What is the average width of roads & sidewalks.I am modeling the 40’s,in n scale.I am working on small town America.I would like to know what sizes of styrene for roads and curbs.As always any help is welcome.
tjm
Whatever looks right…
Seriously, you don’t really have to exactly match protoype road widths. Lay out your town and play with street widths to see what looks right. The size and kinds of cars, parking spaces, etc, all work together to form a visual impression. If the street looks too narrow, it is. If it looks right to you, then it’s correct. Simple, huh? [:)]
BTW, streets that you can’t “look down” can be narrower and save space, while others may have to be normal size.
Mike Tennent
They vary from town to town. If you yourself live in a small town, either measure a street yourself or talk to the town’s public works department to find out actual engineering figures. Then get yourself a 1:160 ruler from your LHS. Those things are invaluable anyway, helps you measure plain objects and gives you ideas to make them into things for your layout.
But most layout streets - even ones that model big cities - are narrower than the prototype. In real life we have at least two lanes in each direction plus a parking lane. Most layout roads don’t have parking lanes (our little model people would likely complain to their town council on this…). But of course we make out layouts for trains, while autos are largely mere ornaments.
I need to update my question.What is the size of the styrene,normally used.The thickness for roads and curbs.I saw a "How-To"once on making roads from cardboard and gauze and paint,etc.It looked really good,but kind of messy.As always,any help is welcome.
tjm
I would like to add to tjm’s question and like to know the same for ho streets and sidewalks, on thickness that is. Thanks, Mike
A fellow N scaler has made the roads on his layout using Woodland Scenics “Smooth It” and paving tape and I have to admit that it looks very nice.
One big plus is that you can make roads fit the contours of hills, etc.
Well worth considering, IMHO.
Mike Tennent