Page 17 - NMRA Roundhouse May-June 2019

provide options and add-ons as do Coyote Flats Depot both online and on their eBay shop.
Speaking of eBay (other auction sites are available) it’s a great way to view a catalogue of On30 items. Just type in On30 and view what is there (as I type this there are four pages showing 255 items). Accucraft and Bachmann produce a range of passenger cars and freight cars. The passenger cars are all to a similar design (clerestory roof and end balconies), even if in Bachmann’s case sometimes a bit shorter than their prototype. Their range has a baggage car, combine, car and observation car and they come in variety of colours including green, brown and yellow. Some have real road names, some spurious names and some are undecorated.
photos and plans for more than 70 different pieces of equipment.
Structures
The good news is that because On30 is 1/48th scale all the structures developed for American O scale work for On30. The bad news is that some can be quite expensive. The bargain basement entry option is a range of Plasticville models by Bachmann that are quite basic but are cheap.
Photo 8: Bachmann Plasticville covered bridge, as yet unpainted or weathered
Model Power has produced a similar range of products. Walthers did a range of O scale building kits that have now been reissued by Atlas. None of these are exquisite super scale craftsman kits but they can have detail, texture and weathering added.
Photo 7: A comparison of the various lengths of Bachmann On30 rolling stock.
Bachmann produces a diverse range of freight cars in two lengths plus four axle logging and 2 axle mineral cars. There are other manufacturers of kits and ready to run and of conversion kits to add to the variety available. Start with the San Juan Car Co, Banta Models, Mount Blue Model Co and Foothill Model Works and browse the American model press both printed and online. If you think the Bachmann models look too high, then Bachmann sell replacement lower profile underframes and trucks.
In the 21st century we can’t ignore 3D printing. Shapeways typically has in excess of four hundred 3D On30 downloads available.
Bachmann’s dominance has rather upset the coupling scene. They chose to stick with their equivalent to HO Kadee clone couplings at HO height. Strictly speaking their couplings are too small and at the wrong height. If you care, Kadee do the “proper” couplings and height gauge, and San Juan Car Co also do couplings.
Finally its actually quite easy to kit bash or even scratch build On30 freight cars. The On30 Annual (published by White River productions) usually has some scale plans included as does Narrow Gauge and Short Line gazette. White River publications sells a book entitled Slim Gauge Cars, Second Edition that contains thoroughly researched
Photo 9: ATLAS 1/48th scale feed mill
Also worth a look are second hand toy stalls. I once bought a toy building made of garish blue and yellow plastic for 50p. Primed, painted and with minor details added like down pipes and a door latch it became an On30 warehouse set on a home brew wooden platform.
Next up is Woodland Scenics who produce ready-built structures and kits of structures as do two other
June 2019 - ROUNDHOUSE 17