Hi again, all. Hope everyone's Easter was great. I have a question about train station (or depot) platforms, specifically the wooden plank-type. How high is it from the top of the platform to the ground? Is there a designated height, or does it vary? Also, how wide are the planks? I'm re-doing mine in HO and would like to be accurate. Thanks.
I'm sure the platforms vary as much as anything else in our hobby. But, I would think if you used planks ranging from 1x4 up to 2x10, and still be accurate. Anyone have any thoughts on this?
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
Well, there certainly is some degree of variability. In my area, platform level in the steam era ranged from just above ground level itself, such that a portable step was necessary to board the train, to an elevation where the bottom step of the cars was at platform level.
As to platform board size, probably 2x8s were generally the minimum employed, at least from what I've seen. If you are modeling a certain prototype, you need to check their specific standard dimensions, as most had them for the construction of all their structures.
CNJ831
Google "Canadian Pacific Railroad Platform". Use the "Images" search. It has a picture from Getty images of a platform at a station in the Rockies. Ken
MR had an article, I think within the past year, that had to do with different platform types. It also went into heights and setbacks from the track. It did not get into the specifics as to the dimensions of the platform deck boards.
Platforms were usually at rail height or car-floor height, or a step lower than the cars' steps. I'd imagine wooden planks would usually be in the range of 12 inches wide, based on casual observation. Packed/oiled earth or asphalt would also be common for rail-level platforms. This stuff largely depends on the effect one is looking for.
Mark
I have a wooden, rail-height platform with my scratch-built depot, but frankly, most small-town, rural depots out this way I've seen pictures of, simply used earth. (The station isn't pictured at its designed location. Its module is in storage.)
There are quite a few old wood RR stations around here dating form teh mid 1800's on with wood platforms. THey range from basic ground heigth to rail height {one step up to them from ground} to step height of passenger cars.
I have seen RRS with a ramp up to boxcar height on one end of station and platform for loading cargo while passengers load from the lower section of the platform.. both wood and concrete.
As far as the width, 4 to 6 inch wide planks seem to be the norm. Inside the stations 12 inch wide boards seem to be the norm for the wood floor, and tongue and groove bead board for walls and ceiling.
If your curious about their uses today, a few are museums, some have offices in them, some are just storage sheds and one or actually two {brick} have been turned into restaurants, and some are just vacant.
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
CPR standard station plans seem to specify 3x10 planks for the station platforms. That might appear overbuilt at first glance, but they had to be strong enough to handle heavy baggage carts. The edge was 2'-9 or 3-0 from the nearest rail. Not sure about height but it would only be a couple of inches above top of rail. The main face of the station was 16' back, with the bay and eaves encroaching.
CN was probably very similar.
John
Planks are 2x8, a little bit over railhead.
Wolfgang
Pueblo & Salt Lake RR
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Hello "prairieboy,"
The October 2009 Model Railroader included an article called "Modeler's guide to passenger platforms," by Andrew Roth, that answers most of your questions. Typically low-level timber platforms were level with the railhead or up to 4 inches above it. Since the height is in realtion to the railhead, the height of the platform structure will vary with the site and the roadbed profile.
Good luck with your platforms,
Andy
Andy Sperandeo MODEL RAILROADER Magazine
Sperandeo Typically low-level timber platforms were level with the railhead or up to 4 inches above it. Since the height is in realtion to the railhead, the height of the platform structure will vary with the site and the roadbed profile.
Typically low-level timber platforms were level with the railhead or up to 4 inches above it. Since the height is in realtion to the railhead, the height of the platform structure will vary with the site and the roadbed profile.
Typical for combination depots on the Southern Pacific, the house track would be between the depot and the main track. For practical reasons, the "platform" was rail-high so passengers/wagons/carts could readily pass over the house track and wooden/timber platforms were avoided. Packed earth sufficed.