So I’ve got this generically built, vertical boiler steam engine, that is gauged to ruin on 7.5 inch track. Its big, so I think its bigger than 1.5 inch or 1.6 inch Scale. Trying to figure out the scale. Thought I could do it by comparing it to an LGB Steam Dummy or Tram, but now not feeling quite so sure of that. The spoked wheels are 7 inches in diameter, so maybe that would be the key.
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Opinions?
Ric Golding said:
So I’ve got this generically built, vertical boiler steam engine, that is gauged to ruin on 7.5 inch track. Its big, so I think its bigger than 1.5 inch or 1.6 inch Scale. Trying to figure out the scale. Thought I could do it by comparing it to an LGB Steam Dummy or Tram, but now not feeling quite so sure of that. The spoked wheels are 7 inches in diameter, so maybe that would be the key.
.
Opinions?
Does it matter? Are you going to be putting a scale figure on it, or is this just to answer the inevitable “What scale is it?” question? If the latter, than I would follow your past procedure of just making up a scale that sounds plausible. (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)
Use a rubber ruler… 
going back to my corner
if it is standard gauge, i would say it should be about 1:7.5 scale.
(standard gauge divided by your models gauge)
(Barbies are about 1:6)
Gentlemen, thanks for the time to write something.
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Rubber ruler? Of course.
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Gauge to Prototype? That may be the rub. It sits on axles 7.5 inches wide. But much like many prototype pieces of equipment, if you put narrow gauge trucks under it, it looks big. In the 1:20.3 model world, think of the Bachmann 45 Tonner. It looks big and becomes your movable width and height gauge.
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Why bother? Because it will be asked. It is 1.5" or 2" to the foot and some gear purchased will vary as to which size I declare it. Of the standard engines, they are usually built to 1.5" to a foot or 1.6. However, there are many that are 2, 2.5, 3 and even some 3.5" to a foot.
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Basic dimensions are 46" long x 16 " x 24" tall, boiler, stack and a few appliances are taller. As I said it sits on 7" diameter, spoked wheels.
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Korm, did your 1:7.5 came from dividing 56.5 inches (standard track width) divided by 7.5 inches? Or what? I appreciate the Barbie reference of 1.6. So using that , it would be 28.75’ long x 15’ tall and 10 ’ wide. I guess that doesn’t sound too bad.
So in 1.6, it would be 23’ long x 8’ wide x 12’ tall.
In 1.5, it would be 19’ x 6.6’ x 10’.
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Like using Pete’s Steam Dummy, I’m working on getting dimensions from an old Roundhouse Box Cab and a custom IT Class A.
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Oh the pain of the grey matter.
Ric, those engines came in all sorts of sizes, but had to fit under the bridges! I was surprised to see how small the Regner “Chaloner” prototype is (see pic attached. And note the driver standing on a plate on the side.) So find a doll/figure that is as tall as the stack and that will give you a relative size?
2.173" to the foot then…(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)
Ric,
being from the metric world, i took your numbers, roughly translated them into mm, then did the math.
45mm times 32 is 1440mm that divided by 190mm (7.5" x 25.4) is the scale 1:7.57
(if you think about 50 years back, there were “Big Jim” action figures, that were about 1:7.5)
the 7" wheels point as well to 1:7.5 or 1:7 scale.
but if you say, the loco is about 16" wide, it has the same relation between gauge width and cabin width, as the LGBs have.
that would make it a narrow gauge loco in (estimated guess) about 1:5 scale.
in both cases, rob your grandchilds of two barbies, have your wife sew some engineer and fireman clothes - and your loco and crew will fit more or less together.
to the questions which scale it is, just answer: “Barbie scale!”
Korm Kormsen said:
rob your grandchilds of two barbies, have your wife sew some engineer and fireman clothes - and your loco and crew will fit more or less together.
to the questions which scale it is, just answer: “Barbie scale!”
Come on guys, let’s use GI Joes.
Back when these were actually used on the tracks, I don’t think women drove them.(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-sealed.gif)
Just sayin.
Adam
I’m a lumberjack and I’m ok…
David Maynard said:
I’m a lumberjack and I’m ok…
It really doesn’t matter about the scale, but it is intriguing and a great brain twister.
David - Not sure where being a lumberjack fits in to this. That one went over my head and needs a whole explanation by itself.
