# An3?



## Trains West (Oct 4, 2008)

Well I got the first flat done of my An3 project done …
What is An3? 
well a lot of what I have is artisto 1/29 standard gauge stuff with some 1/32 army and USA stuff and MTH so for the most part I am in the 1/29 to 1/32 range for scales …
But I like narrow gauge at the same time and ran some of my LGB and Bachmann C&S on my last layout which of course is 1/22 or so …. But I never liked the mixed scale and as 1/20.3 is now the mainstay for narrow gauge I like the mix even less...
How I decided to solve this is 1/29 3 foot narrow gauge or An3 
This uses 32 mm track or O gauge track along with my 45 mm standard gauge track to have true narrow gauge though in the past I think most have made it #1n3 

Though you can run atlas O indoor /outdoor track or sunset Valley railroad 32 mm I think I will run PECO SM-32(though I am Still waiting on it)

The first loco I am working on is the one I was looking for the MDC cab for …. It is an O scale atlas switcher….. I have cut the O-Gauge cab off and added the MDC one I have also added kaydee #1 couplers and covered over the old coupler pocket with a link and pin pocket …. It still needs some work but it is getting there ….
The flat is a Bachmann 20’ with a new deck and some detail parts


----------



## altterrain (Jan 2, 2008)

Interesting. You must have been chatting with Scotty Chaos







. I have some old _Outdoor/Finescale Railroader _ magazines with 1n3 stuff in it.

That cab looks awfully familiar...









-Brian


----------



## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

I thought I was the only one still refering to 1/29 as A scale. The cab fits nicely on the Atlas, be sure to extend the exhaust stack up above the cab, could get a little smoky in there as it is


----------



## Trains West (Oct 4, 2008)

yes the cab you sent me has worked out great ..... though I may have to frost the windows so you cannot see the motor or weight 



if you do not like A scale you could just call it #1n3 or do something like it in 1/20.3 and use the 32 mm track as 2 foot narrow gauge 






I had a little time before bed so I made a grill gard for it out of brass......






















I still need to find a bell that will work and I am thinking about a stack with a tractor flap on top for the ex and I may do the tar paper roof ......


----------



## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

if you do not like A scale you could just call it #1n3 or do something like it in 1/20.3 and use the 32 mm track as 2 foot narrow gauge


No, if your major scale is 1/29 then An3 is *correct* and should be called such, #1n3 would be for 1/32 scale modelers. 1/20.3 using O track would technically be Fn2 or Fn24. Having come from the wacky world of HOn30, I'm one of those guys who has no trouble distinguishing between all theses scales in LS


----------



## Trains West (Oct 4, 2008)

you and I agree completely....... 

what I ment was that you could call the loco and track to some other scale to suit what you are doing .........



like this guy working in 16mm


http://www.modelerschoice.com/sm32/wdt.htm


----------



## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

I dont think the "A" is an official designation anywhere.. 
personally I would call it 29n3, because the 29 is more recognizable as a scale designation than A.. 
and I just think it sounds better.. 
everyone has heard of "1/29 scale"..but almost no one has heard of or uses "A scale".. 
but since there is no official designation for 1/29 scale, An3 or 29n3 could both be considered "correct".. 

anyone know the history of the "A"..where did it come from? 
who deemed A the letter for 1/29 scale? 

Scot


----------



## altterrain (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm pretty sure its from the NMRA. 
7/8's was M 
20.3 is F 
22.5 is G 
29 was A 
etc. 
I think I have some older Aristo boxes that have an A scale listed on them. 

-Brian


----------



## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

At one point, it was a proposal floated by the NMRA. (I think "H" was for 1:24, too) It was their attempt to try to create order out of chaos, but it just added too many letters to the alphabet soup. Like previous attempts by the NMRA to arrive at standards for large scale, it was cheerfully ignored by the masses. (That proposal is also where the "F" designation came from--and even that has very limited usage among hobbyists. Most manufacturers working in that scale use the numeric designation.) 

Later, 

K


----------



## Trains West (Oct 4, 2008)

as far as I know the A stood for aristo since at the time they where the only ones making 1/29


----------

