Mainline track spacing

[NW Mailing List]

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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