of early era trucks. Maybe you'll find something useful there.

[Bremner]

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/fileSendAction/fcType/0/fcOid/40989966069919232/filePointer/40989966083314689/fodoid/40989966083314685/imageType/LARGE/inlineImage/true/Boxcars%2521.jpg

[el Gato Gordo]

Wouldn't it be simpler and easier to just buy a few lengths of Z flex track? I know that if I could find a BR 99 and a few cars in Nn3 I would run a narrow gauge branch line in addition to my standard gauge layout. Heck, just look at SteamPower4ever 's video and you can understand.