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N Gauger

1:20.3 Train Addict
Dec 20, 2000
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I was asked today, while talking about my Climax Engine....

Is there a formula for determining the width of an engine vs the "gauge" of the railroad?? Especially in narrow Gauge.

So you won't put too narrow a track under too wide an engine?????

I answered that there are all kinds of standards, but i thought it was an interesting question.. Suppose you wanted to build a railroad with a new gauge. How "narrow" can you go????? :D :D :) :D :D
 
On my HOn30 Climax I went 7 feet wide. Why? A three footer was found to be 7' 6" wide and a two foot gauger was found to be 6' 6". Thirty inch gauge being half way 'tween here 'n' there, I went 7'. I used to believe that 30" gauge was a compromise based on the availability of N scale mechs but found out recently that there is a tie plant in Texas with a 30" gauge railroad running between the sawmills, the kilns and the treatment plant.
 
I asked some real schmardt fellers a similar question just the other day, you might want to read the answers:

On to the next Q: relative size

shaygetz, I posted this one in the logging section:

30" gauge logging

And I have quite an article on a pretty large saw mill that used 30" gauge on site. Battery powered, miniture Plymouth lookin' loco's they used.

Nothin' wrong with 30" gauge and it's a scratch builders dream!
 
Originally posted by N Gauger
Shaygetz Now I'm cuious as to why they went so "narrow" :) :)
Click to expand...


In a word? Economics. It was much cheaper mile for mile, than standard gauge.

Thanks Jon, for that link. My climax came out a little larger than I'd have liked for 2 1/2 foot gauge but not objectionably so. I was going to say that it was a regauged three footer, then I found out the Sloat Lumber company had already done that to two three footer shays, 90 years ago. Just goes to show that there is a prototype for just about anything we modelers come up with.

PS. Read that forum too. The RGW "kitbashed" some standard gauge flats to 3 foot gauge and in the other direction, the SP regauged a 3 footer GE 44 ton loco built for the RGW to standard gauge.
 
This can get even further confused by the fact that not a few railroads, when interchanging with roads of different gauge, jacked up cars and ran trucks of whatever gauge they needed under them.

So, at least on period layouts, it would seem that you could have narrow gauge cars sitting on standard gauge trucks (going the other way might be tough because of clearances) and still be prototypical. The different coupler heights weren't much of a problem with link and pin couplers. I've even seen pictures of links with jogs in them to allow for this.

Bill S
 
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