Exactly what is scale speed in n scale? I have a 3’ x 6’8" layout with two ovals on it. The outer one is 0.47 scale miles long (186" actual). Is this correct: If it takes a train 30 seconds to complete one lap then the scale speed is slightly under 60 scale mph. Sure doesn’t seem that fast! 30 scale mph would take about one minute per lap. Both of these speeds or way down at the bottom of the power supply. It doesn’t seem to over heat anything. Just curious.
One mile per minute is 60 mph, so I would say you are about right.
Aren’t math/facts great. A lap at 28.2 seconds for your layout would be 60 SMPH. We tend to run our trains too fast.
Richard
Scale speed becomes an issue - doesn’t look right - because our perspective changes with scale.
Sitting at crossing gate - first in line - in the real world, we only see one or two cars at a time passing in front of us. So a 40ft boxcar in real life moving at 20 MPH takes about 1.5 sec to pass by a fixed point (for example, the crossing gate mast). And a 20 car train (appprox 40ft cars) at 20 MPH takes 30 seconds to pass the mast. The same is true in any scale.
In the real world, if you start timing the cars passing a pole, you’ll find that they are generally moving slower than 20 MPH. However, in N scale where you can see the entire 20 cars in one glance, 1.5 sec per car passing a point on the layout seems painfully slow. Getting down to switching speeds - 6 MPH is 5 seconds per car to pass a point - well, many of us can’t stand running our trains that slow because we just aren’t used to it.
Pulling a 6 car “pull” out of a yard track at a scale 6 MPH means over 35 seconds or more just to clear the turnout. Making a runaround move on a siding with 10 car capacity at scale switching speed would take over 2 minutes of real time - irrespective of scale. And this doesn not allow for coupling/uncoupling, air checks, or anything else. In N scale, where the siding is only 3 real feet long, 2 minutes seem ridiculously long - because we can see the whole 3ft at once.
my thoughts and experiences, your choices
Fred W
This is one reason why timetables on model layouts can be interesting or a hassle. The yard work takes a long time compared to going from yard to yard, in scale speed due to selective(usually much more) compression of the mainline distance. We have found running at SMPH to be worthwhile and has reduced accidents/derails.
A BIG problem today is that almost none of the passenger locos can go fast enough to get to prototypical SMPH, Funny how so many want to go slower which is possible and yet going faster is needed but impossible with most current OEM motors/gearing.
Richard
I operate my double garage filler with a 5:1 fast clock and kilometer posts 1/5 of the true scale distance apart (2.5 meters instead of 12.5 meters.) I also operate to the prototype’s timetable for September, 1964 - 24/30. This does cause things to get squeaky-tight, what with engine changes, yard and route switching…[|(]
My solution was to note all those times when no wheels are supposed to be rolling between stations and designate them as pause points. When I hit a pause point I can stop the fast clock, catch up with switching, take a break or shut down the entire operation without leaving anything half done.[8D]
This can even work when there are multiple operators present. Trains are simply held at the station until the (fast) clock shows their clearance time - just like the prototype. This gives them the opportunity to kibitz the yardmaster and give (hopefully) helpful advice.[:-^]
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - in six days, plus pauses)