# Size comparison of parts for 1/20th scale and 1/13th scale



## Amber (Jul 29, 2011)

I recently bought a set of 2 axle car journals from an ebay seller to see if they were large enough to be used for 1/13th scale (7/8ths scale) cars. They were listed as "large journals" and were bigger than the quarter used for size comparison in the picture. I have a set of 7/8ths scale wheels that I bought a while back that are too small for my 2 inch scale projects, so I decided to use them to build an ore car in 7/8ths scale. I also have a set of 7/8ths scale link and pin couplers that I had bought from Ozark Miniatures to see if they would work for 2 inch scale, and they were much too small for that application. 
The wheel journals that I got from ebay seem to be about right for 7/8ths scale, they would be way too big for 1/20.3 scale. I took a picture of the journals and link and pin couplers, as well as 1/20th scale car journals and link and pin couplers from Hartford Products for a size comparison. The big journals come from Wiseman Model Services, through ebay. They were reasonably priced.



I thought it would be an interesting size comparison.


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## Amber (Jul 29, 2011)

The Wiseman large journals are not listed as being 7/8ths scale, but I would say that they would work quite well in that scale. 
I plan on building a wood ore car in 1/12th scale with the parts, I don't have a 7/8ths scale ruler, but I do have a 1/12th scale ruler. That makes it easier.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Amber, 
There are a number of suppliers of 1" scale equipment, intended for the 5" gauge ride-on market. 1" : 1 Ft =1:12, so they are very close to 1:13.7, or 7/8ths scale. 
So are Doll houses - most are 1" scale! All those lamps, chairs, and rugs will fit your caboose!


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## Amber (Jul 29, 2011)

I've looked at several websites with 1 inch scale parts, but they're always more expensive than 7/8ths scale parts, and most of the 1 inch scale parts are designed for standard gauge equipment. Generally speaking, the parts are bigger than narrow gauge parts. The car that I plan on building with these parts will run on 45 mm gauge track, roughly 2 foot gauge. 
The wheels and journal boxes for 1 inch scale trains on 4-3/4s or 5 inch gauge are rather expensive, beyond my current means. 
I might only build this one 2 foot gauge ore car, just to use the parts that I have. If it works out well, I might be persuaded to buy more 7/8ths scale wheel sets and parts for another car or 2.  At least I have a drawing for this car, unlike my larger cars that I'm not getting anywhere on. It's based on the ore cars of the Iron Mountain Mining Company of western Montana. It's a 2 axle drop bottom wood frame car.


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## livesteam5629 (Jan 2, 2008)

The Pine Tree journals were made specifically for 7/8ths and are no longer available. The others are small but will work ok for 7/8ths. Size in the real world is a rubber band. 
Noel


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## Amber (Jul 29, 2011)

I drilled out the axle holes in the big journals this evening, to a size "F" drill, very slightly larger than 1/4 inch. The nylon bushings wouldn't quite fit in the 1/4 inch hole that I had drilled it out to. I drilled the holes because they were oversize for the axles on the wheelsets that I have, and the original holes had an upward angle to them instead of being straight. Odd hole arrangement. Anyway, I put 2 bushings in the holes, one bushing fits inside the other and the smaller one is the right size for the axles on the wheelsets. I had to get the journals set up so that I could determine the width of the frame on the car. Then I cut the wood frame parts to suit the spacing for the journals and the axles. 
It looks like these journals will work quite well for my purpose.


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