Introduction

What's with the 1:48 scale? Well after years in HO and other scales, 1:48 is the scale I model in these days. Everything in "real life" (or the "Prototype") is reduced by a factor of 48. Scaling everything down by a factor of 48 results in models that have incredible and very visible detail. Another way to express this scaling is to refer to it as "quarter inch scale" or O-scale.

In the UK, the scale used for this size of model is 1:43 or 7mm (to the foot). I thought those guys were supposed to be all metric…   In mainland Europe, they mostly stick to ratios and use 1:45.

So in On3, "O" refers to the scale. But what does "n3" mean? This is easy to explain. Most railroads in Europe and North America etc. operate on what's known as standard gauge (4' 8½" spacing between the rails). The "n3" refers to the narrower rail spacing of 3 feet - as used on less traveled short lines where lower construction costs were critical.

While there is a lot of interest in On30 (30" gauge) trains these days, the truth is only a few railroads were built to this standard. 3' (or 36") gauge was far more common with short lines especially in the era that I am modeling.

In terms of era and place, I'm modeling the North American Pacific Northwest roughly between 1890 and 1900.

The projects opposite will eventually be used on a new On3 layout that I am planning - The Elk Valley Lumber Co.

Questions? You can contact me at

 Converting and back dating a Bachmann On30 Porter 0-4-0 locomotive to 3 foot gauge and late 1890's era.
 Converting and back dating a Bachmann On30 Baldwin 2-6-0 locomotive to 3 foot gauge and late 1890's era.
 Re-gauging a Bachmann On30 Climax to On3.

 Constructing a Carson and Colorado 22' flat car from basswood.
 Freelancing a 24' flat car from basswood that's based on D&RGW standards.
 Building RGS Caboose #0409 from styrene.
 Constructing two D&RGW MOW cars (Kitchen and Commissary) from styrene.

 Constructing a small track side shanty from basswood.
 Constructing the Elk Valley General Store and Office from milled and dimensional basswood.

 Finishing a 15' Foothill Model Works resin Caboose.
 Re-gauging a Bachmann On30 Shay to On3.
 Building a Grandt Line 4-wheel "bobber" C&S Caboose kit.
 Building a laser cut circa 1880 24' boxcar kit.
 Building the ElK Valley Lumber Co. layout
 More way cool stuff...

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