Mainline track spacing

[NW Mailing List]

Grant, thanks for that formula for track spacing in curves. I have seen guidance and rules of thumb that fall with in the range that 9/R produces, but nothing that concrete. 

Matt Goodman

> On Apr 20, 2023, at 10:24 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
> 
> ________________________________________
> NW-Mailing-List at nwhs.org
> To change your subscription go to
> http://list.nwhs.org/mailman/options/nw-mailing-list
> Browse the NW-Mailing-List archives at
> http://list.nwhs.org/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/