G Scale Choices

okane Nov 23, 2008

  1. okane

    okane TrainBoard Supporter

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    Alright, me and the better half went to the Toronto Train Show Today. Nothing to write home about but more on that latter.

    After having a Look at Big Toys for Big Boys Deb decided we needed a G scale up North. So my question who is the manufacture for G scale Locos, Rolling Stock and Track. I saw LGB, Aristocrate and others.
     
  2. EMD trainman

    EMD trainman TrainBoard Member

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    Hi, I can certainly help you with this as I have been a G scaler since 2000. First you have to understand there are many scale ratios in G scale, not everything is the same size and some manufacturers will look odd coupled together. Remember, just because it says G scale or Gauge one does not mean it's all the same size scale ratios. Scale ratios in G scale range from 1:20.3 to 1:32 scale ratios and everything in between. Some G scale purist or rivet counters will tell you the only true scales in G scale are 1:32 scale ratio and 1:20.3 cale ratio, but you have to make up your own mind what you want. So first thing is first, pick a scale ratio size, I like 1:29 scale because there are many choices in commercial models in this scale ratio. Then pick a budget, for me brass is out of the question which is another reason why I chose 1:29 scale, many plastic but great quality reasonable models in this scale available. Then know what trains you want to run because this will make a difference of what radius curve you will need on your layout. A 10ft or more minimum diameter is highly recommended for outside, but not all have this kind of room, I myself run 8ft diameter curves so I'm limited to what I can have on my layout. For instance I can't run the USA Passenger cars or the USA intermodal aerticulated cars as they need 10ft diameter minimum curves. The bad news is LGB of America is out of the picture for right now, so you might want to choose another manufacturer.

    Here is a list of G scale manufacturers and the scale ratios they make there models in

    USA Trains Ultimate Series 1:29 scale ratio
    USA Trains American Series 1:24 scale ratio
    Aristocraft 1:29 scale ratio
    Aristocraft Delton series 1:24 scale ratio
    Hartland Locomotive works 1:24 scale ratio
    Accucraft AMS products 1:32 scale ratio
    Accucraft AML products 1:29 scale ratio
    Accucraft Narrow gauge products 1.20.3 scale ratio (Other wise known as F scale)
    Bachman Narrow gauge products 1.20.3 scale ratio
    Marklin Trains 1:32 scale ratio
    MTH Trains 1:32 scale ratio
    LGB - 1:22.5 scale ratio

    If you do choose a 1:29 scale ratio G scale train to run which is probably your best bet unless you are a narrow gauge G scaler, here is a list of minimum diameter curves for Aristocraft Trains and USA Trains.

    Aristocraft Locomotives

    Lil Critter 4ft dia
    Center Cab Diesel 4ft dia
    Alco PA 4ft dia
    U25B 5ft dia
    2-8-0 Consolidation 5ft dia
    0-4-0 Rogers 4ft dia
    2-8-2 Mikado 8ft dia
    SD-45 8ft dia

    USA Trains

    F3-A 5ft dia
    GP-30 5ft dia
    GP-9 5ft dia
    GP38-2 5ft dia
    NW-2 4ft dia
    SD40-2 8ft dia
    SD-50 8ft dia

    If you like mainline Canadian railroads, you are in luck, Art Knapp in Canada is the biggest Canadian G scale dealer for both Aristocraft and USA Trains and they offer special edition Candian road names, you can visit them here at > www.artknapptrains.com

    If you like narrow gauge 1:20.3 scale, have your bank account ready, but Bachman and Accucraft both make nice narrow gauge trains. Don't confuse the regular Bachman with Bachmans new 1:20.3 scale series, those are two way different train products.

    If you have any other questions, a quick look thru my EMD trainmans G scale section might help you out.
     
