2 Narrow Gauge (D&RGW Specifically) questions.

[Jake1210]

Hello, I am designing my HOn3 layout and I am acually just wondering, I know that on the Prototype standard gauge, the typical size turnouts you'd see are a #9 all the way through a #30. But what about on narrow gauge? Did they follow suit (Well, I dont think NG had any #30 turnouts!) Or did they use smaller ones? (I'd think no less than a #6) And I know standard gauge use eased curves, but what about Narrow Gauge?

[wjstix]

Without being an expert on narrow-gauge stuff, I would assume whenever possible narrow-gauge railroads would use easements in laying out their curves. Remember the D&RGW ran passenger trains for many years, and even their freights could zip along at a decent clip...seems to me someone had something in "Classic Trains" mag a while back saying that on the DRGW narrow-gauge, speeds of 40-50MPH or even more weren't unheard of.

As far as turnout size, since narrow-gauge lines were usually built because the terrain required tight curves and smaller equipment, I would think their turnouts would probably be similarly smaller numbers than the standard gauge railroads...but probably still pretty large compared to typical model RR standards.

[tomikawaTT]

Actually, for similar track geometry (e.g. - 18" radius curve off a tangent) the narrow gauge turnout would have a higher frog number.  The reason?  Less distance to curve between points and frog.

To take a typical plan book trackplan for standard gauge and convert it to HOn3 using the same frog numbers, you would have to reduce everything by a factor of 0.637.  The 24" radius curves would end up with radii of 15.292 inches - a tight fit for a Grande 2-8-2, but doable.

Mantua's Uintah 2-6-6-2T should be right at home.  Its prototype was designed to run on curves that would scale down to that size!

Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)

[Jake1210]

Without being an expert on narrow-gauge stuff, I would assume whenever possible narrow-gauge railroads would use easements in laying out their curves. Remember the D&RGW ran passenger trains for many years, and even their freights could zip along at a decent clip...seems to me someone had something in "Classic Trains" mag a while back saying that on the DRGW narrow-gauge, speeds of 40-50MPH or even more weren't unheard of.

As far as turnout size, since narrow-gauge lines were usually built because the terrain required tight curves and smaller equipment, I would think their turnouts would probably be similarly smaller numbers than the standard gauge railroads...but probably still pretty large compared to typical model RR standards.

 

While I could easily imagine that, are you sure that would be the case in more mountainous territory? (I'm sorry I forgot to mention that that is the area I am interested in!) Like that of the Cumbres & Toltec or the Durango & Silverton?

 

And Tomi, did the D&RGW use Unitahs? and also how would you reccomend getting one of those (Which someone has told me were actually done-up after 3' and 30" prototypes) things wheel gauges from 16.5mm to 10.7mm?

 

Thanks for the help thus far! 

[wjstix]

No that would be "flatland" running, I doubt they ran faster than a brisk walk in the mountains.

[tomikawaTT]

And Tomi, did the D&RGW use Unitahs? and also how would you reccomend getting one of those (Which someone has told me were actually done-up after 3' and 30" prototypes) things wheel gauges from 16.5mm to 10.7mm?

Thanks for the help thus far! 

Sounds like someone has confused my HOj scale-gauge relationships (16.5mm/1067mm and 10.5mm/762mm, both 1:80 scale) and the Uintah (later Sumpter Valley, then ended up in Guatemala) 2-6-6-2T, which is the Mantua 'logging Mallet,' readily available in a variety of road names.  The latter is a 3 foot gauge HO scale loco, not oddball by any means.  Unfortunately, the prototype never operated on the Grande.  By the time the Uintah shut down in 1939, the Grande wasn't interested in acquiring new narrow gauge locomotives.  (The Grande did buy some ex-Uintah tank cars.)

The Mantua 10.5mm gauge 2-6-6-2 with tender is properly either a Sumpter Valley logger or as delivered to Guatemala.  They served the Uintah (a mineral hauler) in tank configuration.  The 16.5mm gauge and compound variants built by Mantua were strictly dreamland exercises.

I have modified my 16.5mm gauge Mantua into something that could have been built by a Japanese manufacturer for private railway service on Japan's 1067mm (3 foot 6 inch) 'standard' gauge.  The only resemblance to the original is the wheel arrangement.

Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)

[dehusman]

Actually, for similar track geometry (e.g. - 18" radius curve off a tangent) the narrow gauge turnout would have a higher frog number.  The reason?  Less distance to curve between points and frog.

That may be, but that's not how narrow gauge railroads built their track.  They used the same frogs that the standard gauge railroads used (just a lighter weight rail).  So they would have used frogs between about a #6 and a #15 at the very most.

Dave H.