Mainline track spacing

[NW Mailing List]

Thank you Grant!
This certainly seems to match with the photo.  I am only building a 7 or 8
foot module with straight track and a siding, so no issues with curves.

As a side note, I purchased number #8 turnouts, assuming they would use a
fairly large radius for mainline track (I almost ordered #10's), but they
seem too large based on the picture I have from the NWHS archive showing
the turnouts off in the distance down the track. When I placed my number
eight turnouts in the same orientation, and site down the model tracks it
is a more gradual transition than in the picture, so I ordered #6 turnouts
to try.  I'll just compare them both. Maybe they used a tighter radius
since only pusher engines would need to use them.


Mike Rector

On Thu, Apr 20, 2023 at 11:00 AM NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
wrote:

> Mike,
>
> Per N&W Standard L-334 (1928, rev. 1947), track centers are 14 feet or
> 1-15/16 inches in HO scale. Rounded to 2 inches on tangents, add 9/R on
> curves, where R = the radius in inches. For example, the track centers in a
> 36-inch radius curve are 2 inches plus 9/36, or 2-1/4 inches. Which main is
> less or more than 36 inches doesn't matter, as long as the centers are at
> 2-1/4 inches.
>
> This has been verified in testing and allows for the over/out of scale
> slop in track, running gear, car body swing, overhang, etc. The worst case
> sideswipe potential I can imagine is the inside overhang of the Jawn Henry
> on the outside main versus the outside overhang of the Class A boiler/smoke
> box on the inside main.
>
> Grant Carpenter
>
> On 4/17/2023 3:06 PM, NW Mailing List wrote:
>
> Does anyone have info for mainline track spacing? Is it found on track
> charts?
> From pictures, it appears to be approximately 13 feet center to center,
> but it's difficult to get a precise reading from this picture taken at an
> angle.
> Thanks
> Mike Rector
>
>
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