  3. EMD trainman

    EMD trainman TrainBoard Member

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    Now that you have chose what scale to run, now you have to make up your mind what couplers to use, unlike N and HO scale, knuckle couplers between manufactueres in G scale are incapatible with each other. Are you a Kadee coupler lover, then be prepared for alot of work, you need to buy a height guage and plastic shim stock to properly install these type couplers in the G scale world and then you are stuck using 10ft minimum diameter track as with body mounted couplers you can't go any tighter of a curve than this in G scale. You can always use the universal hook and loop coupler which is the only standard coupler in the G scale world. But if you like knuckle couplers like me and you want to run Arsitocraft and USA trains equipment together, I found it was easier for me to convert my Aristocraft rolling stock over to USA couplers, it was fast, easy and the match up height wise perfectly. The USA couplers are just about a bolt on replacment as with the other way around I found out by experimenting it was too much work.
     
  4. EMD trainman

    EMD trainman TrainBoard Member

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    Now you have to pick out what track to use. The LGB track is now sold as Piko track, but as a beginner I would highly recommend you use Aristocraft brass track. Piko track comes in many height profiles which may connfues you, such examples would be 250 and 332 height profiles. They do this to cater to those rivet counters who might say I need to run my 1:29 scale train on code 250 track to most accurate to scale. I use Aristocraft brass track myself which is ALL code 332 and this code is most reliable to operate on, especially outdoors. If you are worried about having brass track outside, don't worry, I known poeple to have Aristocraft brass track outside for 10 years without corrosion.

    Next you have to choose, are you going DCC, battery power or track power?
    Arsitocraft locomotives are more set up for DCC and battery power than the USA locomotives. The USA locomotives use alot more amps and don't make a good battery power operation locomotive. Aristocraft uses plug and play operation making DCC and battery power easy and fast to hook up. If track power is what you want and locomotives with alot of pulling power, than USA trains makes a great locomotive. USA locomotive uses traction tires and slide shoes making it a great puller and usually never loses contact with the track, but you better have some amps to back them up if you plan on running double and triple headers.

    Choosing the right transformer for track power is important also, like for the low am,perage draw Aristocraft trains, you could probably get away with a 10 amp MRC transformer, but restricted to how many cars you can pull. If you decide to run double and triple header USA locomotives with a string of 20 cars or more, you need brute force transformer power, I would highly recommend the Bridgewerks mag1000DL in this case as I own 3 myself, then you need to run 10 gauge wire to your track and attach it with hillmans rail clamp wire track clamps, this eliminates the need for multi feeds and gives your transformer lots of wire to carry those amps, I think it's even in the instruction from Bridgewerks to use 10 gauge wire with this transformer.
     
  5. DragonFyreGT

    DragonFyreGT TrainBoard Member

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    The DCC brings up a question for me that I've researched but never found a clear difinitive answer to. I plan to swap my layout over to the Train Engineer system and what I want to know is, Can I fully convert my FA-1/FB-1 over to the Train Engineer system while using a Multiple Unit Cable so they function like one long locomotive, while using track power?
     
  6. okane

    okane TrainBoard Supporter

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    You mean Digitrax is out for G Scale LOL
     
  7. DragonFyreGT

    DragonFyreGT TrainBoard Member

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    Ya that's what I meant haha. It's sunday, I don't function well before noon xD But my question is still, can DCC Run on a track power over battery powered locomotives?
     
  8. EMD trainman

    EMD trainman TrainBoard Member

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    I'm not very familiar with DCC myself, but have seen club members at the Large scale train show run multiple unit Aristocraft locomotives as one addressed locomotive unit which is very easy I heard. There are a few different DCC manufacturers out there. Aristocraft makes it very easy for a plug and play operation for DCC which is why you see mostly Aristocraft locomotives converted over to DCC as it would be much hard to install on a USA locomotive. You have to make sure your aristocraft locomotive was made from 2001 and up or else DCC won't work due to the plug and play was not made into the locomotives before that time period and would take alot of work to convert over.

