General

1. What exactly is Gn15?
2. I’m intrigued by the Gn15 pages at the “Micro Layouts for Model Railroads” website and am thinking of having a little dabble in this scale. What’s the easiest way to get started?
3. That sounds straightforward enough, but my local hobby shop doesn’t seem to stock this stuff. Can I buy online?
4. What is this “Review” of which you speak?

Layouts & Tracklaying

1. I want to design my first Gn15 layout. What sort of curves can the locos and wagons handle? Will I have to disguise tracks turning suddenly to disappear into the backscene?
2. Should I go for an end-to-end layout or a continuous run?
3. How about turnouts or points - will I have to build my own?
4. How do you bend track to a 6″ radius without kinking it?
5. What tools and materials do you recommend for handlaying track in Gn15?
6. Does it matter which way round the track gauge goes?
7. What size rail should I use? I calculate that code #100 would scale out to approximately 37 lb per yard rail in 1/2″ scale while code #125 would scale out to 46 lb per yard rail. If I’m correct, has anyone used code #125 for Gn15 or is it too heavy?
8. What size spikes should I use? Would G scale spikes look too big on a Gn15 layout - or would they interfere with the wheels due to their size?
9. If I am going to build my own turnouts, would it make sense to build stub switches rather than “normal” switches? They look easier (to my untutored eye, anyway). I’m not sure whether a tighter turnout could be built that way.
10. So is this scale a good one for “switching puzzle” layouts?
11. How do you make things work with such small radii? I’m just getting started and NMRA says minimum radius for HO is 14″ for 4-wheel locos (steam or diesel). I have an Alco RS3 I would like to try converting to On30 but don’t have the room for the NMRA minimum of 23″ radii (for the two 4-wheel trucks). Any help or direction you could give would be most appreciated.

Rolling Stock

1. Can you demonstrate how the link and pin coupling actually works?
2. Could I fit Kadee couplers and still be able to have a 6" radius curve on my layout?
3. Where does the pin would go for the couplings on the ‘Gnat’?
4. These brass pins and tubes - how do you cut them?
5. How do I change the wheels in Sidelines wagons?
6. How do you model a tarpaulin-covered wagon?

Scenics and Scratchbuilding

1. What figures do you use for the engineer/driver for your Gn15 locos?
2. The scale for Gn15 seems to vary between 1:20.3 and 1:24 - isn’t there a lot of 1:24 stuff produced for dolls’ houses?
3. What are you using for ballast?
4. hat size are the ties (sleepers) in 15″ gauge railways?
5. How do you get the brickwork on your brickworks looking so realistic?
6. What thickness sheet styrene did you use when you built Mosca?
7. How did you make the hinges?
8. I imagine that if I just order a Bachmann 44-tonner I’ll get a “new” kit with only one motor. Will that unit fit the BVM adapter? If not, where can I get an “old” 44-tonner with two motors?