Everything on model trains, model railroads, model railways, locomotives, model train layouts, scenery, wiring, DCC and more. Enjoy the world's best hobby... model railroading!
How Wide Should I Make The Station Platform Clearance?
Larry has an HO layout and asks readers:
“I have just made a passenger train station (got the plans from this site) and I’m really happy with it. My question relates to positioning the train platform close enough to look authentic (I don’t want my passengers leaping across a gap to safely board the train), but far enough away so the cars don’t hit the platform. What is the correct clearance?”
2 Responses to How Wide Should I Make The Station Platform Clearance?
Leave a Reply
Reader Poll
Loading ...SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION
Download Your Free Catalog
Use Tiny Railroad Micro Controllers
N Scale Track Plans
Watch Video
Model Train DCC HELP
Model Train Help Ebook
NEW TO MODEL TRAINS?
FREE Tour Inside Club
Take a FREE tour inside the club.Scenery Techniques Explained
Scenery & Layout Ideas
Get yourself a NMRA Ho scale gauge. It has the accurate clearance requirements for station platforms among other clearance requirements. The measurements will be good for straight track. If you are on the inside of a curve you will have to go by trial and error.
I fell foul of this in N gauge. I made the platform gap as small as possible and only then found that a Class 08 shunter’s connecting rods stick out more than any other loco. Friends have also pointed out that the cylinders of some steam locos stick out more then they should. So, the answer is, find your ‘widest’ loco and position the platform so that it just clears. Then everything else should fall into line.