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What is Nn3 Page 1 What is Nn3 Nn3 is narrow gauge modeling in N-Scale in its broadest terms. It uses Z-Scale track commonly referred to as 6.5mm track and Märklin Mechanism along with Micro Trains engines and rolling stock operating on Micro Trains trucks and couplers. It encompasses standard gauge N-Scale stock that has been altered to run on narrow gauge rail. The conversions can be complex ones in which the cars is made narrower and the roof line lowered to just a simple change of trucks and couplers. Nn3 as used here is a generic term meaning narrow gauge and does not indicate that we are modeling specifically 3 foot gauge in scale because we are not. The three basic gauges of narrow gauge track being modeled in Nn3 are 3ft 6in. Meter, and 3ft. N-Scale has developed in many countries of the world to encompass many differing standards ranging from the North American or US standard of 1:160 to 1:155, 1:150, 1:148 and even some at 1:144 in other countries. What they all have in common is they all use 9mm track to represent standard gauge track and 6.5mm track to represent narrow gauge. Below is a comparison of the commercially available Z-gauge track which we use for narrow gauge modeling in N-scale from the three suppliers, Märklin of Germany, Peco of the England and Micro Trains of the USA. Recently in Japan there have been several companies starting to provide Z-scale Japanese models using 6.5mm track. The only one producing track at present is AKIA aka RealZJ and we have added there roadbed track to the list. Comparison of the various measurements of "Z" scale track used in Nn3
When combining roadbed types the Micro Trains Roadbed Plastic joiner can only be used with Micro Trains Roadbed track as it is the widest. The roadbed joiners of RealZJ and Crown are interchangeable and the roadbed joiner from Rokuhan is the narrowest but will work with any of the other track systems. The RealZJ and Crown roadbed joiners will work with Rokuhan track as well, they are a bit tight but do slide in without distorting the Rokuhan slot and create a very secure joint. Rokuhan track has the tallest track profile. The rail is code 63 the same as Peco track. There is a slight height variation in track height when going from Rokuhan or Peco to any of the other brands which in operation is negligible when measured against performance of the rolling stock. The more noticeable difference is in the height difference of the roadbeds, however, when you consider the difference is spread over a section of track that too becomes negligible in operation. Unlike Micro Track the Japanese systems of rail joiner and track bed joiner have a feature that locks the rail joiner with the roadbed joiner. There is a depression at each end of the roadbed joiner and the rail joiners have a turned down lip that catches in this depression keeping them to-gether. The other feature of the Japanese roadbed track systems is their plug and play system of getting power to the track. In the RealZj system there is an opening in the 110mm straight track for a connecter to slide in under the track connecting the power wire to the track and there is no filler to hide it when not in use. In Crown track there is a spot in each section of track where you can push out a section of road bed and make room for the power connector to slide in under the track. On Rokuhan track these same push outs only occur on the straight sections of track. On both the Crown and the RealZj track there are places where you can attach dummy overhead masts for single or double track overhead. RealZJ made them for double track and Crown made them for single track. This feature does not appear on the Rokuhan trackyet but a new fixture has been proposed by Rokuhan which will allow for single and double line overhead mast to be used . Since RealZJ [Akia] is no longerin business it is hard to find their track and overhead masts. The Crown product is still current and there is some indication they will produce their version of dual track overhead masts soon. I never got any of the Pro-Z track and since they never produced any for general sales and it only occurred on their modules so it has never been reviewed by me. It was reported to be vary similar to Marklin track with two radii 170mm and 145mm. No switches were ever produced even though some pictures of one of their modules showed a switch by the station platform. |
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Text, layout, graphics, & design © 1999,- 2011 by G.A. Hamilton 4399/1 last update to this page 10th June 2011 other graphics © of the owners who donated it as noted.
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