tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30446280920044001312012-01-16T12:30:11.734-05:00T Gauge: the world's smallest model train scaleDavid K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.comBlogger1011100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-60334106298868474212011-08-18T14:17:00.002-04:002012-01-16T12:30:11.741-05:00

It's amazing to see what some modelers are capable of doing: consider this Norfolk Southern Bethgon Coalporter, crafted in nickel-silver by Marco Camatarri of Italy. Quite honestly, it's finer modeling than some that's done in larger scales. Remember, this is T, 1:450; the car is all of 1.25 inches long. Enjoy!Incidentally, Marco frequents the Talking T Gauge forum, where you can see some of his

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-62827061663581250822011-08-17T14:23:00.007-04:002011-08-17T14:49:04.704-04:00

As T seems to stagnate in the hands of The Railway Shop in Hong Kong, others are picking up the torch and carrying it forward. Chief among them is TGauge.co.uk, originally a retailer and now a manufacturer of unique items. Their latest release is a marvelous little through truss bridge. Measuring 3.25" (82mm) long, it can accommodate a single roadbed-style track, or two lengths of flex if packed

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-33696491577722918572011-05-19T12:19:00.008-04:002011-05-19T12:42:01.977-04:00

At times I feel like a manic-depressive over T Gauge. One minute I think it's the next big (little) thing, the next—destined for some time capsule as a brief, curious fad.The signs have been a little troubling of late. After a highly encouraging flurry of business earlier this year, Talking T Gauge is beginning to grow eerily quiet. Now, granted, we are moving into Summer in North America,

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-67015982326195714362011-01-28T12:04:00.016-05:002011-01-28T08:12:05.281-05:00

It's been on my mind for quite a long time—ever since I built my first crossing flasher. One never builds (or buys) these things singly, because there's always one on each side of the tracks. So I knew I'd be making another if I ever planned on using the first flasher on a layout.Originally I'd planned to use my first flasher (above) on the suitcase layout I'd started a while back. But whilst

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-79859222414816181102011-01-27T12:54:00.020-05:002011-01-27T23:24:14.691-05:00

How do you get to a tunnel inside a cigar box? Not to mention a battery pack and wiring? From the outset of this project, these were circumstances for which I've been carefully planning. Here's what I had to hide:My original idea was simple: make the upper half of the scenery removable. Problem: since having to "daylight" the upper tunnel (owing to a miscalculation), the top half of the scenery

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-65548523849811027162011-01-17T15:03:00.031-05:002011-01-18T08:53:45.841-05:00

In the world of motion pictures, "pink pages" refers to script revisions made during production. Well, what would a modeling project of mine be without some pink pages? Pretty rare, I'd say!Two things have been revised on my little cigar box layout. The first change was owing to a miscalculation. I got the total headroom inside the box wrong: it was one layer of foam board less than I thought.

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-44054135377353291692011-01-15T15:39:00.015-05:002011-01-17T18:37:38.485-05:00

Time to build the benchwork. Benchwork? Well, what else does one call the structure that supports a layout? It just seems absurd when it's an 8-inch square of foam board! But in this case, that's the essence of it. Knowing there'd be ballast bonding and scenery-making to come, I used 3/16-inch Gatorfoam (instead of traditional Foamcore) because it's water-resistant. I had a scrap left over from

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-5563400540592727792011-01-15T10:51:00.026-05:002011-01-17T18:43:14.464-05:00

Ordinarily I'm not at all fond of "novelty" layouts—you know, the ones built inside guitar cases, music boxes, and so forth. But when I saw an unfinished cigar box in Michael's during a quick stop for something (can't recall what it was, now), I immediately envisioned a T Gauge layout inside of it. I couldn't resist. I had to do this.Although I was confident I could fit some track inside, I had

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-43512610403580575892010-11-12T09:34:00.017-05:002010-12-06T09:28:56.480-05:00

T is progressing faster than any scale in history. I can make this bold statement because I've been a student of small modeling scales practically since the birth of N scale, which I consider to be the threshold between "small" and everything else. I don't base this on what products have or have not been introduced, or when; it's really just a sense of how swiftly the scale is moving.But T is not

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-57985055463557189152010-09-04T23:00:00.026-04:002010-10-04T14:57:24.824-04:00

The F7 mechanism remained naked long enough. After spending a month evaluating various potential approaches to making a shell, I finally decided to get down to it. I printed a full-sized drawing, took it to my workbench, and started on a proof-of-concept shell. I'd also jotted down the overall dimensions of the prototype, and divided them by 450 to arrive at the shell's actual size: 1.32 inches

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-41749826250812490622010-07-27T21:47:00.025-04:002010-08-08T21:21:40.399-04:00

It's been on my wish list since December 2007, when I got my first set. That old 103 chassis was just begging to be shortened to make a small North American cab-body diesel. But that tempting gap between the gearbox and the front truck would only close just so far—and not far enough, as it happens. The minimum truck spacing was 40 scale feet; F7 trucks are spaced 30 feet apart.It was just as well

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-54591442985974263352010-07-25T21:59:00.019-04:002010-07-26T19:59:38.707-04:00

Remember this? A number of people have been asking me if I was ever going to finish it. My honest answer: probably not. The reason: the mechanism was an old 103, and I wanted more reliable performance from my T Gauge RDC.Then along came the Hanku 9000 and the Kiha 40, both of which are based on Eishindo's second-generation mechanism. Alas, the Hanku was shorter than the 103, and the Kiha was

