Clearance For ON30 Track Spacing & Tunnels

[railroads2005]

I need to know what the defacto standard is for tunnel portal width and height for On30 and what is the center to center parellel track spacing when using HO Scale EZ Track?

[JerryB]

First, take a look at the NMRA's standards for 0n30. This information is free, and you do not have to be a member to access it. See:

www.nmra.org/standards/sandrp/s-7.html

Their website is down at this moment, but it will hopefully be back up soon.

MicroMark sold a clearance gauge based on those NMRA standards, but it has been discontinued. There is another company that has been advertising an 0n30 clearance gauge on one of the Yahoo 0n30 groups, but a quick search didn't find it.

Here is a link to a dimensioned graphic of an 0n30 clearance / loading gauge:

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/uploads/monthly_11_2010/post-6750-037199900%25201289415033_thumb.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/25110-on30-loading-gauge/&h=488&w=450&sz=30&tbnid=VURRK7HvvrsKOM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=83&prev=/search%3Fq%3D0n30%2Bclearance%2Bgauge%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=0n30+clearance+gauge&usg=__DoDq4p-PXYZO9woKITwnZ7UTJKc=&docid=-P6lLQJ0JNB6dM&sa=X&ei=mS9SUcO_LoTerAHa5IHoCw&ved=0CEQQ9QEwAg&dur=41

It is from the UK, with dimensions in millimeters. The track centerlines (76.2mm) calculate to 3" and the (108mm) height (rail head to overhead obstruction) calculates to 4¼". Those dimensions are what most of us use.

Not certain what you are asking about using H0-scale track. American 0-scale is 1:48 regardless of the track being used. The H0-scale  standard gauge track does not have correct tie size nor spacing to represent 0-scale narrow gauge track. Take a look at Micro Engineering's 0n30 track. It looks much better under Bachmann's beautiful 0n30 narrow gauge equipment.

Happy RRing,

Jerry

[railroads2005]

I tried the NMRA site and as you did, I also found it was down for some reason so I thought I would take advantage of the brain trust here.

Thank you very much for your input, the measurements are exactly as I needed.

You are also absolutely right the HO scale ties are not correct even if the gauge of the track is; however, the client I am designing the railroad for is building it for a children's hospital and he wants to use the Bachman EZ track to build the layout. It is not going to be a "proto" layout. He is doing a fantasy christmas village layout centered around the Department 56 "collectable" porcelain buildings. If this was going to be a true model railroad rather than a decorative holiday piece as a gift to the children's hospital I would use the Micro Engineering track as you suggested......but that is the great thing about model railroading, the person building the layout is king of his/her world and some want to recreate it in reality and some in fantasy. That is why they make vanilla, strawberry and chocolate ice cream.

Again thank you for the much needed measurements.

[JerryB]

Glad to have helped.

<snip> That is why they make vanilla, strawberry and chocolate ice cream.<snip>

Fully understood and appreciated! Having those choices is one of the things that makes model RRing so interesting.

I should have mentioned that the gauge in that UK link is dimensioned almost exactly as the NMRA standards dimensions.

Happy RRing,

Jerry

[ebtbob]

Good Morning all,

       First of all,  spacing will have to be determined by you,  keeping mind what type of equipment you are using.   My On30 is my poor man's version of On3.   I have two of the MMI K27s and they require a fair amount of space because of the way the cyclinders slant out from the body of the engine.   I put one of the Ks down a piece of cardboard and then drew a rectangle around the engine so that the cut out was a small bit larger than the over all engine.   I then drew a center line on the rectangle to be matched up with track center lines.   I made a second rectangle for the other K and then used them to determine where my track needed to be laid.
I also made cardboard templetes to determine the size of my tunnel portles.
        Now,  Micro Engineering On30 track was mentioned.   I use their track and it is a great representation of U.S. narrow gauge track.    There is one small drawback depending on the code of the rail.    I use the ME code 100 track,  BUT,  they do not offer turnouts larger than code 83.   Makes no sense to me,  but that is their deal.
I made most of my turnouts using Peco HO scale electrofrog turns,  cutting off almost all the plastic ties and remounting on wood ties.  The only plastic ties left after surgery were the ones at the frog,  the hinge point of the points and around the point throw bar.