Adam, Pete, Bruce and Korm - Pete’s picture really brings out the questions and puts it in perspective, because if the wheels are 7 inches and the dimension to the boiler is the crux of the question with the top of the stack being 36 inches, the diameter of the boiler being 10 inches on the outside and the firebox door being almost 3 inches. With the gauge of the track being 7.5 inches and the width of the engine being 16 inches, that’s an overhang of 8.5 inches or 4.25 on each side. That would definetly be a small industrial engine like in Pete’s picture, with the stack hardly being taller than the operator, if that tall. So “Barbie scale” would be too small. With this info, 3.5 inches to a foot does not seem out of line.
The engine has been in a great deal of disassembly over the last couple of months, so pictures are hardly worth showing. I’m currently getting it reassembled and within the next couple of days, I’ll try to get a picture posted. Then we can really compare it to Pete’s picture and give this discussion some illustration.
Thank y’all for your input and dedication of grey matter to my thoughts, concerns, problems and trivial questions. It does help me imagine what I’m working on.
David Maynard said:
I’m a lumberjack and I’m ok…
I have a Parrot that says/sings that … But … will not sing the rest… (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cry.gif)
Ric
I’m having a hard time see the pic of said engine…
I’m a lumberjack and I’m ok…
I don’t know how that got in either. The locos are Taffy and Chaloner!
Sean McGillicuddy said:
Ric
I’m having a hard time see the pic of said engine…
Here you go, and a few extras.
Taffy & Chaloner at Wicksteed Park, 2007.
Restored Head Wrightson locomotive: 1871, known as Coffeepot No 1.
Vertical boiler locomotive ‘Paddy’ at Porthmadog
There are 2 extant locos in the B&O RR Museum in Baltimore looking like this:
And also Tom Thumb:
I tried to post photos that include the engineer. Clearly some locos (especially in the USA) have boilers as tall as the eng. Others are shorter.
Ric Golding said:
Gentlemen, thanks for the time to write something.
.
Rubber ruler? Of course.
.
Gauge to Prototype? That may be the rub. It sits on axles 7.5 inches wide. But much like many prototype pieces of equipment, if you put narrow gauge trucks under it, it looks big. In the 1:20.3 model world, think of the Bachmann 45 Tonner. It looks big and becomes your movable width and height gauge.
.
Why bother? Because it will be asked. It is 1.5" or 2" to the foot and some gear purchased will vary as to which size I declare it. Of the standard engines, they are usually built to 1.5" to a foot or 1.6. However, there are many that are 2, 2.5, 3 and even some 3.5" to a foot.
Just went through the same issue with the static model of CVRR electric motor car. However I’m a Rooster and model by eye where scale and gauge matter not! Didn’t seem to matter during the time of Tom Thumb so why does it matter now? Lincolns Funeral Car was built with extra wide wheels so it could travel over the rails that were already laid? Speaking of laid …ahhh never mind were not going there but you could call it Golding scale if you prefer. https://railroad.lindahall.org/essays/rails-guage.html
As I see it your locomotive your rules “ESPECIALLY” when your playing with stuff like Pete showed…From a ROOSTERS research there is NO real rules only able to run on the track that is already “LAID”
Sorry, but when the talk went to Barbies, I remember Boyd saying that he had made clothes for his Barbies, and for his GI Joe action figures. I joked with him that he put the same clothes on both, and that Joe wasn’t happy in a sun dress…
Why did Boyd buy abused and naked Barbies at yard sales, he never did say.
Sorry, but my feeble and twisted mind went off on a sidetrack there, and all I heard was the lumberjack song. Females may not have driven them things way back then, but we don’t know if any of the guys who drove them
“put on women’s clothing and hang around in bars”…
Pete Thornton said:
Sean McGillicuddy said:
Ric
I’m having a hard time see the pic of said engine…
Here you go, and a few extras.
So which one is Rics ?
Wow! More great pictures!
For me the guiding dimensions are the fire box door at a 2.5 inch hole and a 3 inch door. And the top of the stack being 36 inches above the rail.
Got some more information on dimensions provided by a friend in HO.
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Box Cab
2 axle 17’ between the hub centers
29’ long
17’ wide
13’ high
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Steeple Cab
24’ long
10’ wide
13’ tall
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ITS Class A Steeple Cab
28’ long
9’ wide
13’ tall
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Remember my unit is
46 inches long
16 inches wide
26 inches to top of boiler
36 inches to top of stack
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Just more fodder to the mix.