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-64647040288862325242010-07-13T19:52:00.032-04:002010-07-14T07:18:54.382-04:00

...never having to count rivets. I've not been much inclined to count them anyway, but the nice thing about working in T is there's a world of things I don't have to worry about. Such as rivets.You see, a typical 1:450 rivet would be around .0025 inches in diameter. That's in the range of the diameter of a human hair. As a surface feature, then, it would be nearly invisible except under

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-62092629091353161262010-07-11T20:26:00.005-04:002010-07-18T20:29:28.243-04:00

As of this post date, it's one-of-a-kind model: a deck plate girder bridge in T scale. At a mere seven real inches in length, it measures 252 scale feet long, and stands roughly 60 feet, to the rails, at the highest point. It comprises three 84-foot spans, with 12 foot deep girders standing on concrete piers. And it's skewed.Building the bridge at this point in time became something of a

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-13096252612368768852010-07-04T09:49:00.011-04:002010-07-13T21:38:44.857-04:00

I'll admit it: I'm a bit fickle. Regular readers of my James River Branch site know I am prone to changing my mind—sometimes frequently. My original T Gauge starter layout was nothing more than a twice-around loop. When I'd built my first 3mm switch, I added it to the layout. Then the layout was no more.At the outset of the recent resurrection of the project, I'd planned on including one of

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-42367264919343641032010-07-03T13:41:00.016-04:002010-07-03T17:41:15.780-04:00

Yes, it's finished, and yes, it works. Indeed, it works rather nicely, if I do say so myself, with a very satisfying snap action. But the $64,000 question is: how well do the trains run on it? Particularly, when compared to Eishindo's original version? It's time for the acid test.I'll be perfectly honest: I wish I could deliver a definitive answer. The truth of the matter is, it's only somewhat

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-37279834651977781682010-06-29T19:28:00.015-04:002010-06-29T19:55:59.394-04:00

It may not look any different from last time. But the layout had indeed progressed: the track is all permanently affixed to the base.This time, I decided to try something different. Instead of using double-sided foam tape, as I have consistently in the past, I went with an adhesive. It's my preferred home improvement product: Loctite PowerGrab. I simply applied a bead of it to the base, and

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-83674928147470859442010-06-27T09:48:00.021-04:002010-06-27T21:21:39.536-04:00

And then it was done. But not until the project took a few unexpected twists and turns. Last time, I was in a quandary over how to assemble the points to the fulcrum. I was convinced I needed to reinforce the assembly with pins or plates or something extra. But as I pondered the situation, I decided not to modify the points; I felt it might pose a risk of damaging them. So I elected to make the

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-89358146727639265632010-06-26T16:49:00.018-04:002010-06-27T14:00:13.418-04:00

Introducing my 100% recycled point rails. Sometimes it's hard to believe how one can so easily overlook a painfully simple, obvious thing. I just needed some plain sheet steel—a square inch was more than enough—about ten thousandths thickness. It had to be steel because the points need to respond to magnets.As I normally do at times like these, I started digging through my material supply drawers

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-68221997319414472632010-06-23T20:31:00.023-04:002010-06-23T21:39:16.674-04:00

Another baby step. Since it will be easier to design the point assembly with some sort of substrate in place (as opposed to the gaping hole that was there up to now), I've filled in the opening with a nice blank slate. I used a scrap of old leftover track that I chopped down and sanded smooth to make a piece of plastic that cosmetically and chemically matched the existing switch base; it's

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-43145260796700642782010-06-22T12:22:00.031-04:002010-06-26T19:04:31.485-04:00

Baby Steps. In spite of competing projects—such as a Z scale firehouse and an endless stream of Zn3 Shay crankshafts—work on my T Gauge switch modification does continue. And while the next bit of progress may seem just a tad trivial, it is in truth fairly significant.I believe I've nailed the new throwbar design, which is cosmetically barely indistinguishable from the original, and functionally

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-23128909493834764282010-06-12T07:50:00.058-04:002010-06-26T22:29:10.546-04:00

Two steps back. My bold prediction on how I'd approach switch rebuilding has had to be revised—and no, I'm not disappointed. And while I won't be using the points I'd made previously, it was not a wasted exercise by any means. The basic concept of the new design is still the same, but the specifics are quite different. Allow me to go into excruciating detail...I was on the verge of soldering the

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-54396075051181842872010-05-28T18:34:00.029-04:002010-06-11T20:24:12.822-04:00

In the midst of destroying new switches, I've also been making headway on my suitcase layout. The last bit of progress on this front was fashioning a pair of transition track sections for the bridge, which will feature flex track. Since then, I soldered all of the track sections together to ensure that no amount of paint or weathering washes will interfere with electrical conductivity. Then I cut

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-31447654731718127222010-05-27T18:57:00.011-04:002010-05-27T19:11:43.637-04:00

It has begun. My first "victim" now has a gaping hole where the points, frog and guardrails used to be (below). Once I'd done that bit of nastiness, I got kind of stuck: I soon realized that my proposed design would need to be revised, and I was no longer certain of how I'd move the points.I got myself "unstuck" when I realized that I'd still need to make the points, no matter how they were moved

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-25748783209479946502010-05-25T10:33:00.094-04:002010-05-26T18:50:14.556-04:00

