Talking T Gauge

Claude_Dreyfus · Joined: 21 Sep 2008 Posts: 12 Location: West Sussex - UK

I have stumbled across the Gemini Jets range of models http://www.geminijets.com/, which as its name implies mainly centres around model aircraft. There are, however, a large number of accessories - airport buildings, vehicles and the like - available....which has got me thinking. Idea

Does anyone here have experience of matching 1/400 with T gauge, and if so how bearable is the scale difference? Is it similar to 1/148 vs. 1/160 N gauge, or more pronounced? If I were to make some purchases, the airport model would be separated from the tracks to try to hide any differences size - if of course the difference is relatively small.

I am working on the assumption that things like aircraft, being very big, may disguise any discrepancy to a certain extent, plus some judicious 'scenicing' (is that a word?) to try to further deceive the eye....

If I am indeed being daft, and the idea stupid, do let me know (although not in so many words as I am a sensitive soul Wink

), or is this a viable opportunity to make something interesting? Has this already been covered, and I am not looking properly?

Gentlemen; I am at your mercy.....

David K Smith · Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2008 6:12 pm Post subject:

Not daft at all, sir.

After quickly glancing through the site to which you linked, it looks as though their accessories are from Herpa, who produce lots of airport-related items--houses, vehicles, parking garages and suchlike--in 1:400 and 1:500, some more useful than others.

I've purchased some of the Herpa Wings accessories. The buildings seem useful, although many of their vehicles are highly stylized and not realistic (they tend to look like architectural miniatures, which are meant to be generic and representative, as opposed to believable). I opted mostly for the 1:500 items, as too small is often less objectionable than too large, IMO.

You can see all of the Herpa merchandise here:

http://www.herpa.de/
_________________
—David

http://www.t-gauge.net/
http://1-450.blogspot.com/

David K Smith · Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2008 6:22 pm Post subject:

This post reminded me to make mention of some other resources that could prove useful for modeling in T. I'll start building a link list soon; meanwhile, Google for suppliers of military, warfare, aircraft and shipbuilding accessory and detail supplies. There's a lot out there... off the top of my head are Gold Medal Models, Tom's, and Lion Roar, to name but a few.
_________________
—David

http://www.t-gauge.net/
http://1-450.blogspot.com/

JohnDMJ · Joined: 21 Sep 2008 Posts: 34 Location: Hampshire - UK

Claude_Dreyfus · Joined: 21 Sep 2008 Posts: 12 Location: West Sussex - UK

It would be interesting to see how much 'give' there actually is in this scale. If properly situated, UK (1/148), Japanese (1.150) and 'Continental' (US & Europe - 1/160) N Gauge can co-exist happily on the same layout.... Obviously with the marked difference in size, I wonder if the eye could be more easily disguised, provided of course the items in question are not of the same thing (or very similar).

Going off topic a little, the question of scale obviously does not just apply to size - as in how big are your buildings etc. There is also texture.

I am currently experimenting with green felt as a grass substitute - as I wonder if the usual green scatters and flock powders may be a little too course for T. I don't just want to use green paint for the scenics as this would be a little too flat. I certainly believe this aspect is very much trial and error, and as more layouts are built, so more techniques will be discovered.

Connected with texture is colour. As many may well know, at least one on here has probably heard me go on about this in the past, colour is also subject to scale. The smaller it is, the lighter the shade - in a very general rule of thumb. Especially when looking at grass, colour and texture start to become one of the same.... 1/450 greenery would be smooth (imagine a T Gauge blade of grass Shocked

) and pretty uniform in colour.

As ever, what may be literally correct may not 'look right', so this aspect of T Gauge is very much trial and error.

T Gauge presents some very interesting scenic challenges, purely in view of its size, which I am very much looking forward to looking at, both personally and from other people efforts/experiments...

JohnDMJ · Joined: 21 Sep 2008 Posts: 34 Location: Hampshire - UK

I take your point effectively about being too mathematical and not sufficiently aesthetic. Unfortunately, that's just me! Wink

However, as a 'quick and dirty' method of checking out the perspectives, I still think a few paper mock-ups to the various scales would either scream out at you or blend well together, especially if used to give depth to the final result (1:400 in the foreground, 1:500 further back)

For further information, I recently saw a model aerodrome at an exhibition; 1:200 scale aircraft with a Z scale (1:220) track servicing supplies. True there was nothing to say that this was a standard gauge line, but the two scales worked well together in that context.

David K Smith · Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 1:04 pm Post subject:

Occasionally there will be discussion of "how big is a __ scale brick?" I've found that strict accuracy in the smaller scales does not aways yield the most satisfying results. I model in HO, N and Z, and now that I've started working in T, I'm finding that that this "rule" appears to be ona grade: the smaller the scale, the less satisfying accuracy appears to be. I think that part of this is an effect of visual cues. If a brick texture is not evident, there is not enough visual cue to let us know that it's brick. I'm working on a blog piece discussing this in more depth.
_________________
—David

http://www.t-gauge.net/
http://1-450.blogspot.com/

Claude_Dreyfus · Joined: 21 Sep 2008 Posts: 12 Location: West Sussex - UK

JohnDMJ · Joined: 21 Sep 2008 Posts: 34 Location: Hampshire - UK

Claude_Dreyfus · Joined: 21 Sep 2008 Posts: 12 Location: West Sussex - UK

rhtrain@hotmail.com · Joined: 04 Jan 2009 Posts: 1

You would be better of using 1/500 scale airplanes and ex. there are more things available. I found 1\300 bridges at GHQ they are a little small for that scale but the stone arch bridge is realy nice and at 14.50 fore a three arch bridge is a good deel.they also have a triple span truss bridge.Im using them on a layout im bilding i will post pictures latter. It is 8 ft.long and 14in.wide,with an airport at one end and a sea port at the other end.there will be 4 trains running on 4 traks 1double line 1 street car line and 1coast line. love t gauge .waitting for swithes. Skytrex sells a line of 1\600 scale war game items that an be used .There trucks armer are a little big for that scale.I compared them with the herpa cars and they are close to the same size