railandsail I'm now pretty convinced that the track spacing for this Walthers structure is the same as the Tichy one.
I'm now pretty convinced that the track spacing for this Walthers structure is the same as the Tichy one.
Rich
Alton Junction
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.
Brian
My Layout Plan
Interesting new Plan Consideration
railandsailYes I was getting frustrated. I had the same problem finding info on the Tichy coaling tower. I was trying to lay out full scale plans for my new layout, without having the actual models in hand,...
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 the Tichy tower are located within troughs in the tower's base...
...and to determine the placement for the outside track for loco servicing, I simply lowered the coal chute, then place a tender beneath it, so that that chute was roughly over the centre, width-wise, of the coal bunker...
One of the nice features of the Tichy tower is that almost none of the ironwork has to be in a specific place - location can be suited to the individual situation.
Wayne
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.
selectorSo when they say 'three' tracks, and you see the pair of chutes on the close wall.......
.
It can deposit coal into tenders on three tracks. Two underneath the main structure, and one on the side away from the elevator.
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.
The spacing for the service track (fourth track) should be a little more than 3" from the closest track under the structure.
I am building mine to only serve the two tracks under the structure and use the service track.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
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?
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
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.......
trevorsmith3489 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.
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.
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.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
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.
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!
railandsail What is the track spacing for this Walther's coaling tower?, ...amazing it is not given in the 'footprint' info??
What is the track spacing for this Walther's coaling tower?,
...amazing it is not given in the 'footprint' info??
Some photos here, but no info on track spacing...??
http://www.birchardvilleobservatory.org/ModelTrains/coaling.html
selector Spacing? One track per portal if I recall correctly, so spacing isn't so much a problem as placement is.
Spacing? One track per portal if I recall correctly, so spacing isn't so much a problem as placement is.
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
mbinsewi Footprint and instructions are on Walthers web site. https://www.walthers.com/modern-coaling-tower-kit Mike.
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??
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