Does anyone know the size that road lane stripes should be in HO scale? I’m having some trouble finding the Scale Scenics stripes that would be perfect, so I’m thinking about trying some model airplane pinstripping if I can find out what size to use. Thanks in advance!
Road stripes are about 10 inches wide. I don’t think anyone makes pinstriping narrow enough to represent a line that size.
I would think 1/8th inch strips should work, BUT. First cut some 1/8th inch strips from paper, lay them on your road to see if they give the right effect for you. Also remember, prior to the late 60’s-early 70’s road strips were white not yellow. Ken
- Get a ruler.
- Walk to a road.
- Look both ways.
- Walk to the middle of the road.
- Measure the width of the stripe in inches.
- Remember that number.
- Go home.
- Divide the the width by 87.
- Find stripe material that is close to that width.
Wasn’t that easy?
Smith
Another resource is your local, city or state roads or transportation authority / department. Sometimes they include these standards on their web sites.
Barring that, Nhs792’s suggestion of measuring actual road markings is a good one. HOWEVER, you need only measure the line along the edge of the pavement; no need to risk life and limb crawling around the middle of the road with a measuring tape in one hand and a note pad in the other.
After you’ve figured that out, the challenge, of course, is finding some way to represent those lines in a realistic and cost-effective manner.
I found some pre-made road at the LHS stright and curved,I will use this in my new layout,have allready tested it and like it.[^]I use to do it by hand useing 3"black carpit tape then hand painting center lines,no more of that for me,And yes I did walk out in the street and measure the street and lines,My wife told every one not to worry he is a model rail roader[:D][:D]
JIM
I use a paint pen called painters,you can find it at a craft store,im HO,and i found using
fine point ,works real well, with a ruler…heres a pic good luck!
Carl…
Can we go back one step. I like the pinstripping ideas and plan on trying them, but I was wondering how to make a realistic looking concrete or asphalt road fairly inexpensively and with little mess (ie not with plaster of paris or the like).
Thanks
Brad
I would check out the July MRR, Pelle Soeburg hs a whole detailed article on building roads.
As for building roads, check out sand paper at your local bulding or hardware store. Some of the extra fine grades have the right texture and color and can easily be cut and glued down for your roads. Just an idea for you to check out, Ken
Graphic art supply stores carry a wide variaty of stripping tapes. Very fine widths for masking the center of a double yellow line.We used to use them for paste up in the printing biz before Steve Jobs (A.K.A.-The Anti-Christ) and Apple computers came along and made things 10 times more expencive and frustrating.
loathar
I used a colored pencil (I think the color is called Cadmium) for mine:
