# Width of G scale engine and cars



## Bregar (Jun 4, 2010)

Is 6" wide wall mounts wide enough to fit the track, engine and cars as far as clearnace or do I need to go wider on what we are building? These mounts will be every 8' apart on the wall.


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

It depends on what scale you are running. If you are doing 1:29 heavyweight passenger cars the overhang as you run curves is going to be severe! The same is true for 1:20.3 passenger cars but not quite as bad. 6" is awfully tight! A Bachmann K-27 in 1:20.3 is a _wide_ engine which has a substantial overhang! Even a Bachmann Big Hauler has a relatively large overhang on curves!


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## cape cod Todd (Jan 3, 2008)

Hello Bregar 
What are you trying to do? Are you building a ceiling system for your trains? 
I think you will find that most track ties measure about 3 1/2 inches wide and most cars are about 4"- 4 1\2" wide depending on what train manufacturer and what scale you are planning on running. If it is a ceiling mounted system watch out for the curves because depending on the curve radius and the length of the train cars you will be using you could have a big overhang of the end of the cars swinging out over the tracks increasing the width you need for clearance. 
I'm sure others will jump in with answers. 
Todd


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

As I recall from working at Niagara Hobby almost 20 years ago we serviced a local stereo shops cieling mounted layout. The root of their evils was the fact that they used clear plexiglass for a base and tried to support it every 4 feet. That plexi was only a 1/4 inch thick and would flex under the weight of the small train (Aristo U boat as I recall and a few cars custom painted? It became a real roller coaster after a while and the cars would not stay coupled. We wired the couplers so it would work and after a while they took it down. So unless your base is rock solid I'd support it more often than every 8 feet. As i recall also 6 inches was wide enough on the straight BUT the supports and "gardrails"curves were spaced out farther on the curves. Probably 9 inches? It's been a LONG time now.

Chas


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## Bregar (Jun 4, 2010)

Great, thanks guys, I wasn't very descriptive. We are building something similar to a picture frame out of 2x2's which the G size would run through every 8' but there would be other supports inbetween to help with any sag in the 1x6 plank. These picture frames would be screwed into the wall, sideways, for the train to run through them. The reason for these frames is to be the support for a derailment cable that will be strung through them in pre-drilled holes appx 1/2 the way up. It's the best way we have come up with to attach a derailment cable. We are open to suggestions though!


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## msimpson (Jan 5, 2009)

Bregar, 

The best way to check your clearance is to check it -- take the cars and locos you will actually run, set up track of the radius you will be using, put them in a corner at the distance you will be using and run them. Then allow a little extra. 

One x 6 will sag, bow, bend, flex and whatever else you want to call it. Presumably you are not running live steam overhead, electric trains are not bothered nearly as much by dips and grades, but you may get a roller coaster effect. I suggest you take a 16 foot length, support it by sawhorses at the intervals you plan to usefor supports, add a load (track and trains) and see what happens. Then connect a power pack and watch it under a moving load. This may help you determine how close you need to put your supports. 

Were it mine and going four feet between supports, I would either put a pair of 1 x 2's under the 1 x 6, or else use those 1 1/2 inch aluminum L's from Lowe's. And I am not sure if that is enough. Unsupported 1 x (actually 3/4) just doesn't have any resistance to load. 

Good luck, Mike


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## Bregar (Jun 4, 2010)

Thanks Mike.........we are just starting this project so dont have the train yet to measure or would just do that. I also want to make sure it is wide enough to fit most of the varieties so if we change in the future it will fit. 

Bill


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## msimpson (Jan 5, 2009)

Bill, 

I am delighted that you have been bitten by the big train bug. But you might want to slow down, just a little bit. This is a really great hobby, with good suppliers and about a bazillion ways of proceeding. However, it is also a hobby where you can drop serious bucks while you are figuring out what you really want to do. 

For instance, the 540 feet of track you want to put up, will cost you about $3,500 ($6.50 a foot) if you get a reasonably good buy off the internet. Hartland steam outline engines run $300 - $600. USA diesel outline engines are similarly priced. You may find better deals by hunting, but it takes time and knowledge. LGB is generally available only as collectors items, as the company has not yet recovered from bankruptcy. (I think that I read that the US distributor just shut down.) (I am not recommending a particular brand of engine -- for the last ten years all my purchases have been in live steam, so I am not current on the electric stuff.) 

