Cumberland Model Engineering

The F Gauge Galleries

So what is being built in 1:20.3 standard gauge? Quite a lot actually. Below you will find a galleries of dual gauge (F & Fn3) layouts, scratch built locomotives, kitbashed rolling stock as well as outdoor garden railways. These are being built today by some of the finest craftsmen in large scale, and they are doing with very little commercial support. Click on a thumbnail or title below to access that particular gallery.

Doug Hemmeter is a marine engineer hailing from the Houston area; and over the last several years he has begun to distinguish himself as a kitbasher of Fn3 locomotives--most notably with a series of D&RGW C-25s based upon the Bachman 2-8-0 drive, built with an all new boiler, cab and tender. He has also successfully converted an LGB 1:22.5 scale 2-6-6-2T to its Sumpter Valley counterpart in 1:20.3 scale, adding a new boiler, cab, cylinders, and tender to the LGB mechanism. Doug has done other work in Fn3 as well. His D&RGW M-68 4-8-4 is his first foray into standard gauge. He may be contacted at whemmeter@sbcglobal.net and at wdh_marine@sbcglobal.net

George Konrad, who hails from Beaumont, California, is best known as an prolific author in the model railroad press, having authored over 60 articles on such diverse topics as 19th century mining and industrial operations to large scale kitbashed locomotives and rolling stock. In real life he is retired from IBM field service and spent 20 years in the US Air Force Auxiliary as an aerospace education officer, retiring as a lieutenant colonel; but he now facilitates product development for Accucraft Trains and has worked many years as a custom outdoor layout builder. But his singular claim to fame in F scale is the construction of the first 1:20.3 standard gauge mallet. He may be reached at gkstudios@msn.com
At left: George and his wife Trudie (6-8-08).

James McDaniel hails from the San Francisco Bay area; and prior to building models in F scale, he has been an avid 1.5" scale live steamer. Jim's outdoor railroad, the Cliffside & Camino, is an Fn3 freelance outdoor line which features a dual gauge interchange with the standard gauge Shasta Falls Railway. But where Jim really shines is his scratchbuilt rolling stock. He has to date built several 36' trussrod flats, 36' gons, a 40' trussrod boxcar, a side-door caboose and a 36' tank car--all in 1:20.3 standard gauge. Jim is at present hard at work upon a 72' standard gauge business car--with fully functional 6-wheel wood frame Pullman trucks. But see for yourself. Jim may be contacted at bulldogJim@juno.com
(Update coming soon!)

Don Niday Don Niday is a fellow F scale modeler residing in Knoxville, TN (as far as I know he is the only other F scale modeler residing in Knoxville). While Don has his own website (www.IronCreekShops.com), he is graciously allowing me to place photos of both his Fn3 indoor railroad--the Crofut & Iron Creek--as well as his standard gauge models here on my site. Don is, like myself, both a large scale model railroader and a garage manufacturer. He may be contacted at donniday@crofutandironcreek.com

(Under Construction)

Bob Poli is a West Side Lumber Co. modeler residing in Campbell CA. He recently began a new indoor layout devoted to modeling specific West Side scenes based on the 1950's era. The railroad occupies a 1200 sq ft room and is on two levels. There is a bit of dual gauge trackage for his standard gauge Heisler #3 to run on. Most everything on the line is scratch built including several three truck Shays. He may be contacted at rgpoli@pacbell.net

(Under Construction)

Bob Uniack, who hails from Los Angeles, is best known for his 1:32 scale models of standard gauge freight cars built up from urethane castings. His models have graced the pages of Finescale Railroader (formerly Outdoor Railroader) on several occasions and at one time were offered as kits under the name of Milepost Scale Models. Bob's first venture into 1:20.3 standard gauge came about in 2005 when he began construction of a Southern Pacific B-50-14 outside braced boxcar. Bob had formerly modeled this same car in 1:32 scale and has provided a few pics for comparison. Bob has also created both Bettendorf T-section and U-section trucks (single truss and double truss as they are also known) for the same. He may be reached at milepostla@earthlink.net
At right: Bob in the cab of Santa Fe 4-8-4 3751 (May 2008)

Last update: 23 January 2009

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