What is the track spacing for this Walther’s coaling tower?,
…amazing it is not given in the ‘footprint’ info??
Spacing? One track per portal if I recall correctly, so spacing isn’t so much a problem as placement is.
Footprint and instructions are on Walthers web site.
https://www.walthers.com/modern-coaling-tower-kit
Mike.
Do you see ANYTHING about the spacing of the tracks on their footprint image?..or even anything in writing??
One portal (the center one) contains 2 tracks, so what is their spacing?
Then there is an ‘outdoor/alongside’ loading track.
Then there is the track for the coal supply cars.
NO SPACING INFO GIVEN, OR DIAGRAMED
Some photos here, but no info on track spacing…??
http://www.birchardvilleobservatory.org/ModelTrains/coaling.html
NMRA recommended standard for adjacent track centres is 2 inches. Measuring the track in the photos and using a bit of school math would indicate 49mm, close enough to 2 inches.
Alternatively, draw the plan on the walthers plan to scale and then place two pieces of track on the plan to work out clearances.
Brian, I have that Walthers Cornerstone Modern Coaling Tower on my layout. I took some measurements for you to consider. As you point out, there is space for two tracks under the tower. That space is 4 1/4" wide. On my layout, the two tracks inside that space are exactly 2 inches on center, so that two large steam engines can operate side by side without touching one another and without touching the sides of the coaling tower. Hope that helps.
Rich
You seem a bit frustrated by the lack of spacing data from Walthers, Brian. I totally understand and sympathize. Pretty stupid to leave out that sort of information!
There’s not much point in me adding any more to the discussion than what has already been said, but I will offer these two observations.
One, although Walthers does not provide information on the amount of space available under the tower, the description on the website and the box does indicate that the coaling tower “serves three tracks”. And, the structure does provide coal chutes on either side of the interior space, so one can infer that there is adequate space for two HO scale tracks.
Two, Walthers does provide a Footprint on the website and on the box with dimensions regarding overall height, width and length so that the modeler can be assured beforehand that the coaling tower will fit on his layout.
Rich
If you have the wooden coaling tower with a single track, the track that runs adjacent to the tower is 2 7/16", measured from centerline to centerline.
Capital idea! I did that on the Walthers New River Mining Company. This is a large structure but the spacing principles are the same–put track down after building it or using the footprint to give you the ROM.
Those photos are really helpful. If it is the least bit relevant, my Walthers/Shinohara double crossover has a center-on-center spacing of 2", and my bet would be that the spacing in the main delivery bay is 2". I had thought there’d be room for only one track under there, but a picture says it all.
It’s more confusing because the dump shed at the far side also requires a track…or grate and planks for trucks…or both…? So when they say ‘three’ tracks, and you see the pair of chutes on the close wall…
Inconsistently, for the wooden coal tower (HO) the track spacing is posted right in the product description on the Walthers website. Seems they could do that for more of their products, doesn’t it?
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It can deposit coal into tenders on three tracks. Two underneath the main structure, and one on the side away from the elevator.
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The spacing for the two tracks onder the tower should be a nominal 2 inches. The spacing to the third track under the external coal chute should be 2 1/2" from the closest track under the structure.
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The spacing for the service track (fourth track) should be a little more than 3" from the closest track under the structure.
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I am building mine to only serve the two tracks under the structure and use the service track.
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-Kevin
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I have one of those. I’m sure there’s a wee bit of wiggle room, but track centers under the tower are 2.125”. The coaling track outside the tower is 2.5” center to center from the nearest inside track. The servicing track inside the little shed is about 3.5” center to center from the nearest track under the tower. Can’t get an exact measurement on this one as my tower is in a bit odd location and that servicing track in the shed is about 1/4” higher than grade.
It seems unusual to me to even attempt track layout without having the coaling tower on-hand, even if you had measurements for the track spacing.
Part of site planning for a layout is ease of operation but a big consideration, in my opinion, is how it will look when it’s in place.
Let’s face it…most of us don’t have functioning coaling towers, so if the kit is described as having three tracks for servicing locomotives and one for servicing the tower, it’s relatively easy to figure out if you have enough room for the full version, or if you’ll need to condense it somewhat, usually by eliminating the outside track for servicing locos.
For the coaling facility at Lowbanks, I had very limited room and could have used a coal chute on the outside of the coaling tower, and placed the service track for delivering coal and sand under the tower. Instead, I opted for the more usual set-up, with loco servicing under the tower, and coal and sand delivery behind it, as shown…
For the servicing facility at Mount Forest, on the upper level of the layout, I had more room, and used the Tichy coaling tower, with three tracks for loco servicing and a fourth one for coal and sand delivery. I’ll eventually add a cinder loader near the end of the fourth track…
In both cases, I had the models on-hand for planning purposes, and it was therefore easy to modify them to suit the use which I had planned for them.
The under-the-tower tracks of
Wayne, I always love your contributions.
I was really looking forward to using a Tichy tower on my layout, but if you recall I also had a problem determing the track spacing for that structure. Amazing as you point out, “the under-the-tower tracks of the Tichy tower are located within troughs in the tower’s base…”,…but these dimensions are NOT given in Walthers nor Tichy’s published dwgs,…unbelievably.
I’m now pretty convinced that the track spacing for this Walthers structure is the same as the Tichy one.
And that would make sense because those coaling towers are based upon the prototype. Where a prototype coaling tower provides for two tracks under the tower, there is going to be enough space to prevent the two steam locomotives from touching each other or the sides of the coaling tower. So that same clearance will be provided for in scale models.
Rich