15 Most Annoying Things about N Gauge

[@GreatWestern5199]

If you're planning on commenting and saying how I'm putting N gauge in a bad light or something like that, then just don't. Let's keep my comments positive!

[@flyingtardisOfficial]

i love the fact that litterally all but three is relateable to all modelling scales :P although out of those 3, 2 of them have other scale equivalents :P honestly this was a nice fun refreshing video to see, its what we need more of :D

[@gavinstricklin9512]

How come graham farish bogeys don’t work with kato points? I want to buy some graham farish locos because I’ve seen some designs I like.

[@111greatbear3]

Can never get enough N gauge especially from Graham Farish

[@GreatWestern5199]

Truer words were never spoken, also nice username!

[@VestedUTuber]

Ok, so the Graham Farish vs Kato turnouts thing is actually well documented. As a Bachmann brand, Graham Farish slightly undergauges their equipment. Meanwhile, KATO builds their Unitrak line to the exact specifications set by the NMRA in the US, which are generally also followed in most other places. The gauges are just close enough that in most cases they work fine, but on rare occasions Bachmann equipment will pick any turnout that isn't a Bachmann EZ Track turnout. This seems to be less of an issue these days. As a US modeler, I mostly have US equipment in N scale including two Bachmann locomotives, though I also imported a Graham Farish BR Class 04 to represent an imported locomotive operated by a coal mine. My Bachmann 4-8-2 USRA Light Mountain will on rare occasions pick both my Unitrak turnouts and the Peco turnouts used by a local club I run at, while my Bachmann Siemens SC-44 Charger has no issues what so ever. Interestingly enough, my Graham Farish BR Class 04 doesn't have issues with KATO turnouts, but will climb on the frogs on the Peco ones as the wheel flanges are too tall for the smaller Code 55 rail. My Atlas, BLI and Model Power locomotives and my KATO, Atlas, Athearn and Micro Trains rolling stock don't have any issues, apart from a caboose that tends to be a bit wobbly. As for couplings, one annoyance I have is that you guys have a significantly different coupler height than us. I can't pull any trains with my BR Class 04 because the couplers are too low compared to my NMRA standard rolling stock.

[@GreatWestern5199]

Okay WOW. Thanks very much, I'm not sure how long it took you to type this but it was very interesting to read! Does a real imported BR 04 still exist in the US? If so that's awesome. And I think I may just have to put up with the gauge war by the sound of things, the trains only derail under certain conditions so if I avoid those then I'm good. And yes, couplings really are annoying over here, Graham Farish love having spring-loaded couplings, as in they're pressed against the edge of a little box by a spring, which gives them no way at all of reliably staying up so they're compatible with other stock... Yeah great design there Grafar 😂 Again, I'll say thank you very much for telling me this, as I'm almost certain I would've never found this out on my own 👍

[@VestedUTuber]

@@GreatWestern5199 I'm not sure if we got any BR 04s in the US to begin with, but I know some of them were exported out of the UK. The one I have a model of actually ended up in Italy. As for the couplers, it's not the angle on mine, you guys seem to have a different standard for coupler height than we do. Even at the highest position, the top of the couplers on the BR 04 just barely reaches the bottom of the couplers on my rolling stock. I think part of that has to do with how couplers are implemented on various equipment - in the US, we're actually modeling functional scale knuckle couplers, while on UK models the couplers seem to be a substitute for the chain-and-buffer setups on your full-size equipment.

[@GreatWestern5199]

@@VestedUTuber Oh right, for that I'd suggest bending the plastic very gently so that the coupler bends up a bit. I'm not sure if it'd help, just a thought 👍

[@avidlisner8748]

Thank you for keeping the videos at about 5 minutes long. That's nice!! 😁

[@GreatWestern5199]

I try to make them quite long but they end up being about that. Thanks though!

[@consueloguzmanpina3851]

Hi a litle cuestion what model you use ?

[@GreatWestern5199]

I use several different brands of models, all the trains in this video were manufactured by Graham Farish, the track comes from Kato and the scenery is from lots of different brands. Really to me it doesn't matter who made a model as long as it's good 👍

[@consueloguzmanpina3851]

Than you 😁

[@B-A-L]

The worst thing about N Gauge from a Japanese train enthusiast's perspective is that it's N Gauge not N Scale! Ordinary Japanese trains have standard gauge bodies running on narrow gauge bogies on narrow gauge track and bullet trains have wide gauge bodies running on standard gauge bogies on standard gauge track but both run on the same track in railway modelling, with the ordinary model trains narrow gauge bogies altered to standard gauge bogies and the bullet trains have the wide gauge bodies altered to standard gauge bodies to fit on double track in particular. The only physically correct model trains are the mini-shinkansen which are standard gauge bodies on standard gauge bogies.