I haven't even gotten one yet. And here I am redesigning Eishindo's brand new T Gauge switch. Why?One look at the final production version and I knew there would be trouble. The biggest issue is staring us in the face: a huge (relatively speaking—nothing in T Gauge is huge) span with no metal rail—meaning no electrical pickup. T Gauge trains already have difficulty with electrical pickup owing to

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-13816794750851496792010-05-23T14:20:00.042-04:002010-06-27T14:12:50.904-04:00

It's been hard getting back into a routine of modeling. Real life has been such a distraction that I've almost forgotten how to model. Well, not really—a parallel could be made here to bicycle riding. But it was surprisingly hard picking up that X-Acto knife again.A big part of the difficulty was in deciding what to do with an unexpected bit of spare time—a dreary Sunday afternoon with the house

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-56318360515212139052010-05-20T11:22:00.017-04:002010-06-27T14:13:30.636-04:00

T Gaugers rejoice. You can now plan your next layout with track planning software that features the full Eishindo track library, including all of the newest additions—switches and all. The software is called AnyRail, and it's got to be one of the easiest-to-use track planning applications ever made.If you'd like to give it a try, you can download it free. Best of all, there's no "trial"

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-35302415255031567902010-05-17T20:52:00.024-04:002010-05-23T20:04:57.457-04:00

It just dawned on me. I'd finished updating my T Gauge product list, and there was something interesting about it, although I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Then, as I was fooling around with a Z Scale track plan in a planning tool I'd recently downloaded (AnyRail), what I'd noticed about the T Guage product list began to gel. Compare these statistics...Z Scale has been around for a quarter

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-51370191302122768902010-05-14T19:37:00.016-04:002010-05-14T20:01:54.874-04:00

It may not look like much, but it's progress. Yes, placing the track into the carrying case was the sum total of my modeling today. Yet this simple act immediately gave rise to quite a lot of unexpected work, as it illustrated the need to take a step back and re-think some of the assumptions I'd previously made about this layout.For one, it won't be quite the simple

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-9272155027795526452010-05-04T11:27:00.053-04:002010-05-13T18:29:37.443-04:00

It's an age-old question, one that N and Z scales faced back in their infancy—and still face today, sadly. Hardcore modelers tend to raise their noses at any scale smaller than HO. Thankfully, such snobbery isn't universal, since Z is enjoying the attention of a small band of serious modelers (myself included).Here's the deal. When viewed objectively, the issue is not clear-cut; there's no sharp

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-8563406096407518972010-05-02T10:36:00.033-04:002010-05-20T12:23:55.808-04:00

Eishindo's third trainset has arrived. The Kiha is a self-powered diesel passenger unit, equivalent in American terms to a doodlebug or an RDC (rail diesel car). They are sold as a single unit, which looks a bit lost and forlorn in the 4- by 6.5-inch package. The model appears to represent the prototype quite faithfully—right down to the MU connectors—save for one attribute: the body of the 1:1

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-58508519447223748612010-03-29T12:01:00.027-04:002010-04-01T17:52:19.229-04:00

It was bound to happen sooner or later, I suppose. Perhaps not surprisingly, the main catalyst was the new Hankyu 9000. But I'm wending my way back to T not so much because we're (finally) getting more products, but because we're getting better ones—specifically, ones that suit my purposes.In my opinion, the 103 mechanisms simply were not reliable enough to form the basis of bashed or

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-34895100047922457732010-03-26T19:32:00.039-04:002010-04-12T09:58:44.205-04:00

Eishindo's long, long awaited new trainsets are finally here. In development since 2008 and planned for release in 2009, Eishindo took their time to get it right, and it shows. Hirotsugu Hirai, T's inventor, once said that "we should not be afraid of any delays if it makes [things] better, since we have to compete with ourselves." This is an example of those words in practice.The first thing

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-86834906917025329132010-02-02T10:29:00.024-05:002010-02-02T14:28:45.539-05:00

As might be evidenced by a lack of modeling posts, I've not been working in T these past several months. I've also noticed the same for a number of other once-enthusiastic T Gaugers, who have since allowed their blogs to die. Much as I hate to admit it, I think that I may have reached the end of my active T Gauge days as well.It's sad, especially as it really lit my fire for a while; I think my

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-40376630768938273462009-12-17T11:56:00.017-05:002009-12-20T11:31:48.645-05:00

Where I work, we have a saying: The only thing that's constant is change. This tends to be a universal truism. Evidently, K.K. Eishindo is now licensing production of its T Gauge line to The Railway Shop, a business in Hong Kong, which will assume all responsibilities for overseeing the manufacture (still in China), shipment and servicing of merchandise, as well as all communication with

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-85362648542239693012009-10-13T13:33:00.020-04:002009-11-09T13:15:41.397-05:00

My perception of T Gauge, as expressed in my previous post, has been based on what I see—or don't see. When I don't see new products emerging, or updates to a neglected, stagnant company website, my imagination tends to make the worst of it. Couple this with uncertain economic times, not to mention a noticeable dip in forum participation, and things may look positively gloomy, to use an

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-72909539223952759702009-09-25T09:03:00.025-04:002009-09-25T18:48:20.930-04:00

