Under renovation 12/22/2020! Pardon broken links, bad formatting, etc. while I sort this out. –Peter Nolan
N Scale Ships provides accurate, detailed and well-executed ship models for model railroaders and marine enthusiasts. I specialize in ships in N and Z scale (1:160 and 1:220). Since every ship is modeled on a computer and cut with digital cutters, I can transform the drawings to any scale.
The smaller ships are low-volume productions, usually built eight ships at a time, and have cast resin hulls and the larger parts of the superstructure. Larger ships may have cast resin bows and sterns, or may be built entirely from sheet styrene and brass. The larger ships are usually built upon order but, because they are computer-generated, usually ship within three weeks.
In addition to the production ships, I will custom build any ship in any scale. Often existing drawings can be quickly modified, so a custom ship may be more affordable than expected. My library of hulls contains most common merchant and war ships.
I do not claim that these are museum-quality ships, which would cost between ten and thirty times more. I build them with museum-level details, usually scratchbuilt. With most ships, you get to choose the era, paint scheme and era-specific details. Many ships had a lifetime of 40 years or more, and underwent constant changes and improvements. Your ship will be constructed and detailed for the time frame that you choose.
Please explore my site and enjoy! The site is under construction 12/22/2020, so please pardon any inconsistencies.
Peter Nolan
I do not know if it’s just me or if perhaps everybody else encountering problems with your site. It appears like some of the written text in your posts are running off the screen. Can someone else please provide feedback and let me know if this is happening to them as well? This might be a problem with my web browser because I’ve had
this happen before. Thank you
Don’t know the answer to that Hayden. Anyone else?
Ever made a Pirate ship? I’d be interested in getting one.
No. I think there are quite a few pirate ships out there already, many at very low cost. I have two from the Far East that cost about $10 each at souvenir shops a few years back.
awesome ships too bad you don,t make them in ho scale as well
I may offer some of the smaller ships in HO in the future. The larger ships would require different construction methods in HO. In effect, they would be entirely different models. Once a hull gets to about six feet long and one foot wide, it is probably best built from wood, not styrene.
Do you only build waterline models? I am looking for a full model of the Titanic tender SS Nomadic in N scale.
No, I can and do build full hull models. These require more accurate drawings to be fully correct, and involve more time and expense.
Thanks, how much would a model like that cost, if I may ask?
best regards,
Alex
Hi. Could you send me your email. Thank you.
My email is peterknolan@gmail.com. The address of N Scale Ships is 103 Vine Street NE, Decatur Alabama USA
Can you do a car/train ferry?
Not sure what you mean. A passenger car ferry? Yes, I’ve done the Contra Costa in Z scale, which transported passenger trains. And I’ve done the ATSF ferries, which were primarily if not exclusively freight. And I’ve done a number of small automobile ferries. Is there a specific prototype you are thinking of?
I see that the 90′ Ferry kit is available for sale at $40. Is Port Welcome also available for sale? If so, what is it’s length? What is your lead time for production of the kits? I won’t be ready to order anything for approximately 60 days, but I’m trying to plan everything for my N-scale model railroad layout now.
The 125′ Port Welcome is available for $135 plus shipping. It is a much larger and more complicated ship than the ferry. My production workshop is still down; when it is back up, the kits are usually shipped within three days.
Are you still taking orders? I’d like to pick up a Hulett unloader kit. How does one order a kit?
Yes, I am still taking orders. The preferred method is Paypal to peterknolan@gmail.com. Prices and shipping charges are on most web pages; if not, contact me at the same email. I am not sure if I have any Huletts in stock. They require a special setup on the digital die cutter and much supervision. I do this speical run about once a month.
Hello
I have been in the hunt for a model of a converted diesel GLT tug boat model for some time. My dear friend was a captain for Great Lakes Towing Co. and worked out of the ports in Milwaukee and Cleveland. Sadly David passed away this spring after a long and hard-fought battle with Parkinson’s Disease.
It would be an amazing discovery if I could find a model or commission one to be built.
Any direction or insight that you could provide would be greatly appreciated by myself and Dave’s family.
All the best!
Hi Joseph,
Yes, it looks like I could modify one of my existing tugs into some GLT models; others might require a totally new boat. I would need more information about the boat in order to quote a price and proceed.
Hello Peter,
I’ve been eyeing your hulett model for a while, and I just now found a way to maybe contact you. I’d like to order one if you still do business.
Very much in business. You may order via Paypal to peterknolan@gmail.com
Are you currently still building 1/160th ships
Yes I am! However it’s at a slightly slower pace. I still have a bunch of new ships to introduce, but it was wiser to restock my parts inventory than introduce them.
can you build East Coast RR tugs?
Well, I build the Chessie. The PRR and others used the Army Large Tug. The Navy 109′ tug is very common on the East Coast. So, I built some. Usually I can build others. I guess it comes down to a “Name-Your-Tug” situation. There’s differences of course, but there are only so many configurations for a waterline model.
I am looking for a container ship under 14 inches in length, what do you recommend?
Hi Paul, I do make an 180′ coastal freighter (https://nscaleships.com/n-z-scale-ship-index/new-180-coastal-freightertankercontainer-ship/). This hull can also be made into a tanker and three forms of container ship. The first is a low-sided version where you just don’t construct the coamings and hatches of the freighter. The second version is the same but chops off the forecastle to be level with the main deck. This is probably not wise in areas with heavy seas. The third is a high-sided version where you raise the main deck to the same level as the bow and stern. This allows an additional level of containers underneath cover. This would be the most modern version and needs another one or two stories on the rear house, so the bridge can see over the containers.
You need at least one crane high enough to grab containers at the ends. I think two cranes would be a stretch. At this size I have not seen nor read about container ships purposely built, but there are some at about 240′ and I have one at 266′ long and much wider (https://nscaleships.com/n-z-scale-ship-index/new-266-and-335-modern-container-ships-also-415/).
Depending on where you live (or model) you might see barge-tug combos or just 195′ barges modified for containers and the consist pushed by ‘towboat’.