[@Toastie_17]

Would you be ok if I took this idea for a video ? I’ve got some more issues of my own . When couplings on a bogey collide with the footplate and get stuck . When you buy an engine that has the wrong coupling shut has working lights so you keep it because it’s cool and wait 5 years to order it new couplings

[@GreatWestern5199]

Go for it, but perhaps credit me in the description if you don't mind. I look forward to seeing your take on the idea!

[@Toastie_17]

@@GreatWestern5199 thanks ! Will credit ! I’d rather see people do dangerous tik tok challenges like dancing in the middle of a road instead of stealing XD

[@Emilystar1095]

1:24 one time, one of my engines couplings went up and bounced off the track, which made me laugh since I never seen such an odd misap happen before, but the only thing making my life həll is ordering n gauge rolling stock/locomotives from the uk to where I live, which is a nightmare. As most sales aren't in usd, or if there is a sale up for usd, it is most likely going to be ridiculously overpriced.

[@railway187]

Great video👍 I will keep my OOgauge 😊

[@davidsheriff8989]

You just convinced me to forget about N guage....

[@markdixey3180]

1) differences in the heights between couplings - on the same set of models! 2) The fineness of it and relaying the track because one loco won't go over a point 3) random uncoupling when filming! They're my pet hates but space is definitely the advantage. If only Hornby had gone into N. If only Lima had gone into N as well the same way they invested in the OO market, n gauge would have been a serious competitor to OO gauge

[@Elvinley]

'Everything in N Gauge is rare' very true that!

[@GreatWestern5199]

Sadly yes 🥲

[@KrazyJake88]

i find this true for the UK. N gauge is more popular in Hong Kong and Japan as space is limited, there's much higher availability of N Gauge than HO/OO

[@KrazyJake88]

@@ItsAlfieGWR it is true if you're looking for trains that aren't British, such as Japanese or American, there are many variations and variety of rolling stock from other regions that aren't sold officially in the UK. I picked up a brand new Kato 9 car commuter train set for £75 in Japan this summer and I can tell you N scale is much more in demand than HO/O. N scale is the more dominant scale in Asian regions as its better value for space and has a higher availability.

[@timstrainvideos142]

you can get problems in every scale. a lot of model railway building is problem solving really and it can be frustrating - but also rewarding and enjoyable.

[@GreatWestern5199]

Couldn't agree more, my friend

[@kimjongoof5000]

You forgot to mention that everything has expensive import charges

[@GreatWestern5199]

Not when I'm in the UK, thankfully 😅

[@philkirk4571]

I think a lot of your comments are tongue in cheek? 😅 But seriously I think the latest Bachmann N gauge models are smooth and reliable. My dislikes, the awful couplings and Peco track. We now have alternative couplings and finescale track but only if you have time to fit and make them! 😢

[@GreatWestern5199]

Well summed up, I absolutely loathe when couplings randomly either start drooping down or get stuck raised up 😤😂

[@timbo66]

This could be an N Gauge support group! No 16, why will my loco run round the track 10 times but derail on the 11th! I love N Gauge too, it is frustrating at times but brilliant when it works.

[@GreatWestern5199]

Couldn't agree more, mine do that a lot 😂

[@colinnewmarch1106]

I love my n gauge but I think it's the poor relation

[@IIIIIIlllllllIIILLL]

16 : The thing to connect cars that way you can go to another cars is not perfect. 17 Too Expensive Train i want to buy (not include Accsesories cor layout and tracks : $19.000 not include shipping

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

And there are all those saying N gauge is too small and fiddly but say that TT is fine even though TT is only 0.5mm per foot larger than N. Go figure?

[@paulcherrytrains3339]

A lot of this applies to OO as well. Now why won't my train start. Where did I put that uncoupler. Why derail now why why why. Thanks for showing. Regards Paul.