Back before T Gauge even made it to foreign shores, I cautiously predicted that it might be a fad. Subsequently I was pleasantly surprised to see such a rich product line offered so soon after the initial release, which included many accessories that other scale waited years to see. It seemed Eishindo had devised a workable strategy: initially offer up a "cute toy" in order to finance a

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-14406728082798068222009-08-26T14:04:00.003-04:002009-08-26T20:01:22.758-04:00

There's no question: my T Scale modeling has approached nil for the last couple of months. I've not lost interest in the scale, by any means; I've simply lost focus. I don't know if I want to continue work on my "starter layout," as it seems to have pretty much served its purpose. At the same time, I haven't a clue what any larger, more permanent work might constitute.To be sure, I've been

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-78213097918876292502009-07-12T14:08:00.005-04:002009-07-17T10:45:12.065-04:00

We've all seen them on eBay: figures, automobiles, trees and streetlights in bulk from various Chinese vendors. I think it's fair to say that the market is quite saturated with them. However, it's worth looking at them a little more carefully once in a while, because they don't all carry exactly the same mediocre stuff. One item in particular may be of interest to T scale modelers: T93

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-27513443229714915012009-06-06T16:39:00.032-04:002009-06-18T21:56:35.507-04:00

That working streetlight got me all fired up. I'll confess to having slacked off with my T scale modeling lately, mainly because I've been making great headway on various Z scale projects. The streetlight helped pull me back into T—for a while, at least. I was originally going to make a crossing flasher first, but I'm glad I did the streetlight instead. T is a really different modeling

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-74793895665708006482009-06-04T16:19:00.006-04:002010-01-21T17:16:59.885-05:00

If there's one inescapable fact about T Gauge, it's that everything is small. A recent discussion at Talking T Gauge shifted from a new member introduction to a brainstorming session on lighting—in particular, streetlights. Since I need some for my layout, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to have a crack at making a functional one at 1:450.Lately I've been busily creating a number of

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-85913860668176704902009-04-02T07:22:00.025-04:002009-04-02T10:26:40.135-04:00

They trickle in three or four a day: new account requests for Talking T Gauge. Since moving to the new server three weeks ago, there's been over fifty of them. Who are all these people?What people? These are fake accounts being created by software for the purpose of spamming the forum with advertising, mostly for drugs. These "people" include the likes of liecelsosturo, fiellaembappy,

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-17491827409044502852009-03-15T18:25:00.001-04:002009-03-15T18:31:19.924-04:00

As I embarked on making scenery for my little Reading and Northern, I wanted to experiment with some truly different techniques. For some time I've had an idea in the back of my mind to use floral foam, a material used for making floral arrangements, as a scenery base. It has some unusual properties, being both soft and firm at once. The notion occurred to me as I was wandering around craft store

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-55339725771930654022009-03-14T15:38:00.015-04:002009-03-14T19:30:19.789-04:00

It took a few weeks to pull it off, but Talking T Gauge has finally gotten settled into its new permanent home. Why the move? For starters, a lot of folks were looking for the ability to host images through the forum. Either they didn't want to go to the trouble of getting them hosted elsewhere, or they lacked the technical savvy to do so. Also, the original forum was part of a "freebie" service.

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-91559460873567141352009-01-17T08:53:00.008-05:002009-02-07T20:37:34.275-05:00

It's the age old Gauge versus Scale debate. Which one is "correct"? At the risk of adding yet one more explanation to the Internet, which is already brimming with a gazillion such explanations, Gauge is the distance between the rails; Scale is the size relationship between model and real life, expressed as a ratio. Applying these facts to the theme of this blog, T Gauge is three millimeters; that

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-88661641049387194442009-01-16T17:05:00.001-05:002009-03-12T22:15:18.398-04:00

Welcome to the next generation of my T Gauge website. With the intention of making it a comprehensive and authoritative reference, I've completely rebuilt it from the ground up and added about as much information as I possibly can, short of going over to Japan and researching it there myself.Interestingly, perhaps the next best thing just took place. I've just received an email from Hirotsugu

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-53580462091819737032009-01-11T10:28:00.048-05:002009-03-12T22:16:11.325-04:00

As Eishindo inches closer to releasing track switches, there's a nice buzz developing over at Taking T Gauge. The discussion involves quite a range of issues, from the size and geometry of the switches to the design and function of the points. I truly hope that Eishindo is checking in, because the ideas being kicked around carry quite a bit of merit.What size switches should be made? Quite some

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-18231971871108482562008-12-02T12:23:00.015-05:002009-03-12T22:16:42.775-04:00

Eishindo has certainly got our attention, now that they've announced their plans for 2009. Even if only half of what they propose ever sees daylight, there's still enough excitement to keep us interested. Consider the highlights of their recent email broadcast:Flextrack slated for release January '09Points (switches) under developmentType 103 (20m class)Type 9000 (19m class)Type KIHA40 (21m class

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-17284064066774996972008-11-13T08:50:00.004-05:002010-07-25T21:29:57.355-04:00

From the brotherhood of modelers came an act of kindness, as Chris Schmuck generously shared his handiwork with me. After my disappointing start with a properly-proportioned RDC, Chris produced a "fantasy shorty" version designed expressly to fit an unmodified (in length, at least) Eishindo T Gauge 103 Series coach.Having been working extensively with Z scale etched brass kits and kitbashing, I

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-82783022968606506182008-11-07T16:04:00.032-05:002009-09-25T18:50:40.382-04:00

