Does anyone have the measurements for an N scale 40’ box and two bay hopper? Length and width. In inches.
just divide the actual prototype dimension by 160.
grizlump
Sorta depends on whether you want the length over the couplers or the length of the carbody or the inside length.
Overall, a 40 ft boxcar is somewhere in the 3 3/8 to 3 1/2 in long range, a twin hopper (depending on era) is about 2 3/4 to 3 in long and they are all in the 3/4 in width area.*
- Depending on the accuracy of the model, the actual width of the car, what type of couplers are used and how they are mounted.
If we knew the nature of your interest, it might change the answers. For example, do you just want to know the typical body/frame length for some reason, or do you want to know for planning purposes how far a tail on a switchback should be in order to provide adequate length for your two couplers between vehicles and still allow the rearmost axle on the vehicle closest to the switch points to clear those points? Maybe planning for 4 full inches per item will provide a good planning buffer for switching and run-arounds.
Just a thought.
My freight cars have dimensions but I do have a few locomotives that sometimes suffer from dementia i.e. they keep forgetting that they cannot traverse both legs of a switch at the same time.
Seriously, you take the prototype length in feet of any vehicle and multiply it by .075 inches. A forty foot car would be 3 inches long over the box; allowing forty inches–3.33 feet–for coupler extension would make the car 43.33 feet over the coupler faces and that is 3.25 inches in length. I have no idea the exact prototypical length of a two bay hopper but the same formula would apply.
As far as width goes standard gauge railroad cars were generally built to a width of ten feet but this may vary a few inches in either direction. You are going to be close enough for government work if you figure 3/4 of an inch on most cars.
Thanks for the info guys.
Selector, Yeah I guess I should have included that info. I was playing around with Train Player with an imported track plan that I made in Atlas’ Right Track. The Train Player rolling stock was looking kind of big and then I noticed TP gives you the ability to enter dimensions of rolling stock. I wanted to use this to verify my sidings and see what length train I’ll be able to run. And since I’ll be running 40’ boxes and 2 bay hoppers I thought I’d try see where I’m at.
Okay, it helps to understand in what way you intend to use the information. I would, without knowing much about N scale at all, find out what the manufacturers claim about the dimensions of their various rolling stock, but also what those dimensions include… for example, is that from knuckle to knuckle, or just the dimensions of the frame and box in the case of a boxcar? Once you have the greatest determinable length, imagine the type of trains you would want to safely situate on the siding and multiply the total items by their dimensions, plus the engine, and add a buffer so that you don’t routinely foul the switch for another engine trying to get past without sideswiping the steps or stirrups of whatever is left closest to the frog on the siding. I would add one full boxcar length for looks and security.
-Crandell