"Your source for standard gauge modeling in 1:20.3"

The CME Pages

The Gauge 3 Galleries

The F Gauge Galleries

Links

Home

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). Don is, like myself, both a large scale model railroader and a garage manufacturer. Don's company is Iron Creek Shops; mine Cumberland Model Engineering. Both "companies" are our respective efforts to develop scale conscious products for modeling in F scale, and hopefully, pay for our habit as we go (so far neither of us have met that lofty goal!). As we see it, we are not in competition; in fact oftentimes we work together in collaboration. Don's product line for 1:20.3 standard gauge may be seen below; mine on the CME Products page. Don also produces a line of products for Fn3 which may be seen on his own website. To order from Don, please e-mail him at  donniday@ironcreekshops.com I may be reached via the Contact Page.

Don Niday (left) & Dave Queener (right) exhibiting their F scale dual gauge modules at the NMRA 2001 Convention / National Train Show in St. Louis.

Most freight car trucks from the steam era rode on 33" wheelsets while modern roller bearing equipped trucks generally use 36". Similarly most passenger cars from both eras have ridden on 36" wheelsets. The wheelsets pictured below were produced by Cumberland Model Engineering for Iron Creek Shops and are available in either rusty, polished steel or nickel plated finishes. Each wheelset is double insulated and uses a stainless steel 8mm axle with 3/16 journals on the stub ends.

Steel: $12.95 each

Nickel Plated: $15.45

36" Wheelsets:

Steel: $12.95 each

Nickel Plated: $15.45

Iron Creek Shops offers both a freelance 6'-0" wheelbase archbar truck as well as a 50 Ton AAR-Bettendorf truck. The archbar truck features white metal side frames, an I-beam styrene bolster, and ABS plastic spring plank. The AAR-Bettendorf truck is cast from urethane. Both trucks are sprung and come with your choice of 33" wheelset: rusted, polished, or nickel plated.

50 Ton AAR-Bettendorf

(5'-6" Wheelbase)

Price: $150 per pair, assembled and weathered.

Freelance Archbar

 (6'-0" Wheelbase)

Iron Creek Shops offers several products for handlaying F Gauge and/or Dual Gauge (F & Fn3) track. But for the person with little time or patience for needle nose pliers and individual spikes, UV-resistant plastic tie strips are available for assembling your own flex track in either F Gauge (70.6mm between the rails) or Dual Gauge (F & Fn3: 70.6mm & 45mm) configurations.

Roller Gages

Code 250 or Code 332 Dual Gauge: $12.95

Code 250 or Code 332 Standard Gauge: $11.45

3-Point Gages

Code 250 or Code 332 Rail: $24.95

Standard Gauge Tie Strip

Individual Strip (7.5" long): $2.95 each

Box of Eight (makes 5' of track): $23.60

Dual Gauge Tie Strip

Individual Strip (7.5" long): $2.95 each

Box of Eight (makes 5' of track): $23.60

These tie plates are made from urethane and must be painted for outside use. They come 25 per package and will support both code 215 and code 250 Llagas Creek rail or any rail with at least a 5mm foot. Price: $6.45 per pack.

Iron Creek Shops offers quality laser-cut freight car kits which include detail parts, trucks and your choice of either Kadee or Accucraft couplers. You supply the white glue and paint.

From the mid-19th century through the end of WWI and the ascendancy of the steel car, the most common "house" or boxcar on America's railroads  was the ubiquitous 36' footer, equipped with trussrods and archbar trucks. Iron Creek Shops is pleased to reissue a free-lance design offered privately several years ago to members of the 1:20.3 Yahoo Discussion Group as the "F&CC Standard Gauge Boxcar" kit. Comes with long wheelbase archbar trucks (New 5'-0" wheelbase trucks from CME will shortly be available for this kit).

Price: $250

Last update: 27 January 2009