Mike Massee’s 3” scale FB Page

Discuss park gauge trains and large scale miniature railways having track gauges from 8" to 24" gauge and designed at scales of 2" to the foot or greater - whether modeled for personal use, or purpose built for amusement park operation or private railroading.

Moderators: Glenn Brooks, Harold_V

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Topics may include: antique park gauge train restoration, preservation, and history; building new grand scale equipment from scratch; large scale miniature railway construction, maintenance, and safe operation; fallen flags; track, gauge, and equipment standards; grand scale vendor offerings; and, compiling an on-line motive power roster.
Glenn Brooks
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Mike Massee’s 3” scale FB Page

Post by Glenn Brooks »

More cross pollination for the Park Gauges!

https://m.facebook.com/groups/149921663 ... nt_mention

Mike has just created a 3” scale Facebook page for 1/4 scale RR AFFECTIONADOS.

Good to see people developing an ever broader appreciation for the hobby. Particularly in the larger scales.

Glenn
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Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
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Re: Mike Massee’s 3” scale FB Page

Post by 0351 »

Be interesting to see how many are into 3”.
I know it’s got to be few and far in between.
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Glenn Brooks
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Re: Mike Massee’s 3” scale FB Page

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Haha, so far there are four of us on the FB page. We are small but we are “mighty”.

P.S. actually we have 85 members on our local 15” ga miniature train Society page. Sizes vary, but small 15” ga locos are 3” scale. So guessing there are quite a few 1/4 scale affecionadoes around...

Glenn
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Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
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Harlock
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Re: Mike Massee’s 3” scale FB Page

Post by Harlock »

53 members now. :) Since I model pretty much exclusively in 3" scale at the moment in two different gauges it made sense, and I want to advocate it as the perfect balance between size and fun.
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Glenn Brooks
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Re: Mike Massee’s 3” scale FB Page

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Good to see your membership growing. I agree, 3” scale (plus or minus) is nearly perfect.

One thing we really need to grow the hobby, in the larger scales, are a couple of strategically located club tracks to operate our own equipment. I know there are grand scale enthusiasts all over the NorthWest, who would jump into building or restoring equipment, if we had someplace to run them.

Glenn
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Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
LIALLEGHENY
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Re: Mike Massee’s 3” scale FB Page

Post by LIALLEGHENY »

I think more people would be involved in the larger scales, 3" , 15" or 16 " gauge , if there were more places available to run anywhere in the country. Here in the Northeast we have the Reading Society in Pennsylvania and a couple of private tracks and that's about it.

Nyle
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Re: Mike Massee’s 3” scale FB Page

Post by Berkman »

It's also the weight and limitations of transporting 15inch gauge equipment.

I can move an entire 8-10 car train + steam engine in 7.5 gauge using a modest trailer behind a Chevy Tahoe.

Try moving the same amount of equipment in 15in gauge...
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Re: Mike Massee’s 3” scale FB Page

Post by Mike Walsh »

Unfortunately the funds for such an adventure are difficult to come by.

The ATT&NW was for sale for some time, all 2400 acres of it including the railroad. No takers. They then tried to parcel it out. Someone bought the property and wants the railroad gone. It is still available, though a few prospective buyers have visited the equipment as of late.

The ATT&NW is unique in that it has some rather large equipment. How many folks know of anywhere that a 15" gauge 4-8-4 can pound the rails? I'm thinking of just one, maybe two operations that the 801 would be free to let loose without any modifications to the ROW.
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Re: Mike Massee’s 3” scale FB Page

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Train Mountain would be ideal location...
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Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

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Re: Mike Massee’s 3” scale FB Page

Post by Pontiacguy1 »

Train Mountain would be ideal location...
they probably have the space, but are you going to fire a bunch of 15" gauge steam engines on propane? I wouldn't think so. Firing a 7 1/2" gauge locomotive on propane is one thing, but it would be a lot more expensive on a 15" gauge locomotive. You'd use an awful lot of propane for a day's run, especially if you are pulling a decent sized train.
The ATT&NW was for sale for some time, all 2400 acres of it including the railroad. No takers.
Not surprising... I don't of know many people in the hobby, if any, who could cough up the cash to buy 2,400 acres, with or without a railroad. Even if it was 100 acres and the railroad, the land is probably worth near half a million, or more. I know that there have been other railroads that have been for sale, 7 1/2" gauge, and on smaller plots of land too, where they still had trouble selling it. Just not many out there with deep enough pockets. Something that may have taken someone 30 or 40 years to build up and develop, and now you're trying to find someone who has that kind of money to purchase it all at once. Sure hate to see it get parted out...

I do agree that one of the first things I would look at with any grand scale locomotive would be (1) how do I transport it and (2) is there anywhere to transport it to? If there are no tracks out there, then you are necessarily limited to people who own enough property to build their own pike and enough want-to to actually make it happen.
Glenn Brooks
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Re: Mike Massee’s 3” scale FB Page

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Actually, Redwood Valley runs on propane, as do many concession trains. Oil is another other common fuel. So viable options do exist. The big plus for 15” ga at TM, is that would allow for opening a grand scale division that would allow Hobbyists to build and operate their own equipment, on a TM track during the many periods of non use by 7.5” folk. Electric locomotives are ideally suited for 3” scale and larger equipment.

Another thought,,, TM needs a dependable, long term, revenue source to support 7.5” operations, now that the chief benefactor has passed away. Maybe a 15” tourist train ride could provide that revenue.

Glenn
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Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
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Harlock
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Re: Mike Massee’s 3” scale FB Page

Post by Harlock »

I like to advocate for 9" gauge as perfect for 3" scale. It scales out to 36" gauge prototype exactly, and uses 3" scale wheel profiles and flanges, so it does not have any of the inherent problems of narrow gauge with 1/8 scale IBLS wheel profiles on 7.5" track. It is extremely stable and the running speeds can be faster. Starting fresh with a narrow gauge standard from the get-go is an ideal situation for us 'narrow minded' folks.

Unfortunately there is only one 9" railroad left in the US (The Mesa Grande Western, which I help operate and maintain) but it was heavily damaged in the Bobcat fire and we have to rebuild all of our bridges and trestles. It would be nice to see a small group of 9" builders get a few tracks going. with 3" scale aluminum rail, the costs and construction are similar to 7.5" gauge, a bit more. We have our own die that we order from.

The engine here was based on C-16 #268 and the mogul was freelanced from the same parts. They are both very powerful runners. We also have the sit inside X-1 which is very powerful, plus a Dan O'brian speeder gauged to 9".
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