The interest in T Gauge is impressive. So, too, is much of the work being done in 1:450 so far. While the number of modelers venturing down this path is, like the scale, probably the smallest in all of model railroading, I get a sense that their enthusiasm makes up for their diminutive ranks. It's as if T has provided a brave new world to explore.Among other things, T offers an interesting

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-53496311031947317232008-11-04T11:05:00.024-05:002009-01-12T08:31:49.198-05:00

Lest anyone think I'm ready to bail on T Gauge, just because I've had a couple of setbacks, make no mistake: it ain't gonna happen. It's all part of the learning process. T is in its infancy—not even a year old yet—and I'm just one of a bunch of guys who are excited by it, pushing the envelope. Hard.Failures can be as valuable as successes—sometimes even more so. From my re-gearing experiment I

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-14570622450818168672008-11-02T21:03:00.009-05:002009-01-12T08:31:59.954-05:00

Darn good thing that switch worked. Otherwise I'd be having second thoughts about modeling in T. Here I was salivating to get an RDC running on the layout, and now it looks like an RDC will have to wait for a different layout. Still, it was a great project, and not a complete failure; I just won't be running one on my Reading and Northern.It was perhaps Robert Ray who got the ball rolling a

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-35135582711277209552008-10-31T09:30:00.018-04:002009-01-12T08:32:08.368-05:00

It's all finally come together. Meet the Reading and Northern: White Haven to Rockport. I'm pleased to say that everything more or less has a real-life counterpart. Naturally, quite a few liberties were taken in order to make things "work," but how often can one avoid taking liberties when designing a layout?Shown above is the finished plan. Prior blog installments trace many of the initial ideas

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-24697343955468145722008-10-30T19:53:00.021-04:002009-01-12T08:32:19.202-05:00

I suppose you can call me fickle. After declaring the name of the layout to be White Haven Junction, I've started not liking it as much. Traditionally layouts are named for the railroad that's being modeled; in my case, it's the Reading, Blue Mountain and Northern, or simply Reading and Northern, as the real railroad often calls itself. So, that's now the layout's name. Further, the specific

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-19432688571844048282008-10-30T19:06:00.014-04:002009-01-12T08:32:28.181-05:00

I'm back to it. Having recently struck upon what seemed like a reasonable means of increasing the gear reduction, I launched into the modification project with high hopes. The concept: add another reduction gear by splicing two gearboxes together.This turned out to be much more viable than nearly any other idea I'd entertained up to now, most all of which involved worm/worm gear sets. While I

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-30679385558986628392008-10-27T21:26:00.005-04:002009-01-12T08:32:44.726-05:00

It's not a world's first. Functional T Gauge switches have already been exhibited at Japanese toy shows. But they don't look like this. Granted, it isn't the most realistic thing in the world, but it doesn't look like a tinplate toy, either.It wasn't as hard to make as I thought it would be. One reason is the rail: code 40 steel alloy rail is durable and yet easy to work. I also made the switch

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-19120897333273473372008-10-25T17:02:00.012-04:002009-01-12T08:32:53.133-05:00

The White Haven Junction layout just got its first bridge. For a brief time I was tempted to make a prototypically-accurate rendition of a bridge just south of the real White Haven, but it would have meant reworking all of the surrounding terrain to simulate a former double-track main that was single-tracked. Plus, it's a deck girder bridge, and I didn't have enough clearance over the lower

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-66557445215020497682008-10-23T20:26:00.011-04:002009-01-12T08:33:01.041-05:00

After giving the layout a name and a setting, I started doing more research into the area I'm modeling so I can get a better idea of the terrain, and also pick up on features of the real railroad that have counterparts on the layout, so that I could name them. In particular, I was interested in finding bridges similar to those on the layout.It didn't take long to find a perfect candidate for the

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-39007017145684406032008-10-23T17:26:00.018-04:002009-01-12T08:33:10.389-05:00

In my first Starter Layout installment, I'd reached the point of tracklaying. Thankfully I'd not actually adhered the track to the subroadbed, because the layout was about to undergo a couple of last-minute revisions.As I was putting the remainder of my track supply away, I was surprised to find that I still had enough of the large-radius sections left for a full loop. The inner loop on the

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-74937024214943914092008-10-21T20:49:00.025-04:002009-01-12T08:33:18.280-05:00

Introducing the White Haven Junction in T scale. Specifically, it represents a slice of what was once the Lehigh and Susquehanna Division of the Central Railroad of New Jersey, from White Haven to Nesquehoning Junction. That's quite a mouthful. So, with the layout starting more or less at White Haven and incorporating various scenes along the scenic Lehigh River Valley and Gorge, including White

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-40231205510519998502008-10-20T18:31:00.001-04:002009-01-12T08:33:27.039-05:00

Although I have a nine-to-five job, I don't necessarily work nine to five. I work in spurts as long as I'm awake. I'll come up with a solution to a software problem while I'm in the shower, or shopping for groceries, or sitting in jury duty.Likewise, I may have an idea on how to address a modeling issue at any random moment in a day. The downside is that, when this happens while I'm at work, I'm

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-64654188638890845302008-10-19T15:32:00.017-04:002009-01-12T08:33:36.243-05:00

