I am lost, one “hobby shop” my neighborhood. Said in was. O on HO.
Another assured me it. Has something to do with N, gage.
Why not post something locked in, definitive, at the opening of your blog.
I need to think smaller than the several 1000. We have locked into G.
We can’t use because of pine trees?
Thank
Bill,
If I understand the question correctly, you are asking ‘What is On30?’
On30 refers to modeling at 1/4"=1’-0" scale (‘O’ scale) on a 30" gauge. Which is a misnomer due to the models are ‘O’ scale models with HO running gear on HO track. It is an inexpensive means to model the narrow gauge railroads (both 3’ and 2’ are represented this way). A number of manufacturers are now producing On30 locomotives and rolling stock, Bachmann probably the best known. On30 is a nice indoor scale as it affords the size for scratch / bashing of the larger O scale with the smaller curves of HO. This allows more modeling in less space.
You are correct that On30 would not be appropriate for outdoor railroading, although I have seen articles (in some older back issues of Garden Railways) where O scale has been done outdoors. The On30 is also considerably less expensive (without DCC) than is the larger scales.
Hope this helps clear up your confusion.
Bob C.
Dave,
You were headed in the right direction, however my intent was to answer the question asked. YES, there is On3 and there is also On2. TODAY there are commercial track products available for the 3’ gauge I am sure, the 2’ gauge not so much. Of course On3 (.75" gauge) and On2 (.5" gauge) are the prototypical scale/gauge combinations. Back in the '70s when I started in the model railroading hobby there were no commercial track products for narrow gauge of any nature. Hand laid was the only option. Typically the On3 crowd used code 100 rail and basswood or balsa ties, the On2 crowd typically used code 70. If memory is not too far gone, code 83 was just starting to come into vogue and gain in availability.
I have packed somewhere a brass 4-4-0 from North West Short Line, still in the box. It was produce as a ‘stripped down’ locomotive that could be detailed however the modeler deemed fit. It is a true On3 model. Back in the '70s when I purchased it, there was no On30, especially as a commercial product. I seem to recall possibly in the early to mid '80s someone did a rendition of the Maine two footers in what we call today On30, back then it was just an oddball scale/gauge.
Oh for the good ole days…NOT. 
Bob C.
Thanks Bob,
You said 30" gage? Or is it 3’ gage as I see a lot of “stuff” advertised D& RG? Which is 3’ & I might add a great experience to ride especially to Silverton . The scenery is outstanding,
Guess the next time we get a few $$'s spare will have to put my feet in the water of ON3.
Like G $cale, On3 track was too expensive to make, so a few companies decided they would introduce the masses to Narrow Ga railroading by using HO mechanisms under pseudo O scale narrow ga. equip. On30 runs on HO track.
Facts; there are few 30" ga railroads in the US. There were many 3’ ga railroads like the D&RG
As a rule On3 was more expensive than the mass marketed On30… I modeled in On3 and thought less of those who went for convenience… Now I’ve turned the table on myself and model G24 the oddball 42" ga.
But it’s my railroad…
Bill,
I was attempting to not get too deep in the weeds, but here goes…
Technically speaking it is not ‘O’ Gauge (OH), but rather ‘0’ Gauge (zero). The technical scale for ‘0’ Gauge is 7mm = 1’-0" (or 0.27559" = 1’-0", commonly referred to as 17/64" = 1’-0"). This works out to a scale ratio of 1:43.542 (shortened to 1:43.5). The proper gauge for standard gauge track (4’-8 1/2" gauge) in proper ‘0’ Gauge is 1.2975". I am not sure how/where/why the slide took place, but current manufactured products are referred to as ‘O’ Gauge. Commercial track is 1.125" gauge and the typical manufacturer’s scale is 1:48. Both are relatively close, but there are purists in both scale/gauge camps.
‘HO’ Gauge (or half ‘0’ Gauge) is in actuality ‘half of ‘0’ scale at 3.5mm-1’-0" (0.13779"=1’-0"and the scale ratio is 1:87.0857, more commonly 1:87.1. Track is properly gauged for standard gauge and at scale.
If you take the actual gauge of HO track at 0.6486 and multiply it by 43.5 for true ‘0’ Gauge, the track gauge become 28.245". Do the same math for ‘O’ Gauge and 0.6486 becomes 31.1328 gauge. So as the number show, On30[inch] is a misnomer for either ‘0’ Gauge or ‘O’ Gauge.
That being said I need to put forth a correction to my post above. I see in the latest Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette that there are both On3[foot] and On2[foot] commercially available lines of track. It seems the more things change the more they stay the same. I hope I have not confused more than helped.
Bob C
Bill Bagley said:
Thanks Bob, You said 30" gage? Or is it 3’ gage as I see a lot of “stuff” advertised D& RG? Which is 3’ & I might add a great experience to ride especially to Silverton . The scenery is outstanding, Guess the next time we get a few $$'s spare will have to put my feet in the water of ON3.
Bill,
You are correct to be confused about 30" versus 3’ (36") gauge. Most narrow gauge railroads in the U.S. are 3’ gauge. Hence On3 is technically accurate, using 1/48th scale (O scale) and 36/48" gauge (3/4" or 0.75")
The editor of “Narrow Gauge & Short Line Gazette”, Bob Brown, has a 0n3 layout, and he has written occasionally about converting the Bachmann On30 equipment to On3. My impression is that Bachmann left room in their trucks and locos for widening the wheels to the 0.75" gauge.
Yes, most were 36 inches, or 3 feet. But many were whatever gauge the people in charge decided they wanted when they planned out the railroad.
The Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon was 40 inches. The Pittsburgh and Southern was 42 inches. Mane was kinda famous for their 2 foot gauge railroads. So 30 inch gauge isn’t out of the question, its just not accurate for D&RG, equipment.
David Maynard said:
Yes, most were 36 inches, or 3 feet. But many were whatever gauge the people in charge decided they wanted when they planned out the railroad.
The Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon was 40 inches. The Pittsburgh and Southern was 42 inches. Mane was kinda famous for their 2 foot gauge railroads. So 30 inch gauge isn’t out of the question, its just not accurate for D&RG, equipment.
Yeah, its not accurate if yo are modeling 36 inch narrow gauge, but it is an easy way to get into 1/48 0 scale ready to run narrow gauge railroading. The mechanisms are generally reliable, too.
It was also pushed by Bachmann as an alternative to Lionel for folks to use in thier ceramic Christmas villages. For the price differance, most folks can look past the slight gauge issue when modeling 3ft narrow gauge trains. Espicaly if you get proper On30 flex track like Peco sells. One look at the big 4-6-0 of the Eastern Tennasee and Western North Carolina Railroad, its mostly diecast, has he appearance of a brass model, runs quiet and smooth and is very reliable. The geared engines had issues with dependablity of the very small gears in the trucks, there are fixes for most of that now. Its a fun scale as with G scale, you can fit larger 0 scale trains into the space of HO, somewhat. Buildings are still much bigger than HO! Just like my LGB R1 curves allow me to fit a decent G scale layout in my small rock garden, On30 lets me play with narrow gauge trains indoors in a scale that I can still see. HOn3 (HO scale 3 foot narrow gauge) is to hard for me to see anymore. Any scale other than Z has been done outdoors, I have seen huge N scale layouts done outdoors. Peco’s track is UV stablized if I remember right, so a raised On30 line would be possible outdoors with the proper upkeep. Cheers Mike
On30 is O scale that runs on Ho Scale track.
ALLEN LANDIS said:
On30 is O scale that runs on Ho Scale track.
That’s HO gauge track.