# Mixing other scales with "Large Scale"



## EMD Trainman (Nov 23, 2010)

Hi to MLS,

You are probably thinking, oh no, not another scale ratio subject, no this time I think we pretty much covered that material. What I'm talking about is mixing HO scale, N scale or even Z scale with Large Scale. You are probably thinking, hey that doesn't make sense, you can't run a Z scale train on the same layout as a large scale train and look right.

Well technically you can, it depends on how you apply that scale to your layout. I have been to the East Coast Large Scale train show for the last 8 years and seen people come up with some crestive ideas for dioramas that I have seen at past shows and would like to share those ideas I have seen here.

I have seen HO scale used on large scale layouts as a mining operation and custom mine cars were made to run on HO gauge track while the large scale train came along and picked up the ore with hopper cars. 

So now you are probably wondering how can you apply N scale to a large scale layout. One club member came up with a great idea. He created a large scale layout which there was diorama in the layout in whuch G scale people were riding on a N scale train as if it were like a mini train like you would see at a amusement park. I thought this to be a excellent idea and of course the riders were near the railroad tracks of the large scale train.

Now for Z scale, how could it be possible to use Z scale on a Large Scale layout. Well, there was another club member who came up with a idea for a diorama. He created basically a diorama that was a train show withing a train show if that makes sense. The large scale layout which simulated a real train of course which was of a Pennslyvania Passenger car set taking large scale people to a large scale train show which of course would be a minature version of the large scale train being used on the set. The large scale people then in turn go into a train show which there is a open face building that you can see inside of and there are Z scale trains actually being used to simulate the large scale model trains at the show. This had to be the most insanely brilliant idea I have seen.

So needless to say, you can use other scales on your "large scale" layout, it's just how you apply that scale to your layout to whether or not it makes sense. These ideas are just the ones that really stuck in my head that I have seen in the past.

EMD Trainman


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Some people run the smaller scales as a freature in a Park scene or ride at the circus.. Sort like a G scale inside a G scale.


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Great fleas have little fleas upon their backs to bite 'em,
And little fleas have lesser fleas, and so ad infinitum[/i].

I have a small pewter train (2.5 inch diameter track) that I have set out as a toy train next to my large scale stuff, but it is just a non-working static display.


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

On one of the German fourms, there was a modeller that used the old Egger Bahn H0e trains as a "Park Ride" for his II/G scale layout.


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## stanman (Jan 4, 2008)

I've seen photos of indoor layouts with large scale trains in the foreground and smaller scale trains behind them, in the background. Adds to the illusion of depth, and the layouts seem much larger than they really are.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Like my foamer friend here?











At the TCA museum in Strasburg


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Ah, I see he has a JNR C11 there Mik, Aster perhaps?


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Spule 4 on 23 Nov 2010 11:47 PM 
Ah, I see he has a JNR C11 there Mik, Aster perhaps? Or maybe O.S.live steam... the nominal scale on those bitty things (static, Japanese, about $4 each) works out to about 2.5" gauge. I have that one and 2 others ............someplace. I think they're in my parts sorter


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

'snot uncommon to see a little 'garden railway' in n or z scale running on a large-scale indoor layout here in yUK, at shows and such. N scale [1/160] to 1/22.5 equals about 1.5 inch scale, IIRC. 

Tne new 'T' scale is approximately G1. 

tac 
www.ovgrs.org 
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund


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## EMD Trainman (Nov 23, 2010)

Mik, Nice pictures I like both applications of using a smaller scale train mixed with large scale 

EMD Trainman


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## hcampbell (Jan 2, 2008)

Don't forget "T" scale. At 1:450 with a gauge of 3mm (.12"), it's pretty close to G scale in G scale. 
http://www.t-gauge.net/ 

Harvey C.


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## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

This guy mixed scales 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_HPYLfHRsI 

(nice site, Harvey)


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

if you use H0 track with home-made cars for mines you dont have another scale. just another gauge. 

i am experimenting to use on my 1:29 layout besides the 45mm track some 0 gauge for plantation and mining lines as well as H0 for the mine shafts and even some N track for old fashioned sawmills. 

apart from track and trains there is an application for different scales. forced perspective. here my first try: 
(foreground 1:29 background figure and gate 1:45. the shadows from the flash spoil the impression somewhat)


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## Matt Z (Dec 2, 2009)

Hey guys, a friend of mine and I have always joked about adding a park train to my layout. It seems that Bachmann's On30 is actually fairly close to being 15" gauge narrow gauge next to g-scale. And even better is n-scale being like 1.5" scale to go along with it! 

The big test is taking a "scale" engineer and sitting him on the smaller loco's to see what you've got! 

I'm sure someone out there has pictures of this being done! 

Matt


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By hcampbell on 24 Nov 2010 04:54 AM 
Don't forget "T" scale. At 1:450 with a gauge of 3mm (.12"), it's pretty close to G scale in G scale.
http://www.t-gauge.net/ 



Harvey C. 

I wrote that on page 1.

tac
www.ovgrs.org
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Mik on 24 Nov 2010 01:50 AM 
Posted By Spule 4 on 23 Nov 2010 11:47 PM 
Ah, I see he has a JNR C11 there Mik, Aster perhaps? Or maybe O.S.live steam... the nominal scale on those bitty things (static, Japanese, about $4 each) works out to about 2.5" gauge. I have that one and 2 others ............someplace. I think they're in my parts sorter 

Ah, OS...very true, forgot about those. Anything that gets Japanese steam locos on your layout is a GOOD thing!


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

The Japanese T-scale supplier has more pics of the park railway they offer. Very neat. They claim it is 1/32nd scale but you could use a larger set of figures.


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