OK, I've been procrastinating long enough. Time to start building a T scale layout.Well, to be honest, a lack of real action has not been a consequence of procrastination; I've had some of the most intensely busy weeks at work lately, what with two major software releases happening concurrently, plus jury duty tossed into the pot for good time-wasting measure. And all the while I have been making

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-31173904044244086962008-09-15T19:06:00.014-04:002009-03-12T22:19:44.625-04:00

I'm genuinely excited to see the interest in T Gauge is blooming. Membership at Talking T Gauge has grown faster than expected, and even better, T Gauge blogs have been sprouting up. In response, I've started adding new content to my T Gauge website.Some of the recent discussions have focused on layout size. In particular, why does a smaller scale always seem to inspire modelers to build still

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-50651050760030563362008-09-12T14:12:00.006-04:002009-03-12T22:20:06.945-04:00

Please welcome Michael to the T Gauge blogosphere. Michael has launched tgauge.ca to chronicle his adventures in the land of 1:450. You can also join Michael and me over at Talking T Gauge. It's great hanging out with so many T Nuts!

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-67553711243001808862008-09-07T10:55:00.005-04:002010-05-29T08:52:22.369-04:00

For those who would like better-looking track, but are not up for the challenge of handlaying their own, some paint and some patience can do wonders. Eishindo's roadbed track has a couple of inherent cosmetic issues that are easily addressed. First, the plastic is rather shiny, as is the raw rail. And second, the color scheme is a bit odd—I suspect it represents track with concrete ties.If you'd

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-31947807477076173082008-09-05T08:21:00.009-04:002009-03-12T22:20:47.070-04:00

Eishindo is executing a series of product improvement cycles. Having just received some new track sets, I noticed that they've completely retooled all of their sectional track.The first run of track certainly had me curious as to the whys and wherefores of the unusual and complex design. Excluding the rails and joiners, each track section was comprised of five parts: a central "core" part, two

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-13048343034932435812008-09-04T17:00:00.006-04:002009-03-12T18:37:49.849-04:00

Regardless of whether or not T Gauge sticks around, there's no denying that, right now, it's hot. Not a day goes by that I don't receive at least a couple of emails from people looking for merchandise or more information. So, in addition to my new (and recently updated) T Gauge! website, I've launched a forum devoted exclusively to T Gauge: Talking T Gauge.Up to now, discussion about T Gauge has

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-55197193596400083112008-09-03T12:54:00.001-04:002009-01-12T08:34:31.663-05:00

Seems like T-Gaugers are popping up all over. Check out this newly-minted blog by Ian Holmes: more t please. I'm not sure what critical mass must be reached before a scale moves past the novelty stage, but I can say there's nowhere near this level of interest in ZZ scale, the previous record-holder for world's smallest.

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-15397036199026517922008-08-29T16:28:00.007-04:002009-01-12T08:34:39.734-05:00

A newcomer to T sent me a link to a forum in the UK. This thread features a good look at the forthcoming flex track from Eishindo, as well as other products. There is a nice discussion going on, so naturally I jumped in. Hey, the water here in T Gauge is quite refreshing!

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-62169702203522541572008-08-28T20:54:00.020-04:002009-01-12T08:34:47.781-05:00

As I write this, I'm working on the dimensions for handlaid T Gauge track. After having determined the flanges are roughly .010-inch deep, I selected .015-inch steel music wire for rail. It scales out nicely to about 6.5 inches in height, and it will keep the magnetic wheels happy.The plan is to solder the "rail" to strips of solid PC board, the width of the strips matching tie length, and

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-83198324409618293562008-08-28T08:05:00.010-04:002009-01-12T08:35:03.403-05:00

Eishindo is obviously serious about keeping their act together. First they offered us the "floppy Rapido," something of a step backward in technology since the Rapido was introduced in N scale back in the 60s. Shrunk down to 1:450 and lacking any kind of spring, they were virtually impossible to couple together, and even harder to keep them coupled. Then they offered the sprung Rapido: a good try

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-87935812692661412532008-08-27T13:32:00.016-04:002009-01-12T08:35:11.769-05:00

After having received several sets of T Gauge accessories, as well as some useful Herpa Wings 1:500 items, I got to thinking about a layout. Well, to be honest, "nearly obsessing over" is more like it. It's kept me awake some nights, despite my best efforts to contemplate other, more important things.My original idea was to build a multi-level subway station, visible through a cross-section of

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-31771437654583742402008-08-17T07:57:00.010-04:002009-01-12T08:35:20.724-05:00

T Gauge is just starting to hit its stride. Aside from the fact that vendors are having trouble keeping up with demand, Eishindo is delivering the goods, from full train sets to a full range of accessories.I've just received a shipment of structures and accessories, and I must say that Eishindo is doing things in T rarely if ever done in larger scales. Consider: structures with full interiors,

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-4047631202155764302008-08-16T19:20:00.007-04:002009-01-12T08:35:35.929-05:00

In the oddest of oddities, it never occurred to me to actually measure the gauge of T Gauge track. A member of the Yahoo Japanese Z Scale board posed this question, and to my amazement, I found that the actual track gauge was not only wider than 3 mm, but it also varied, from 3.14 to 3.25 mm. Take the average of 3.2 mm, and the gauge scales out to 56.7 inches, or 4 feet 8.7 inches, which is

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-20560519262264334662008-08-15T18:51:00.020-04:002009-01-12T08:35:57.600-05:00

