# Barge Length



## Festus (Jun 28, 2010)

http://s1195.photobucket.com/user/Delta969/media/carfloat-with-1001.jpg.html?sort=3&o=19

I'd like to add this barge to my 3,000 gallon pond but I have no idea how long it is in real life. How long is it really? And if I use the 1/2" per foot rule, then how long will t be in my pond, which is a circle 13' across.

So one of you experts that can look at box cars and such and tell how long they are, count the cars on the barge and give me an estimation. I know It could be ANY length but I'd like it to be accurate. I could put those cars and the small switcher together and measure that but the trouble is, I have many different sizes of box cars so I'll reserve my guess so as not to embarrass myself..


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## Garratt (Sep 15, 2012)

I think it may be better to make something a size that fits in well and looks OK which may in fact be much smaller than the prototype. It could end up 10 feet long or so otherwise. Some things are just way too big!
Perhaps make your barge to accommodate a small switcher and three cars.

Andrew


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Those look like 40' cars. Why don't you get out 5 USAT or Aristo 1:29 (or what ever scale you prefer) freight cars, add a suitable engine and measure the length?

Chuck


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

My eye... 239' scale at 1:24 =120" = 10'
Looks like you can dock it to your gauntlet!
John


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

John

Correct math, but all my 1:24 freight cars are based on 30' prototype. That train would be about 7.5' long with generally available 1:24 cars.

Chuck


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

I'm basing my guestimation on the real cars.... 1/2" scale was mentioned, I believe, by OP
In a 13 foot pool you want bigger?

I think artistic compression is called for here.
The attached barge would fit better... IMHO
John


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## virgal (Sep 25, 2009)

Here is a HO scale model of that float

https://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3152

Alan


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

John you are correct those are 40' cars and it would be 10' long, only they are not available and would require a wider gauge to be "correct" standard gauge in 1:24. Which is why I suggested the 30' length cars.

Chuck


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## Chris Scott (Jan 2, 2008)

Why not hook-up the same or similar cars and a small loco of yours. Measure it, adding a little at each end. Layout three tracks and a switch. There, you got your measurements. Wa-La !!! 

If it's too big for your pond, remove one car at a time until it looks/fits right for your pond.

This way you don't have to worry about scaling real box cars, the loco and so on. 

Merry Christmas
Happy Holidays


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

chuck n said:


> John you are correct those are 40' cars and it would be 10' long, only they are not available and would require a wider gauge to be "correct" standard gauge in 1:24. Which is why I suggested the 30' length cars.
> 
> Chuck



OK next fool can step up I gave it a friendly go, but really I think the project will over whelm the pond.
Whether or not the cars fit wasn't asked....

Happy Holidaze


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Not to sure on that link of a barge on that scale can fit in or would look right. Really need a large pond or swimming pool. Our have it shorten up due to size of our pond. 
Our pond is only 28 foot around and had to scale down the size of our barge to now 13" X 3 foot and into a cargo barge. 
Due to the size of our pond maybe later my build 4 car/veh. ferry.
Good luck on a Rolling stock ferry.. that would be interesting project to do.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

A ten to 13 foot barge inside of a pond surrounded by a 13 foot diameter track would lead you to believe that it would bridge the pond entirely.

I agree with John, it will easily overwhelm the pond.

Greg


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## armorsmith (Jun 1, 2008)

Without clear definition of whose barge that is we are all guessing. That said, I agree with John that the car ferry appears to be standard gauge, those appear to be 40 foot cars, and the overall length of the prototype is somewhere in the neighborhood of 230-250 feet. I also agree that in a 13 food diameter pond a 10 foot long car ferry is going to overwhelm the scene.
My suggestion would be a 2-3 car long maximum and two track wide car ferry for that space.this would make the ferry in the neighborhood of 5 feet long and 16-18 inches wide. Still quite a large single item, especially if making it actually FLOAT is the goal.
Bob C.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

It's a Jersey Central loco... it's new yawk city... of course they are standard ga.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

My only point was that if Festus' trains are 1:24, those cars in 1:24 would overwelm his other rolling stock. A little like this picture.










A barge with 2 or 3 of narrow gauge tracks, long enough for 2 or 3 cars is doable. I guess I'd start out by cutting out a piece of plywood; the length of three cars and three tracks wide and float it in the pond. He could add or subtract length and width from there. As we learned from LGB, selective shortening works.

Chuck


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## armorsmith (Jun 1, 2008)

Chuck,
The OP's statement was "_And if I use the 1/2" per foot rule...._", not the he was modeling in 1:24. That being said, the sizes I mentioned were based on a 40 foot standard gauge car, as pictured in the photograph he referenced. IF the OP is modeling narrow gauge in lieu of standard gauge, he can lope off another 30 feet of length (or about 15") and probably aonther 4 - 6 feet in width (or about 1 to 1-1/2 inches), making the car ferry smaller and even a better fit in his area.
Good Luck Festus.
Bob C.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Chuck, we don't know which trains he has. I believe he said he has an assortment and will fit what he has. I think he's more concerned with a scale model of the barge, than the proportion of the trains..... He asked in 1:24 scale.
By the time you add the ramps at each end you have a bridge, scale becomes moot, eh?
I only threw out a guestimation because Festus was concerned with embarrassing himself, I felt no constraints! Upon a second look the barge is even longer, aren't cars measured from the end beam and not the couplers? If so then + 5x draft gear.
Your bud,
John


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

John and Bob, I think that we all agree that in1:24 that barge is about 10' long. It would help to know what scale(s) of trains he runs. I assumed that because he ask about 1:24, that was his primary scale. 

And as John said with loading ramps at each end it would be more of a bridge than a barge.

I think that it is an interesting project. As a model of that specific barge, it is a little large for that pond, but by cutting it back in length and width it could be made into something that would fit and still have the overall look.

Chuck


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## neals645 (Apr 7, 2008)

*Barge*

At Medford Garden Railroaders layout, one of our club members has built a rail barge. Two track, two cars per track. It's small enouigh that it doesn't overwhelm the entire seaport area, but big enough to provide a sense of realism. Yes, it really floats. 

Check the bottom photos at this link:

http://medfordgardenrailroaders.org/Seaport.html


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## armorsmith (Jun 1, 2008)

Great photos Neal, thanks for posting.
It would be interesting to hear from the OP. Are we on the mark? Have we missed completely?


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Bob, I'll second both those comments.

Chuck


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## Pete Chimney (Jan 12, 2008)

I am a bit surprised to see a locomotive on the float. All float operations I have seen in pictures and videos usually floats were loaded with an idler or spacer car between the loaded cars and the locomotive which stay on land. The heavy weight of the locomotive could unbalance the barge.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

It is hard to tell from the picture, but the engine could be a short 2-axle version, not as heavy as regular one.

Chuck

note added later.

It is engine #1001 a 2-axle Davenport engine.


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