"N SCALE STREETS, HIGHWAYS & SIGNS

[TrainsRMe1]

Happy summer MRRders,

I want to build a highway and street on my layout, could anybody give the Nscale width of two lane highway, and the Nscale width of a four lane street, also I would like to make realistic  road signs, what would be the Nscale size for a sign, ie, highway marker, regulation signs.??

Thanks for the help,  Trainsrme1

[ricktrains4824]

Well, to correctly answer this, we would need to know what era.

1950's roads were more narrow than roads in 2000. And, even more narrow in 1920.

Street signs are the same, as there were different standards for different era's. Newer standards are bigger and brighter than older ones.

Otherwise, we could just give an answer, but it might be wrong. My answers would be for the more modern, 2005+ era, and would look way off on a layout set in 1950.

[TrainsRMe1]

My layout is modern  era, so your answers would help me immensely. 

[DSchmitt]

Link to Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices   -  The official Standard for the United States:   http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/pdfs/2009r1r2/pdf_index.htm

Links to  previous editions back to 1930:  https://ceprofs.civil.tamu.edu/ghawkins/MUTCD-History.htm

 

"Standard" mondern roads havev 12-foot wide lanes.  This has been the "standard since the 1960's or earlier.  "Standard" paved shoulder width 8-foot came about  a little latter.  Overall in rural areas there are probabley  more miles of roads that are built to lesser standards and not upgraded, than "standard" roads.     There are still a lot or roads with 10-foot or less lanes, and even more with shoulders less than 8-foot, including many in the 0-1 foot range.  If there is paved parallel parking along a street, it will usually be on the paved shoulder.  Paved angled or 90- degree parking wider (20-foot or more) 

In towns street withs of 40-foot (minor residental), 60-foot, 80-foot or even 100-foot (major commercial) have existed since the 1800's.  The stated width may or may not include sidewalks (if any)  and wider streets often had landscaped medians,   

Look at the prototype roads and streets  in the area you you are modeling.  In N scale 3/4 inch equals 10-feet. 

One school of thought in mpdeling roads says make them a little narrow, so they do not overwhelm the buildings and trains.

 

; 

[TrainsRMe1]

Thanks Dschmitt,

That helped me alot, if you can make plans to attend the NMRR convention here in Portland,!!