View source for HOn30 gauge

'''HOn30''' (also called '''HOn2½''', '''HO9''' and '''H0e''') [[Track gauge|gauge]] is the modelling of [[narrow-gauge]] railways in [[HO scale|HO]] on [[N scale|N]] ({{RailGauge|9mm|disp=s}}) gauge track in 1:87 scale ratio.

== Definitions ==
The term HOn30 (and sometimes HOn2½) is generally used when modelling [[United States|American]] prototypes while H0e is used for European prototypes.  In Britain, the term '''OO9''' is used.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.scalefour.org/parkside/ng5.htm
| title = Narrow Gauge Models in OO9 and OOn3
| accessdate=2008-09-05
| author=Keith Norgrove
| publisher=Parkside Dundas
| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080515072005/http://www.scalefour.org/parkside/ng5.htm
| archivedate=2008-05-15
}}</ref> All these terms refer to models of narrow-gauge [[railway]]s built to the world's most popular model railway scale of [[HO scale|HO]] (1:87) but using a track gauge of {{RailGauge|9mm}}&mdash;the gauge used for [[N scale]] models of standard-gauge railways.  OO9 refers to OO scale, 1:76.2, models on 9mm gauge track.  Although the track gauge is 9mm, sometimes N scale track per se is not used because the [[Railroad tie|ties]] or sleepers are out of scale and too close together.  As such, HOn30 track is available.

=== HOn30 ===
{{Infobox model rail scale
| name = HOn30
| image_filename = Chivers Forney 2-4-4.jpg
| image_caption = Chivers Finelines Forney 2-4-4, built by Peter Bartlett
| scale = 3.5&nbsp;mm to {{cvt|1|ft|mm|0}}
| ratio = 1:87
| gauge = {{RailGauge|9mm|lk=on}}
| prototype_gauge = {{RailGauge|2ft}}<br> ([[narrow gauge]])
}}
'''HOn30''' is often used to model the {{RailGauge|2ft}} gauge railroads in the US state of [[Maine]].<ref>[http://www.hon30.org/?p=5 The HOn30 Home Depot: What is HOn30 – by Bob Hayden and Dave Frary]</ref> The first HOn30 / HOn2½ ready-to-run (RTR) brand introduced in the US was the AHM MinitrainS,<ref name="AHM">[http://www.hon30.org/?p=175 The HOn30 Home Depot: AHM Minitrains ancient history]</ref> initially manufactured by Egger-Bahn and later by [[Roco (model railroads)|Roco]] and Mehanoteknika Izola, also known as [[Mehano]].

Perhaps the most fascinating part of HOn30 is that RTR models are still scarce. One exception is The MinitrainS line that has recently been upgraded.<ref>[http://minitrains.eu MinitrainS]</ref>
{{clear}}

=== H0e ===
{{Infobox model rail scale
| name = H0e
| image_filename = Egger 1006 grote kopp.jpg
| image_caption = Egger-Bahn Steam Tram
| scale = 3.5&nbsp;mm to {{cvt|1|ft|mm|0}}
| ratio = 1:87
| gauge = {{RailGauge|9mm|lk=on}}
| prototype_gauge = {{RailGauge|760mm|lk=on}}<br> ([[Narrow gauge]])
}}
'''H0e''' is a gauge defined by the ''[[Normen Europäischer Modellbahnen]]'' (NEM).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.morop.org/en/normes/nem010_en.pdf |title=NEM 010: Ratio, Scale and Gauge |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927143351/http://www.morop.org/en/normes/nem010_en.pdf |archivedate=2007-09-27}}</ref> According to that standard, H0e represents narrow gauges between {{convert|650|-|850|mm|in|2|abbr=on}}, though it is often used to represent {{RailGauge|600mm}} gauge railways as well. In strict scale H0e represents a theoretical gauge of {{convert|783|mm|in|abbr=on}}, which does not exist as a prototype. But this is very close to the gauge of the {{RailGauge|750mm}} gauge railways most widely used in Germany, {{RailGauge|760mm}} gauge railways [[Bosnian gauge]] most widely used in the former Austro-Hungarian empire, {{RailGauge|800mm}} gauge rack railways in Switzerland as well as to the {{RailGauge|2ft6in}} gauge used in parts of the British Empire.
{{clear}}

