# #3 gauge in U. S.?



## Oldman (Sep 20, 2008)

I am new to these forums and not new to the hobby as I run a Bachman "Big hauler" converted to RC with a bashed Radio Shack RC unit from one of there cars with 2 passenger cars and maybe half a dozen fright cars plus a live steam Forney built around a Ruby with commercial RC controls on about 120 feet of gauge 1 code 250 flex track. What i am courious about is lately I have been following a couple of postings and a society from Great Britan and it appears that Gauge 3 is making a modest comeback. I am courious if anyone in North America carries parts or even more information on this gauge.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

I've seen a very few live steam locos in gauge 3 over the last 15 years. Mostly ones built from English casting sets. Builders here tend to favor the bigger ride on stuff (4-3/4" and 7-1/2" gauge), because you can plant your butt on it and play Casey Jones for about the same amount of work...


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## Oldman (Sep 20, 2008)

Thanks Mik. That is the impression I am getting also. I'll keep looking and fishing though as I think that between Gauge 1 and gauge 3 you could give a good representation of a standard gauge main running past a narrow gauge operation. So long as your using the "10 ft rule" that is. *chuckling*


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Gauge 3 is making a modest comeback 
Oldman, 

As gauge-3 is 1:22.5 scale, I started a multi-gauge railroad in my attic in the early 1990s, using gauge-0, gauge-1 and gauge-3 (2', 3' and std gauges in 1:22.5.) The track got moved to the garden in our new home in 1998: 










I converted a Bachmann tender to gauge-3 so I'd have something to run, and I was going to convert the loco to a typical 2-8-0. But then F scale (1:20.3) caught my eye, which is correct scale for 3' gauge on gauge-1 track. Accucraft and others started selling steam engines for Fn3 and the gauge-0 and -3 stopped right then. 

Barry Boggs is the most well-known 1:22.5 std gauge modeller - here's his railroad: 
http://www.frolin.net/cwrr/index.html 

There is also a small movement to F scale std gauge, but no tracks or live steamers that I know about.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

http://www.gauge3.org.uk/

Heres the British group for Gauge 3, if I had the room and the money....


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## Oldman (Sep 20, 2008)

I appreciate the link. And your right about the room and the money *sigh*. Actually, I have the room for at least a good sized loop of gauge 3 but as to the money part; am still waiting for my ship to come in [and I got a sneaky hunch MY ship was the RMS Titanic *BIG sigh*]


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## ralphbrades (Jan 3, 2008)

Greetings from the Gauge '3' Society!!!

At the moment I am Secretary -I stand down at the AGM next month. Gauge '3' is *not* expensive -it is however very slow to build... We do have members in the US, Canada and Australia. The problem with Gauge '3' is that it is not a Big Gauge 1... The wheels are different and they are very much small locomotives, rather than models of them.


Because there is at the moment very little commercial support it has had to become an almost de facto scratch builders scale. It lies in the grey half zone where modelers meet model engineers. I would never class myself as a model engineer -but I have a lathe, a milling machine, and a pillar drill. I have to have these, as the types of locomotive I like to build are not mainstream in the sense that an LMS "Coronation Scot" or a GWR "Castle" are.


I have athread open on the Gauge '3' Forum in which I am trying to prove (or disprove) the fact that it is possible to cheaply build a large Gauge '3' locomotive. Due to work and weather I have had to stop work on it -but I think that I should be able to get a working battery electric powered locomotive for under £200. Built with hand tools and commercial parts by the kitchen sink...


regards

ralph


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Hey Ralph, Guage 3 is 1/22.5 scale correct, I am working towards a 45mm gauge version of a de-Thomasizing my Percy back to a reasonable looking Avonside engine. My Bachmann Percy is a big engine, I mean BIG. Bigger than my 1/22 engines, big enough that if it was rebuilt with a gauge 3 drive block it could easily be right in line with other Gauge 3 engines, has their been any discussion about converting Thomas and Percy to gauge 3?, (with the resulting adding of details to make them proto looking of course). 

Anyone else even considered it????? Might be worth it for battery or track powered engines.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Ralph, The grey area is a great place to be.Some of my scratchbuilt mangles (like my sawmill) have bee accused of being static ME pieces. 


Are you going to the ME show in London in 2 weeks? And if you go would you mind posting some pictures? The Cabin Fever Expo in York, Pa. is this weekend,..... and it's not in the budget.....


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## ralphbrades (Jan 3, 2008)

(Cough!)

Vic, Gauge '3' is actually *1:22.6* (!) and runs on 63.5mm track... I am not sure that converting a Bachman Percy would work for G3(?) but I have seen a "Magic Carpet" drive adapted for G3 which worked quite well -so it *could* be possible. I have just finished a modeling session on my Krokodil loco and the cost is up to £35 and the bulk of the bodywork is done. The chassis work comes next, and that will require some inspired penny pinching!!!


regards

ralph


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## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

Oldman: Go over to the "The Home Machinist" board. Check the Live Steam forum. I think there are some Gauge 3 over there.

http://www.chaski.org/homemachinist/


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Percy would need completeyl new axles to widen the wheels or maybe a new drive brick but the body looks plenty big enough. Something for the Gauge 3 guys to think about as they are dirt cheap compared to some of the Gauge 3 items listed on the website. And it would look more to scale than it does now on 45mm track


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## main131 (Jan 3, 2008)

Hi,
I have been a member of The Gauge 3 Society for 15 years here in the UK.
We have about 180 members.

G3 runs on 2 1/2" gauge track which can be obtained through the Society. 
G3 (as a gauge) has been around since the early 1900's and Bassett-Lowke were manufacturing British outline in the 1950s some of which are still running. Thier 'Flying Scotsman' is seen running on this 'you tube' video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn6-Sy6mRaQ

The video was taken at one of the several get-to-gethers which were held in members gardens last year.
Most of the original members run live steam, either coal fired or meths. although there has been some battery powered locos of late.
The latter are relatively inexpensive and are avaiable through 'Garden Railway Specialists' located at Pricess Risborough in the UK.
Any further info I would be happy to supply 
main131


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## Oldman (Sep 20, 2008)

My apologies for not being on to check this thread in a while but the outside world, unfortunitly, has to take priority. I want to thank everybody who has posted and an extra thanks for those who provided links. It seems to me that, at least on a small scale (pun intended), #1 scale/gauge is feasable.


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