ho /oo

[Old Bob]

Can I run oo gauge locos on ho gauge ? Any advice appreciated 

[Howbi]

OO track is the same as HO track........16.5mm between rails..........so both 1:72 scale and 1:87 scale locos can be run on the same track.........HB

 

PS........strictly speaking the sleepers should be of different size to reflect the actual scale correctly.........

[Wobblinwheel]

The fact that HO and OO scale trains run on the same track indicates to me that the wheel spacing on OO locos and rolling stock would be "out of scale". So, why is there an OO scale at all? Why not build model trains to the same scale as the track they're running on??

[Howbi]

Aaahh well, wobbly, you've hit on one of the modelling world's greatest mysteries.........it's all to do with the Brits wanting to be different to the rest of Europe........now where have we heard that before?......you see if we vote to leave the EU we can keep OO gauge but if we vote to stay in EU we will be forced to bin OO and change to HO....all part of a cunning plan.......... 😎....HB

[Fazy]

I rather like that reason.  But unfortunately it's not true.  Simple reason.  The British locomotives where to small to fit the the motors of the time.  When HO  3, 5mm  came out. So the scale was increased. But the track was kept to save money. So you end up with 4mm OO. The correct Scale for 4mm is P4/S4

[poliss]

Google 'history of 00 Gauge'. That's 00, not OO.

I'd post the link, but they're regarded as images and held for moderation.

[malB]

Indeed from what I gather HO stood for Half O gauge. So as O gauge was 7mm to the foot Q.E.D. Half O gauge was 3.5MM to the foot. But to throw a spanner in the works, there were those mainly in the U.K. that found the maths a bit difficult so rounded it up to 4mm to the foot creating OO.

 

On the face of it the differences aren't that great until you get an HO and OO model of British stock together and it stands out like a sour thumb. The actual scale that is. It's not quite so noticable if you have a British engine, say Flying Scotsman in OO along side say a Union Pacific Bg Boy in HO, as the latter towers over the former...... 😮

[81F]

 This link on Wikki says it all:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OO_gauge

[Fazy]

7mm = O

3, 5mm half O =HO

4mm It's double O = OO

Not double zero = 00

[Old Bob]

Thanks all for the answers. It seem there should be no problem ,(providing I take a course in maths)

[poliss]

Actually fazy, it is 00 (double zero) not OO, because if you look at the larger gauges they are in figures. Gauge 0, Gauge 1, Gauge 2, Gauge 3 etc. It was that Frank Hornby chappie who confused things by calling his trains Hornby Dublo. 😆

[Fazy]

Ok so 7mm should be called zero.  Gauge. Yes 

And is live steam gauge 1, 2, 3? For 3, 1/2"  5"  7" inch gauges or are the separate. 

[Fishmanoz]

RLC, yes, after 3 years at Oxford, your trains will all run on the same track.  Just a pass will do it, honors not required.

[poliss]

Yep, Gauge Zero. There aremany, many scales and gauges. The British ones with the numbers was first agreed by a subcommittee of the Society of Model Engineers on February 1st, 1899, so the history on the Gauge 3 Societies website says.

[Gordonvale]

OO track is the same as HO track........16.5mm between rails..........so both 1:72 scale and 1:87 scale locos can be run on the same track.........HB

 

Hi Howbiman,

My curiosity is making me ask where you get 1:72 from. All my life I have believed/said OO to be 1:72, however today's "reference books" state 1:76 or even 1:76.2. Are we right and the rest of the world wrong or have we been superseded somewhere along the line?

[choralc]

Gordonvale it should be clear when you look at Howbiman's avatar. 😛

 

He does mean 1/76 and gets confused with Airfix 1/72 models as many of us do. 😛 😛

 

BTW HBM we loved the movie

[Wobblinwheel]

I knew there had to be a reason, but they couldn't build motors small enough? That really seems odd. They've been making teenie motors for a LONG TIME. ... Haven't they??

[81F]

OO track is the same as HO track........16.5mm between rails..........so both 1:72 scale and 1:87 scale locos can be run on the same track.........HB

 

PS........strictly speaking the sleepers should be of different size to reflect the actual scale correctly.........

Hi Howbiman,

 

I wouldn't rely on 1/72 locos being able to run on the same track (I don't know of any rtr but I have seen a few plastic kits presumably for the war gamers). In theory the gaude would be around 19.9mm (scale 4' 11").

Although I have not measured this, the wheels/axels on a railway gun kit I hope to build some day, look as though they would assemble significantly wider than 00. This is a pity beacuse the same manufacturer makes other interesting kits like a Kriegslokomotive a diesel shunter and an armerd train that looked as though they had possibilities.

[81F]

OO track is the same as HO track........16.5mm between rails..........so both 1:72 scale and 1:87 scale locos can be run on the same track.........HB

 

Hi Howbiman,

My curiosity is making me ask where you get 1:72 from. All my life I have believed/said OO to be 1:72, however today's "reference books" state 1:76 or even 1:76.2. Are we right and the rest of the world wrong or have we been superseded somewhere along the line?

Probably not quite what you mean by "...where you get 1/72 from" but Google 'locomotives 1/72' in the image search and you will find quite a few at the top of the list

[Howbi]

I've just spent the morning installing a new modem/router for Fibre Broadband through Plusnet.........seems to be ok but higher speed not yet coming through, maybe have to wait a few hours.........anyway, having just logged on, I find that some of you noticed my deliberate mistake 😳  of course, I meant 1:76.........I used to be 72 but I'm nearer 76 now and that's my excuse, ok........... 😆....HB

[poliss]

Prior to 1935, Mr. A. R. Walkley of the Wimbledon Model Railway club, built a 3/16th inch gauge loco to 1mm to the foot scale. It was powered by a 2 volt electric motor. It was 1 inch long and 0.5 inches in height.

 

Why is the wrong track gauge still used for 1:76.2 scale locos. Because it's been around a long time and too many people have such models to change now. The narrow gauge also means tighter curves can be used, so that you can fit more in a given space.

If you want to use the correct track gauge for the scale, there's an app for that. Ooops, I mean there are societies that cater for it, such as the Scalefour Society. At least one RTR model comes with alternative drop in wheelsets for this gauge.

[Fazy]

Would that be the all singing and dancing Class 24! From "Suttons Locomotive Works" SLW

 

Which doesn't come with the extra wheels. (P4 orEM) But can  be supplied at a extra cost.  Something like £20.

[poliss]

No. The one I'm thinking of is 'Advanced' for the NRM. 😉

[81F]

Prior to 1935, Mr. A. R. Walkley of the Wimbledon Model Railway club, built a 3/16th inch gauge loco to 1mm to the foot scale. It was powered by a 2 volt electric motor. It was 1 inch long and 0.5 inches in height.

 

Why is the wrong track gauge still used for 1:76.2 scale locos. Because it's been around a long time and too many people have such models to change now. The narrow gauge also means tighter curves can be used, so that you can fit more in a given space.

If you want to use the correct track gauge for the scale, there's an app for that. Ooops, I mean there are societies that cater for it, such as the Scalefour Society. At least one RTR model comes with alternative drop in wheelsets for this gauge.

Don't orget there are also societies for British HO and the LIMA class 33 was originally in that scale. Indeed I'm tempted to get one for my rake of CIWL sleeping cars but they are a little hard to identify on eBay as most sellers describe them as OO!

 

[Fazy]

And the lima 4f was Ho at one point.