== Development ==
[[Image:HOn2½, HO9 and HOe gauge track.jpg|thumb|From left to right: ''[[Narrow-gauge railways]]'', ''[[field railway]]'' and ''[[Decauville|Decauville system]]'' track with a model gauge of {{RailGauge|9mm}}.]]
H0e scale was invented by [[Egger-bahn|Egger-Bahn]] in 1963<ref>[http://www.egger-bahn.de/english/index.htm Egger-bahn: History]</ref> - for a long time out of production, but some of the Egger-Bahn line has been reintroduced by MinitrainS.<ref>[http://www.minitrains.eu MinitrainS]</ref>
Other manufacturers to produce HOe in recent years have included Roco, Liliput, Bemo and Tillig. 

=== United States ===
In 1965 Bob Hayden and Dave Frary stumbled upon an Associated Hobby Manufacturer's AHM<ref name="AHM"/> "MinitrainS" HOn{{frac|2|1|2}} (now named HOn30) train set at a Woolworth's department store and decided to use it to model [[Maine]] 2-foot railroads in [[HO scale]].

The AHM MinitrainS line was introduced only a few years after [[N scale]] appeared in Europe. The product line represented North American prototypes in [[HO scale]], using N-gauge track. AHM offered two industrial locomotives, a [[Plymouth Locomotive Works|Plymouth]] diesel and a [[Baldwin Locomotive Works|Baldwin]] steam locomotive.

Hayden & Frary used the AHM trains to model a HOn{{frac|2|1|2}} {{convert|3|x|5|ft|adj=on}} portable model railroad called the Elk River Line. The layout appeared in articles starting in the April 1970 issue of ''[[Railroad Model Craftsman]]''.

The pair built a second HOn{{frac|2|1|2}} layout called Thatcher's Inlet, a 6-foot-by-30-inch ({{cvt|72|x|30|in|m|disp=out}}) shelf-type switching layout. It was inspired by the Wiscasset waterfront of the Maine 2-foot railroads. The equipment was based more on available N gauge products than on the AHM MinitrainS line{{snd}} it reflected the growing variety of N-gauge equipment and accessories available in the early 1970s.

Next came Dave Frary's {{convert|12|x|26|ft|adj=on}} HOn{{frac|2|1|2}} Carrabasset & Dead River Ry (C&DR), one of the first known large model railroad to utilize HOn{{frac|2|1|2}}. It appeared in the November 1979 and February 1980 issues of ''[[Model Railroader]]''.

In 1974, Bob Hayden started his own version of the C&DR. Its first engine was a reworked AHM MinitrainS steamer. The first C&DR road diesels, No.&nbsp;25 and 26, were based on [[Minitrix]] N-gauge [[Fairbanks-Morse]] switchers. Hayden's C&DR was featured in ''[[Model Railroader]]''{{'}}s ''Great Model Railroads'' 1991 annual.

During the mid-1970s a Japanese company, Sango, made a kit for a 2-6-0 Baldwin engine which showed a great improvement in running ability. This started a growing interest in HOn{{frac|2|1|2}} in Japan.  From 1978 to 1982, Joe Works, Sango, and Flying Zoo kits and built-up brass models came on the scene.  There was a thriving interest in Japan in 2-footers using N gauge track, as this allowed more HO scale modeling in less space than traditional HO gauge track.

== Related scales ==
The other NEM defined narrow gauges for H0 scale are [[H0m gauge]] (using {{RailGauge|12mm|disp=s}} gauge originally [[TT scale]] track) for models of {{RailGauge|1000mm}} gauge and similar prototypes and [[H0f gauge|H0i or H0f gauge]] (using Z scale {{RailGauge|6.5mm|disp=s}} track) for prototypes around {{RailGauge|600mm}} – the most popular gauge for industrial (or Feldbahn) railways.