[@GreatWestern5199]

I thought the same, but why not include them anyway. Model railways really can be a pain sometimes! 😂

[@black5f]

I have just gone over to the dark side ;-) I'm not your father etc. I am really an O gauge and On30 bod. But I'm getting old now and want to run 10 coach trains behind a Scott in the dry and warm on my table ;-) The most annoying thing about N gauge ... it's small, but I have N gauge glasses now, but on the positive, engines don't cost a £1000 and ... are like alien tech in terms of detail now really detailed. And most run really really well? So I think I'm in for what time s left. The second most annoying I've noticed ... a strand of hair from my wife is 2 feet long and 1.5 thou in diameter (12inches to the foot scale) (it's very mousy and, well ... she sheds it). So to scale that's a bit less than 1/4 inch in diameter and 300 yards long (5.63mm x 91.52m to be exact for the metric people) And this when wrapped around the rear most axle of a 2000 ton goods train stops it dead in it's tracks (literally) (Only in tunnels or hard to get too places and only ever on the rear axle to derail the entire train .... which implies that her hair is in some way sentient and hates me:-) Maybe Elon would be interested ... if we can only scale it up? The hair I mean, I'm not suggesting we scale up my wife of course. Shaky starts .. well, for those that don't remember steam, the basic idea was to get as fast as you can as quick as you can to get where you are going without derailing and before you got sacked for being late. DCC is really great for motor control but the sound IS better out of a 2 /12 inch speaker ;-) Anyway, they didn't creep around showing off their slow speed control. Plenty of books with milestone timing accounts of Jubilees hitting 98 and 9f's hitting 90-95. An old friend of mine just passed was a goods shed fireman at Wellingborough on 8f's and Garratts. Yes, MR policy, keep hanging on trucks until it won't move and then take one off was the policy. He had a wonderful storey he told. He had just finished and a fireman got sick, he was told to fire a Jube to London and back. He said.... he had never spoken too or been spoken too by a driver? But the driver spoke to him? The driver said "have you ever fired a Jubilee?", he said no of course, his usual life was stuck of the level crossing blocking the road. "Well" the driver said, a Jubilee driver, "shovel like hell up hill, then hang on for dear life going down hill". I'm sorry this comment is more than 5 minutes long ;-) Anyway, N gauge.... I've always, ignored, suddenly has another home. ( Along with everything else I have gathered ;-)

[@GreatWestern5199]

This was beautifully written. Yes I get that issue too, some of my wagons get dislocated axles and will skid along, slowing the train down significantly, which can be frustrating. That story about the Jubilee was amazing! They're big beasties, I can say that from firsthand experience having seen one a while back. Thank you for commmenting 😄👍

[@Justlovedolls2024]

I'm surprised traction tires didn't come up

[@GreatWestern5199]

I haven't got any N gauge locos with those, so I haven't encountered their issues... yet 😬

[@Justlovedolls2024]

You can tell if they had them if a wheel has a Grove for one to fit, then you have to take apart the connecting rods and tiny pins and its a nightmare

[@TIMG128]

SO true

[@waynekinney3358]

Right, that's it! I'm moving to RC cars!... LOL

[@GreatWestern5199]

No... No wait... COME BACK!!!! 🤣🤣

[@waynekinney3358]

@@GreatWestern5199 hahaha

[@NS_NScaler_Nick]

Damn n scale never works right 🤣🤣

[@robertwhite361]

I don't think you are suited to n gauge 😅

[@GreatWestern5199]

I do, and I'm managing quite well with it thanks! 😄

[@HobbiesRfun]

When it comes to Kato turnouts, their #4 turnouts aren't that great, and give most American N scale modelers problems too, unless you modify them, which there are several YT videos showing that. Their #6 turnouts work great though, and the layout I'm building has all #6 turnouts, and they give me no problems, regardless of the locomotive I run through them, including my Athearn, and BLI Big Boys. I've run the Big Boys through them frontwards, backwards, slow speed, and fast speed, and no derailment issues. I just bought the Kato 4014 Big Boy, (Yes I'm an obsessed Big Boy locomotive addict, especially after seeing the real thing in person twice) and I don't expect any issues with that one either. Granted I can't have as many industrial spurs on my layout with the #6 turnouts, as I would with the #4 turnouts, but the sacrifice of a few of spur tracks here, and there was worth it for me to have a decent running layout. I'll be upgrading my layout soon from a hollow core door layout to a 4x8 layout, with real benchwork supporting it, instead of just two saw horses like I have now, and though I could upgrade the scale to HO with a 4x8, I can't run a Big Boy excursion train on it in that scale. Plus I just don't have the space for a layout larger than a 4x8 table. Since the minimum radius curves on the new layout will be 19" in N scale, and I'll only be using #6 Kato turnouts in the small storage/staging yard area of the layout, the Big Boy, which ever one I decide to use, and the excursion cars shouldn't have an issue.