    Before you think about converting your Aristocraft FA however, I think you should look at Arsitocrafts website, it seems they made a huge mistake on certain year FA1 locomotives, they put the wrong wires in the wrong places on the control board. They explain in detail how to check and fix this problem under the Technical support tab in the left screen of aristocrafts site here > www.aristocraft.com , or even better yet here is a direct link to the support area of the FA1 here > www.aristocraft.com/techinfo/FA-1%20Rewiring/index.html
     
  9. EMD trainman

    EMD trainman TrainBoard Member

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    I have checked Locolinc"s website which is one of the few DCC manufacturers I know of. According to their tech information on their web site, you can actually run up to 4 mulitple locomotives as one addressed unit, that is very impressive. You can check out their web site here > www.locolinc.com/
     
  10. DragonFyreGT

    DragonFyreGT TrainBoard Member

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    My units are 1991 production models, and I've got a few friends talking about custom made wiring harness for them, a lot of piggybacking of the wire harness plugs. Aristocraft did that for early units on the new ball bearing trucks. Knowing they did that, it might be possible to do that for DCC, seems it would warrent further research however. I'm going to check Locolinc and Aristocraft out and see what I can find on that. I figure if the early units can be setup for new power trucks and sound, why not DCC.

    EDIT: I just realized, both FA-1/FB-1 were 1991 Production Models, But recently, due to flooding and a ruined motor bodies, I had a local hobby shop swap the car shells onto new FA/FB trucks/Underbodies, I'm going to ask the guy's at the Hobby shop who did it at the Train Show next month, but I'm fairly certain they might be the 2001 models, what Makes me think they might be 1995-2000 is if I remember correctly, the 2001+ had the lowered car bodies.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 23, 2008
  11. EMD trainman

    EMD trainman TrainBoard Member

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    You are very correct in that statement. Due to many complaints from the rivet counters that the FA was not at prototypical height, Aristocraft lowered the body back down to where it should be in hopes of satisfying these rivet counters and geting more sales and also at the same timme came out with the DCC, Battery, and Sound plug n play options. In case you are wondring QSI is Aristocrafts direct sound unti manufacturer that installs and plugs in directly to the Aristocraft board. This was all done in 2001, right when the oops happened at the same time only on the FA units for some reason. The year 2000 and before did not have the lowered bodies or the plug n play options.
     
  12. DragonFyreGT

    DragonFyreGT TrainBoard Member

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    I will say this, as far as Rivet Counting goes, I like the lowered body style and I need to get that soon. My friend has informed me that it may be possible to retro install the QSI system at least. As for Dallee, I have to further research that one. As for retro installing, I would assume needing the DCC Board, and a wiring harness. Hmmm sounds like a bit of experimentation to me. I'm going to look into that, if I can see if that might work, we might have a new line of products for G-Scale.
     
  13. Dave

    Dave Permanently dispatched

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    I have two recommendations if you are starting in G scale. First. if you are going to use track power and have an outdoor layout, do yourself a favor and use Aristocraft Stainless Steel track instead of brass. There is much less maintenance required. I have a small outdoor layout with about 65 feet of track with one feeder that is over 3 years old and I have never had to clean the track. There is less than 2/10s of a volt loss anywhere on the layout. Second, invest in a Bridgewerks power pack; at least a 10 amp and preferably a 15 amp. They are simply the best I have seen and you won't be sorry. Just my opinion.
     
  14. EMD trainman

    EMD trainman TrainBoard Member

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    Dave, great job, I couldn't agree more. I have not tried the Aristocraft stainless track because I'm inside, but it does make more sense to spend the extra money if going outside. I totally belive in Bridgewerks transformers as I own 3 Magnum 1000DL transformers. Just remember to install 10 gauge wiring as per Brigewerks instructions. There is a vendor I know that sells this 2wire 10 gauge wire that is coated as one cable, if you need any or want to know who it is PM me. We have a new no vendor names in the thread rule now, so I can't just put a vendor recommendation in a thread. You can still use manufacturer names though.
     
  15. DragonFyreGT

    DragonFyreGT TrainBoard Member

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    I already plan on a Bridgewerks once my Blue Hogger finishes up it's lifespan. I've gone through about 5 cooling fan replacments, but I think the power supply is on it's last legs. No since in wasting it until it KO's for the final time. I'll have money to just go ahead and buy my replacment by then.
     
  16. EMD trainman

    EMD trainman TrainBoard Member

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