In the United Kingdom where the most popular railway modelling scale is 1:76 designated '''[[4 mm scale]]'''. The narrow-gauge equivalents to H0e and H0m are [[OO9]] and OO12. For modelling {{RailGauge|3ft}} gauge railways – widely used in Ireland and the Isle of Man – a {{RailGauge|12mm}} gauge track (as for H0m) is used. For modelling the same {{RailGauge|3ft}} track in HOn3 or [[OOn3]] – widely used in the United States – the track is {{RailGauge|10.5mm}}.

In the United States the [[National Model Railroad Association|NMRA]] have developed many standards<ref>[http://www.nmra.org/standards/sandrp/pdf/S-1.2%202009.07.pdf NMRA STANDARDS S-1.2 Standards for Scale Models] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100706185702/http://www.nmra.org/standards/sandrp/pdf/S-1.2%202009.07.pdf |date=2010-07-06 }}</ref> for narrow-gauge modelling, including those modelling in HOn30 and its related gauges.

== Summary ==

=== Table ===
The following table lists the most popular narrow gauges in HO and OO scale:

<!-- Order: American - Continental European - British Empire -->
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Name
!Scale
!Model gauge
!Prototype gauge
!Used in
|-
|H0p
|1:87
|{{RailGauge|4.5mm}}
|300 to <400&nbsp;mm
|[[Continental Europe]]
|-
|[[H0f gauge|H0f/H0i]]
|1:87
|{{RailGauge|6.5mm}}
|400 to <650&nbsp;mm
|Continental Europe
|-
|HOn2
|1:87
|{{RailGauge|7mm}}
|{{RailGauge|2ft}}
|Americas
|-
|'''HOn30 (HOn2½)'''
|'''1:87'''
|'''{{RailGauge|9mm}}'''
|'''{{RailGauge|2ft6in}}'''
|'''America'''
|-
|'''H0e'''
|'''1:87'''
|'''{{RailGauge|9mm}}'''
|'''650 to <850&nbsp;mm'''
|'''Continental Europe'''
|-
|'''[[OO9]]'''
|'''1:76'''
|'''{{RailGauge|9mm}}'''
|'''{{RailGauge|2ft3in}}'''
|'''[[Great Britain]]'''
|-
|HOn3
|1:87
|{{RailGauge|10.5mm}}
|{{RailGauge|3ft}}
|America
|-
|[[H0m gauge|H0m]]
|1:87
|{{RailGauge|12mm}}
|850 to <1250&nbsp;mm
|Continental Europe
|-
|HOn3½
|1:87
|{{RailGauge|12mm}}
|{{RailGauge|3ft6in|lk=on}}
|Great Britain if scale is 1:87
|-
|OO12
|1:76
| {{RailGauge|12mm}}
|{{RailGauge|3ft}}
|Great Britain
|-
|}

=== Remarks ===
Model railroaders with layouts and rolling stocks by American standard and usually by British standard use for designation of the scale in English language publications the letter ''O'' and not the number ''0''.

In Great Britain and rarely in the French language for narrow gauge it is written after designation of the scale the model gauge in mm, for example, OO9 or OO6.5 in United Kingdom and H09 rather than H0e or H06,5 rather than H0f in France.

In Great Britain and in the French language it is written sometimes with a [[hyphen]] or [[en dash]] between the scale and the model gauge, for example, OO–9 or H0-9.

== See also ==
* [[OO9|OO9 gauge]] narrow gauge railways in OO scale on N ({{RailGauge|9mm|disp=/|lk=on}}) gauge track in 1:76 scale ratio
* [[List of narrow-gauge model railway scales]]

==References==
{{Commons category|H0e gauge}}
{{Reflist}}

{{H0 scale}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:HOn30 gauge}}
[[Category:Model railroad scales]]
[[Category:30 inch railways and modelling]]
[[Category:Narrow-gauge railway modelling]]