The first thing you need is information -- Do you have train buddies? Or a local train club? I like hobby shops and the people who put their lives into them, but there is a real tension between the love of the hobby and the economic needs of a small business person. And these guys are in business to sell you something. You will get the best service and information from a good hobby shop. Some employees at some places are minimum wage and may simply point you to whatever they have. And the hard truth is that mail/internet order is frequently a lot cheaper than your local retailer, even though they don't provide much in the way of service and bedside manner. 

I am not putting down local retailers. A good one is a treasure. Given the size of what you envision, you might get a discount and you will get better advice. But understand the trade-offs. 

As noted in several of these threads, running a large layout many hours a day generates particular stresses, beyond those of even the avid hobbyist. You could probably learn a lot by tracking down several businesses with similar layouts and talking to their owners at length. 

Garden Railways is the long-time bible of the big train hobby. I strongly recommend that you subscribe immediately and that you get at least a couple of years of back issues. That will give you an idea of what's new in the hobby and what you might expect to pay for it. It will also begin to acquaint you to the possibilities and pitfalls within the hobby. 

If it were me, I would get at least a G scale starter set to fuss and fiddle with before I bit off 540 feet. 

Back to where I started. This is a great hobby. But there is a lot to it. Before you drop $5K or more getting started, you ought to give some serious thought to how to go about it. 

Good luck and best regards, Mike


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## Bregar (Jun 4, 2010)

Thanks for the reply and advice. We are in the middle of nowhere in Wyoming, no hobby shops, no local stores running these etc. I know of very limited knowledge in our local area, just some guys who have a little interest in them. I know of nobody with a Garden set, probably due to our weather....in fact we are predicted to get up to 3 feet of snow in the mountains tonight!. The main reason I am trying to get this set fairly quick, at leat the base for the track, is we are moving stores. I am moving into an old Safeway grocery store location and we are remodeling. Once we have all the shelving set it would be MUCH more difficult to move around for installation as comparied to now. I am actually planning on starting with a cheaper engine while getting it all running just to experiment. My thoughts are after we go through the learning curve we may be where folks will come in the area for model trains as by then we will know a little something I hope! But until then I have to rely on the knowlege of folks like you have been there done that to give me guidance. 

Thanks

Bill


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

Where are you in Wyoming? I am in the very Western edge of Ne. if we were close enough you could come and see what I did for my ceiling layout!! The only regret is that now that my legs are bad/disabled, I wish i would have lowered it down to at least where I can stand on my little step stool and be able to put trains up on it. Now I have to get on a ladder!! Let me know here or private message through here! Maybe I can help somewhat if close enough! Regal


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## Bregar (Jun 4, 2010)

Regal thanks, Im in in Central Wyoming...Lander. My main issue is a severe lack of time with remodeling the new store, running my current Ace Hardware, and planning the move of both Ace and my Pet & Ranch Store into this new location. I have a Cessna 172 so would not take too long on a good weather day to buzz down. And if you are close to Cabela's that could make it even more tempting!!!

Bill


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

Airport in Scottsbluff is 9 miles West from me I could pick you up. Think you could fly to Sidney where Cabela's is they do have an airport, it is approx 1 hr from my house South. Step daughter and family live in Rawlins Wyoming! I'm an hour and 45 mins from Cheyenne about an hour from Torrington Wyo. Let me know through here. We can get together live on my channel also if that would help on the link below. Just give me a little time and a heads up if you want to get on together, could show you live my ceiling layout that way too! Regal Here below are links to my live channel and others!




Crazy Train Guy's Garden Railroad Channel - live streaming video powered by Livestream 

http://www.livestream.com/crazytrainguyschannel?t=483092

Blueregals Garden Railroading Home Page 
http://blueregal.angelfire.com/


YouTube - 7485jerry's Channel


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## Bregar (Jun 4, 2010)

Outstanding..Thanks!! I have to run now but absolutely want to look at your link. I was on the Police Dept in Rawlins 1986-7 then transfered with the Highway Partol back home to Lander where I did the rest of my 20 years. I have been eyeballing a location in Rawlins for a store, and if this one turns out ok would do the same thing there. Then you could come visit the daughter and give me a hand with the trains!


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

You bet, I am also an ex-police officer both from here, and in Denver in the 80s. Small world funny how you can meet people with similar interests and careers on here or in life!!! Regal


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