Clearance

[Bob Collins]

I am trying to determine whether or not I can get away with creating a situation where I would put in a bridge with a minium clearance of 3" above the track level? I have no plans at all to get into the intermodal business, so that sort of rolling stock is really not an issue.

What else am I not seeing that could be a problem passing under that bridge?

Bob

 

[Bob Collins]

I guess it might help if I mentioned I'm working with HO

Bob

 

[Gary Pfeil]

Bob, I have 2 5/8 clearance on my helix and can run all the equipment I have, which does NOT include double stacks or dome cars. I will never run these so no problem. Just bear in mind you need to be sure your tastes in equipment won't change or else you'll be tearing out that bridge!

Gary

 

[shamus]

Originally posted by Bob Collins
I am trying to determine whether or not I can get away with creating a situation where I would put in a bridge with a minium clearance of 3" above the track level? I have no plans at all to get into the intermodal business, so that sort of rolling stock is really not an issue.

What else am I not seeing that could be a problem passing under that bridge?

Bob

Hi Bob,
3 1/4" clearance would be better, but 3" is okay in your case, I have 3 1/4" on my logging layout the bridges the locos run under. I even have log loader on a flat car which "JUST" clears the bridge. So go ahead and build my friend. Lets see some photos of it when ready - cheers
Shamus

 

[Bob Collins]

Thanks to both of you. I appreciate your input. Now the fun begins as I try to decide what sort of "bridge" to use. I am somewhat limited in that what I am going do is to cut through my Woodland Scenics risers to create the "underpass." I've seen some possibilities in various catalogs and I will begin by looking there.

Thanks again, and Shamus, I'll try to remember to take a pix or two!!

Bob

 

[santafewillie]

Bob, the NMRA gauge allows 3" clearance to be the minimum so you should be fine. My doublestacks fit this height with at least 1/4" to spare.

 

[Bob Collins]

Thanks Willie.

I appreciate your input. As always, I can use all the help I can get. It is always amazing to me to begin to try to think something like this through and suddenly it brought to mind another idea I have been struggling with for some time.

I have never been happy with what I saw as the only real possibilities to locate my passenger station until yesterday while I was messing around with this underpass idea and suddenly it all sort of fell into place for me. And I'll be able to do what I want and not have to rip anything out, which makes it even mopre to my liking!!

I know darn good and well that I would never get this monster built without the great help from a number of other "Gaugers." I can add your name to that list now too.

Thanks again.

Bob

 

[Roger Hensley]

For a better idea of what is involved in clearances, check out
Standard S-7 Clearances and the NMRA Gauge at http://www.nmra.org/standards/gauge.html

Roger Hensley
http://www.nmra.org/beginner
== NMRA Beginner's Pages ==

 

[Woodie]

Standards

Bob,

I do recommend you look at the NMRA standards. Yep.... mentioned them before, like a broken record. But, each standard I "violated" (by however the tiniest smidgen) has bought me unstuck.

Just on the clearance one, as you ask about. Yep... compromised just that little teensie bit on that one too. Yeah.... sure.... I said. Everything I've got goes through the tunnel. Fine. Plenty of room.

Went and bought 3 SCPX (?) grain hoppers a fortnight ago. (2nd hand) to bash into V/Line ones. Anyone familiar with them, will know they are "quite high" and... ummm... guess what. No go under the bit in my tunnel where I "compromised" the clearance.

It's only polystyrene where the clearance is compromised, so I can just hack away at it, so no real great drama.

BTW.... NMRA Standard S7 (Clearances) HO from rail head to top clearance is 3" (76.2mm) so you should be okey dokey with your bridge.

 

[Bob Collins]

Hi Woodie, how are things in OZ?

I'm not usually the brightest bulb on the tree, but I had a thought and tried it out. I have several "extra" pieces of the Woodland Scenics risers, so I fashioned myself a underpass and laid it over existing right of way. Worked just fine. Not a whole lot of clearance, but certainly enough.

I'm in the process of getting my materials together for our trip to OZ in May, so it doesn't seem all that long until we'll be in your fair country. I have looked forward to this trip most of my adult life and I am excited to say the least. Mama has agreed to ride the train with me from Melbourne to Canberra and then on to Sydney. Don't know if I'll get another ride out of her or not. I never quit trying though

Thanks again for the input, it all helps.

Bob

 

[Woodie]

Bob,
Just a quick one, You can't catch the train direct from Melbourne to Canberra. There isn't one.

You've gotta get off at Cootamundra, then it's 2 1/2 hours on the bus. (that's using the Melbourne/Sydney XPT)
The V/Line train service, you take to Wodonga (Vic/NSW border), then 5 1/2 hours on the bus to Canberra.

The only passenger train service in/out of Canberra is to Sydney. a 3 car railmotor, 3 times a day.

Hope they've told you this, when setting your itinerary.

 

[Woodie]

Bob,
Just as an adjuct to this, the "booking mechanism" may lead you to think that it's train all the way. Yes... you book it as a single ticket with Countrylink Trains or V/Line trains, but a good chunck of the journey is on the bus.

 

[Bob Collins]

Thanks very much Woodie. No, I didn't know about the bus link. Glad I am early in my planning on all of this. Someone told us it was worth the stop to go to Canberra for a day or two, so I'll do some additional checking, maybe fly into Canberra from Melbourne or maybe just a straight shot from M to Sydney. I'll have to check further.

Many thanks

Bob

 

[Woodie]

Bob,

okies, Bob. Let me know if you've got any other questions.