Been working on that overhead test track at the shop. And what did I discover? Cutting Aristo and USAT track I figured 1 foot would be 12", yeah not really, Senior.
Made in China track uses metric feet i.e. 1ft is 300mm, not 304.8mm.
Hans-Joerg Mueller said:
Been working on that overhead test track at the shop. And what did I discover? Cutting Aristo and USAT track I figured 1 foot would be 12", yeah not really, Senior.Made in China track uses metric feet i.e. 1ft is 300mm, not 304.8mm.
Yuppers, and all the radii are metric, too
But you knew that …
Chris Vernell said:Hans-Joerg Mueller said:
Been working on that overhead test track at the shop. And what did I discover? Cutting Aristo and USAT track I figured 1 foot would be 12", yeah not really, Senior.Made in China track uses metric feet i.e. 1ft is 300mm, not 304.8mm.
Yuppers, and all the radii are metric, too
But you knew that …
Chris,
“Mein Name ist Hase, ich weiss von nichts” (Rabbit is the name, knowing nothing the game!) But you knew that, didn’t you? 
Well, I’ll be writing Aristo demanding my 4.8 mm!!! Let me see, I have about 350 feet of track X 4.8 mm = 1680 mm 1680 mm / 25.4 mm/inch = 66 inches 66 inches / 12 inches/foot = 5.5 feet! Dang! I wonder what I’m going to do with all that track! -Brian
Assumptions will bite you in the a$$ every time.
Ric Golding said:Ric,
Assumptions will bite you in the a$$ every time. ;-)
Yeah I should know by now, truth in stating technical specs …that’s another one that can be marked “HJ’s gullability”. First that fiasco with the LGB radii, now the length of Aristo straights. Sheesh it’s a good thing that I don’t use snap track all that often.
Oh yeah, all that track is finally down … errr … I mean up. Due to location, location, location it was a bit of a pain to install.
Just have to wire the stuff and then the fun can begin.
Hans,
about two years ago we had a very expensive Mars landing craft collide with the planet. Most probable cause was placed on the fact that metric and imperial measurements used in its construction, do not always work out to the same figure. For some unknown reason European and American engineers worked on the project with no seeming plan to integrate the differing measurements systems in place. Years ago the aviation industry agreed on the use of American engineering standards and the use of English for communication. It seems that once someone leaves the stratosphere, no such agreement is in force.
Remember, HJ, that Aristo was at one time accused of copying LGB. LGB made everything metric. Thus, for Aristo track to work with LGB track it also had to be metric…and remains thus.
Warren Mumpower said:Hmmm .... what a crafty ploy. :lol: List everything in Imperial but build it to Metric. :D :D
Remember, HJ, that Aristo was at one time accused of copying LGB. LGB made everything metric. Thus, for Aristo track to work with LGB track it also had to be metric..and remains thus.
Several years ago Lewis asked on the Aristo forum for the right conversion measurements for their Euro distributor. If I would have know then what I’ve been told now I would have skipped the work and given him the LGB dimensions.
Who is going to be the brave soul who asks on the Aristo forum if their track is really metric???
BTW speaking of conversions: Friday I doodled down to Kelowna for a whole bunch of supplies. At the one big box I had some plywood cut; guy asks me what size I need.
150cm and 80cm
You gotta help me with that, I’m American and haven’t got the slightest idea what Metric is about.
Oh?? OK!
Well, the panelsaw is made in Germany by an outfit called Holzherr and the scales are in Metric and Inch. But it was interesting! Oh yeah, he also told me that there was a vote regarding changing to Metric in the US and it was defeated. Didn’t remember that??? How long ago was that?
I was in my teens when that happened, so it must have been around 65.
Hans-Joerg Mueller said:When I was building the first version of my show layout, I measured the plywood out in feet and inches, ass-uming that the track would fit. Imagine my surprise ... Silly me, for not checking the track first :( Subsequent modules have been built with a metric tape measure. But I never ask for metric cuts at the local lumberyards.
BTW speaking of conversions: Friday I doodled down to Kelowna for a whole bunch of supplies. At the one big box I had some plywood cut; guy asks me what size I need. 150cm and 80cm
Chris Vernell said:Funny, funny. :) The plywood is for our LS show layout. ;) :oHans-Joerg Mueller said:When I was building the first version of my show layout, I measured the plywood out in feet and inches, ass-uming that the track would fit. Imagine my surprise ... Silly me, for not checking the track first :( Subsequent modules have been built with a metric tape measure. But I never ask for metric cuts at the local lumberyards.
BTW speaking of conversions: Friday I doodled down to Kelowna for a whole bunch of supplies. At the one big box I had some plywood cut; guy asks me what size I need. 150cm and 80cm
When I was in grade school there was no mention of the US converting to metric, yet we were taught it and nobody had any problem with it. Then came the idea that we should change to metric…and suddenly nobody understood it and they seem to forget to teach it in schools…Hmmmmmm 
Warren,
“When you were in grade school”? Weren’t you one of the guys that had to walk 5 miles to school in 4 feet of snow uphill both ways?
There is such thing as a metric tape measure?
Next thing you know someone will tell me I have to speak Spanish to get a job and no I don’t want fries with that.
They didn’t forget to teach metric. To teach metric the teachers would have to learn metric and that wasn’t in their union contract.
Go run that little box cab, please take pictures and post as soon as possible.
I have no problems with the metric system. I have no problems with the imperial system. What I do have a BIG problem with is car manufacturers that make cars that are half metric and half imperial. Did a brake job on one of my Mini Vans…3/8 fitting on one side to bleed the brakes and a 10mm on the other…
But see Warren you are adapting because you didn’t say “the driver’s side”.
Go play with that engine, take pictures.
No, just getting too old to remember which side…
And besides, the train meet isn’t until 1pm. The car is loaded and ready to go.
Off to take a shower in a few minutes…and they bye bye!
This thread resurrected two memories from the time Oz went from imperial to metric many years ago:
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Bought a Stanley hole saw. Got home, went to fit saw blades to base and thought I was losing my mind. Took it back to the shop and - you guessed it. Metric saws, imperial base, or vice versa. They gave me another one, which we tested BEFORE leaving the shop!
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Scarier was the first time I powered up my Ryobi 1/2" router and discovered what happens when you stick a bit with a metric shank into an imperial collet (or is it the other way around?) My shed is 20’ X 10’ steel, and having that bit zinging around, ricocheting off the walls, was scary.
Dave Healy said:
This thread resurrected two memories from the time Oz went from imperial to metric many years ago:
Bought a Stanley hole saw. Got home, went to fit saw blades to base and thought I was losing my mind. Took it back to the shop and - you guessed it. Metric saws, imperial base, or vice versa. They gave me another one, which we tested BEFORE leaving the shop!
Scarier was the first time I powered up my Ryobi 1/2" router and discovered what happens when you stick a bit with a metric shank into an imperial collet (or is it the other way around?) My shed is 20’ X 10’ steel, and having that bit zinging around, ricocheting off the walls, was scary.
Metric shank, Imperial collet. Zing at that RPM is quite “interesting”. That’s when you need several of Bob’s ducks! Duck, duck, duck.
Dang, I was hoping we would bring back Whitworth fasteners! I had a real Mini Cooper, had to buy a set of whitworth wrenches to work on it!
Now that was fun!