Problem. At T Gauge's scale of 1:450, 3 mm gauge track is equivalent to 4 feet 5 inches in the real world, give or take. This is a tad narrow for North American standard gauge, which is 4 feet 8-1/2 inches. So, working t'other way 'round, standard gauge track converted to 3 mm is about 1:480.Using a ratio for North America different from that for Japan is not as strange as it sounds. N scale in

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-91887875005375306722008-08-13T19:10:00.004-04:002009-01-12T08:36:06.611-05:00

Regardless of whether or not it's here to stay, T Gauge is sure hot, so in order to create a more "permanent" presence on the Intenet than a freebie blog, I created a website devoted to T Gauge called, perhaps not surprisingly, T Gauge!For now it's just a single home page—little more than a placeholder; eventually it will, like my other model railroading websites, feature a detailed accounting of

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-44878617348459909212008-08-12T21:16:00.015-04:002009-09-25T09:10:22.766-04:00

Based in Germany, JapanModelRailways has created a new web page just for T Gauge. In addition to a fully-stocked (at least for the moment!) online shop, the informational page is loaded with nice photos that provide a good overview of the product range. One bit of news not yet on the new site is that switches may be on the way by the end of the calendar year!

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-36073865767579291482008-08-04T18:14:00.004-04:002009-01-12T08:36:25.207-05:00

With his trusty laser cutter, Robert Ray has produced the world's first US-prototype T Gauge cars. Details posted on TrainBoard.

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-70281786542861333482008-08-03T17:46:00.001-04:002009-01-12T08:36:35.395-05:00

This is what some T Gaugers have been waiting for: a reliable source of in-stock T Gauge. The seller is the very reputable Plaza Japan. I can attest to their reliability, having ordered from them many times before. They don't have much, and it might not last long, but at least there's no waiting for pre-orders to be filled. Have fun!

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-9175017030493001402008-07-28T11:09:00.004-04:002009-01-12T08:36:44.621-05:00

Three 103 Series train sets are now available at Hobby Search:Keihintouhoku LineKansai Main LineFukuchiyama LineBased on prior experience, they will not last long, so get them while you can!

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-66272289612082657472008-07-19T14:27:00.014-04:002009-01-12T08:37:23.123-05:00

As an example of just how hot T Gauge is, I happened to arrive at the Hobby Search website today to find three 9000 Series train sets, three sets of figures, and one set of animals open for reservations. Before I could finish reserving one of each, the animal set closed, and by the time I finally confirmed my reservation (sans animal set), all of the train sets were closed. Talk about close

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-30672022535811036282008-07-18T07:37:00.009-04:002009-01-12T08:37:04.955-05:00

If anyone thinks that realistic modeling in 1:450 isn't practical, take a look at what a couple of fellows in France are doing in 1:700. Granted, it's a diorama and the trains are stationary, but the detail is so astounding that it doesn't matter. This certainly stands as an example of how far T Gauge—which is nearly twice the size—can potentially be taken.

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-2140643864585662742008-07-08T21:45:00.003-04:002010-05-25T10:06:13.750-04:00

Think T Gauge is obscure? Not of much interest? Guess again. No sooner did Hobby Search in Japan list the 103 series Chuo Line and Yamanote Line on their website, but they were sold out by the time the links were posted.It wasn't long before both track sets were sold out, along with their figures, bicycles, and two building sets. In fact, as of this writing, the only T Gauge items available for

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-86667937658130069122008-06-26T10:55:00.014-04:002009-01-12T08:37:31.595-05:00

I receive a fairly steady stream of emails begging me for information on T Gauge. For the most part, I rely on the Yahoo Japanese Z Scale newsgroup for information. However, a frustrated fellow from the Netherlands recently contacted Hobby Search of Japan (presently the only known potential retail source of T Gauge) and received the following reply when he asked them about the availability of T

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-20157856991886447992008-05-21T16:13:00.014-04:002009-01-12T08:37:47.025-05:00

I have a long work commute. Two and a half hours of each day is spent driving. That gives me a lot of time to think. And lately I've been thinking about couplers.It started with the recent release of the N scale McHenry. Roughly the size of a standard Micro-Trains N scale coupler, it looks like a Kadee HO coupler. Appearance is what got me cogitating: the McHenry has a rather unsightly spring on

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-18481402789497414902008-04-10T17:01:00.007-04:002009-01-12T08:37:56.532-05:00

When a model-making company makes an advance announcement of a new product release, let's just automatically add two or three months to the target date. (If it's the launch of a new manufacturer, add twelve to eighteen months.) The JZ Fan Site reports that the release scheduled for this month has been postponed to May or June. To be honest, this comes as no real surprise.Having said all of this,

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-89065483223934407182008-03-31T09:29:00.027-04:002009-01-12T08:38:05.230-05:00

It would seem T Gauge may be starting to hit a stride. Either that, or Eishindo is doing all of this just for the fun of it. May will mark the release their next wave of trainsets, the Hankyu 9000. Also in the works, according to Garth Hamilton, who has been kindly translating Japanese blogs, is a model of the 40 KIHA. This is a diesel-powered, double-ended unit, similar in concept to the

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-45444843925311852782008-03-06T16:55:00.023-05:002011-02-01T14:56:31.386-05:00

