Fundamentals

Whyte's Locomotive Classification System

Details: Category: Fundamentals; Published on Tuesday, 03 January 2012 20:43; Written by Super User; Hits: 762

A system developed by Frederick Whyte in the 19th Century to typify steam locomotives using the arrangement of their wheels. The system counts the number of Pilot Wheels, Driving Wheels, and Trailing Wheels. Thus a 4-4-2 would have four pilot wheels to guide the locomotive, four driving wheels for power, and two more unpowered wheels at the rear.

Many wheel arrangements were customarily also given a name. A 4-4-2 is traditionally known as an Atlantic type. See the examples below:

Freight:

2-6-0 Mogul
2-6-2 Prairie
2-8-0 Consolidation
2-8-2 Mikado
2-8-4 Berkshire
2-10-0 Decapod
2-10-4 Texas

Passenger / Dual Service:

4-4-0 American
4-4-2 Atlantic
4-6-0 Ten Wheeler
4-6-2 Pacific
4-6-4 Hudson
4-8-0 Mastodon
4-8-2 Mountain
4-8-4 Northern

Articulated (Multiple Sets of Drive Wheels):

4-6-6-4 Challenger
4-8-8-4 Big Boy
2-6-6-6 Allegheny

Track Diameters

Details: Category: Fundamentals; Published on Tuesday, 03 January 2012 20:33; Written by Super User; Hits: 749

The number of individual pieces to make a circle:

Lionel Fast Track:

O36 = 8 per circle
O48 = 12 per circle
O60 = 16 per circle
O72 = 16 per circle
O84 = 32 per circle

Lionel "O" Scale:

31" = 8 per circle
42" = 12 per circle
54" = 16 per circle
72" = 16 per circle

Lionel "O27" Track:

27" = 8 per circle
42" = 12 per circle
54" = 16 per circle

Lionel "G" Scale:

circle = 12 pieces

N Scale Bachmann E-Z Track:

11.25" = 12 per circle
19" = 24 per circle

N Scale Atlas Track:

9 3/4" = 12 per circle
11" = 12 per circle
19" = 24 per circle

American Flyer "S" Scale:

54" = 12 per circle

HO Scale Bachmann E-Z Track

(steel and stainless track)

15" = 12 per circle
18" = 12 per circle
22" = 16 per circle
26" = 20 per circle
28" = 20 per circle
33.25" = 20 per circle
25.5" = 20 per circle
Figure 8 = 30 degree crossing + 21 pieces 18" + one 18" terminal track

HO Scale Atlas Track:

15" = 12 per circle
18" = 12 per circle
22" = 16 per circle

HO Scale Life-Life Power Loc Track:

18" = 12 per circle
22" = 16 per circle

To create a figure-8:

9" Straight = 4
3" Straight = 8
18" curves = 17
18" terminal rerailer = 1
90 degree cross = 1

Fundamentals

Details: Category: Fundamentals; Published on Wednesday, 17 August 2011 21:01; Written by Super User; Hits: 2589

Use the links to the right to find information about some of the fundamentals of model railroading!

Even the military uses model trains to teach electronics!

This video explains how transformers work; a fundamental piece of any model railroad layout.

Scales

Details: Category: Fundamentals; Published on Tuesday, 03 January 2012 19:58; Written by Super User; Hits: 860

A list of common scales and their proportions:

Scale	Scale to Foot	Proportion
O, On3, On2	.250" (6.35mm)	1:48
S, Sn3	.188" (4.76mm)	1:64
OO	.1575" (4.0mm)	1:76
HO, HOn3, HOn2	.1378" (3.5mm)	1:87
TT, TTn3	.100" (2.54mm)	1:120
N, Nn3	.075" (1.90mm)	1:160
Z	.055" (1.39mm)	1:220