Hobby Search in Japan is now accepting reservations for T gauge trainsets. Delivery is expected in April (Hobby Search ships worldwide). The first wave includes the following basic 103 Series four-car sets:Osaka Loop LineFukuchiyama LineHanwa LineKansai Main LineChuo LineSobu LineKeihintouhoku LineYamanote LineJyoban and Narita LinesAs yet there are no track/throttle sets listed. So, unless you

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-64685491586802317122008-02-07T09:53:00.006-05:002010-05-04T11:08:19.781-04:00

Don't bother with Guinness. Last I checked, they claim the smallest model railroad was built by Bob Henderson of Ontario, Canada, to a scale of 1:1,400, with a 3/16-inch long locomotive.My own bid for the record is the Sceniced and Ridiculously Small Railroad (below), which is an N scale model of an HO scale layout—a model of a model. That works out to be 1:13,920; the whole layout is a little

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-87847300955907205612008-02-06T11:15:00.003-05:002009-01-12T08:38:31.977-05:00

What happened on February first? As I was checking my web traffic reports, I found a curious thing: 1:450 was humming along at its usual daily hit rate of 8-10 when on 1 February 2008 it suddenly jumped up to 127.Thanks to the power of Google Analytics, I was able to determine why, and the answer came as a surprise: Plataforma-N, a web portal for N scale modelers in Spain! After registering to

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-43106879546688966522008-01-24T21:15:00.005-05:002009-01-12T08:38:40.419-05:00

I'm still serious about building something in T; I'm not collecting these trinkets just for the heck of it. What exactly I'll be building, though, has yet to be decided. I'm leaning most toward a small diorama of a New York subway station, with the facing edge depicting a cross-section of the ground: city buildings above, trains in tunnels below.Not a completely original idea, but not something

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-53395993592149274452008-01-09T18:38:00.001-05:002009-01-12T08:38:49.848-05:00

No sooner had I posted my most recent thoughts on things that I felt were missing from the T Gauge sets, but a package arrived in my mailbox containing, of all things, a rerailer! Cue the Twilight Zone theme!Also included were several new couplers, which addressed one of two major problems they had. The new couplers have springs to help keep them straight (previously they would flop all over the

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-29778428909515319472008-01-08T16:21:00.002-05:002009-01-12T08:38:59.369-05:00

Over the course of the last few months, the street date for T Gauge has bounced around from September '07 to March '08, and now it's supposedly set for the end of this month, according to the manufacturer's website. Their site, by the way, has finally been updated with new content, including a spiffy new brochure.Regardless of when it actually hits the street, I'd be most interested in getting my

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-77286075313696796452007-12-28T22:23:00.001-05:002009-01-12T08:39:07.069-05:00

Although my initial experience was not the best, all is not lost for T Gauge, at least for those of us who can pop the hood and make modifications. Over the course of the last couple of weeks, I've been pondering the problems with T as it is off-the-shelf. Here are my thoughts, subject of course to revision once I actually pick up the X-Acto knife...Electrical pickup. Almost certainly this can be

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-79013241246900293742007-12-16T13:46:00.005-05:002009-01-12T08:39:15.079-05:00

I'm very sorry to say, not all that great. It was with tremendous excitement that I opened up my two new T Gauge sets last night and went about running the trains. Or, as was the case, trying to run them.One does not anticipate the impact of seeing the models in person; all of those photos showing the models compared to fingers and coins fail to impart the same effect. When the lid is flipped

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-3745205547799674392007-12-15T10:26:00.002-05:002009-01-12T08:39:24.202-05:00

According to this ZJ (Japanese Z scale) blog, T Gauge is due to arrive first quarter next year. The blog entry (very roughly) translates as follows:T gauge worrisome OTC released?This is Japan's real ZJ Z gauge gauge material, but commanding make in the world of T-gauge (Three gauge). U9 standards as a model railroad Z gauge Japanese real ZJ gauge 485 series followed at the end of November

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-16264778111297975562007-12-10T10:30:00.003-05:002009-01-12T08:39:32.463-05:00

Some T Gauge is winging its way to my doorstep as I write this. So, in a few days (assuming I can find the time!), I'll be posting the first images and observations on the world's smallest model trains. One thing I do know in advance: the manufacturer is genuinely concerned about its image. They shipped free extras with their sets as an apology for delays due to the Chinese lead paint crackdown.

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-35307451308673590972007-10-22T06:48:00.002-04:002009-01-12T08:39:48.895-05:00

A fellow T-Gauger was kind enough to send me a copy of the following letter he received after attempting to order some T Gauge sets from Japan:Translated:

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-10655292391167621892007-09-06T11:53:00.002-04:002008-09-05T14:34:31.048-04:00

A nation faced with an ever-worsening space crunch, Japan is presently hot for N scale model railroading; much more is available there in 1:160 than most Americans realize. They are also now beginning to get serious about Z scale, too (surprising that they didn't invent Z).In a bid for the world's smallest commercial model trains, Eishindo of Japan launched a new scale: T, which stands for three,

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3044628092004400131.post-8331194605960941652007-09-03T20:55:00.000-04:002007-09-13T15:50:33.300-04:00

Seems T Gauge will be delayed again, this time owing to unacceptable levels of lead in the paint on the models. China is getting pro-active about their exports in order to avoid the headlines, and is testing goods before they ship. Looks like November before any T Gauge reaches the U.S.

David K. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06136023340720612580noreply@blogger.com0