Your Real Scale Train Speed on the CLRC Modular Layout
By Gary Statkus, RM 95-00144
Hey, did you ever wonder just exactly how fast your Santa Fe F3's with a consist of passenger cars are racing around the track of the CLRC modular layout? Or how about that UP 4-8-8-4 Big Boy pulling 80 freight cars up Sherman Hill? Well I was curious about this myself, so I have done a few calculations of scale train speed.
I have based my calculations upon the fact that the straight sections of the CLRC modularlayout are 4 feet in length, and that, generally, we have at least three 4-foot straight modules in an erected layout. This means that we, typically, have atleast a 12-foot run of straight track. This is also a good length of track to clock the speed of the train with a stopwatch, since you can place yourself in the middle of the 12-foot run of straight track to clock the start and finish points of the straight run.
Based on a true "O"-scale train, that is, a true 1/48th-scale train, such as if you run all Weaver or Williams trains, the following calculations apply. A Lionel "O"-scale train with post-war F-3's is somewhat smaller in scale, and I estimate it to be about 92% of the size of a true "O"-gauge train, and that of an "027"-gauge train is about 85% of the size of true "O" scale.
A real train that is running at 60 MPH (miles per hour) is travelling at 1 mile per minute, or 1/60th of a mile per second (that is, 60 miles/hour divided by 60 minutes/hour equals 1 mile/minute, divided by 60 seconds/minute equals 1/60th of a mile per second). Since a mile is 5,280 feet, 1/60th of a mile is 88 feet (5,280 feet divided by 60 equals 88 feet). Therefore, at a true 1/48th scale, 88 feet is 1.833 inches (88 feet divided by 48 equals 1.833 feet.) Based upon these calculations, a true "O"-scale train running at 60 MPH will travel 1.833 "O"-gauge scale feet in one second.
Therefore, in 12 feet (3 modules), a train running at 60 MPH will take 6.55 seconds to travel this distance (12 feet divided by 1.833 feet/second equals 6.55 seconds). Below is a table for other travel times and corresponding speeds in the given 12-foot length of track. The table lists speeds for true 1/48th "O"-scale trains such as Weaver and Williams, Lionel "O"-scale trains (not Lionel Standard O-gauge), and Lionel 027-gauge trains.
Lionel "O"-scale trains are about 92% the size of a true O-gauge train, and although the scale of the track is 1/48th, the scale of the train is approximately 1/52nd. This estimate is based on the fact that the height of a Lionel F-3 is 3-7/16" above the top of the rail, or 13'-9" in scale height, whereas a real F-3 is around 15-foot in height above the top of the rail. This results in the scale speed of a Lionel F-3 to be 9% greater than that of a true O-scale F-3. Likewise, a Lionel 027 train, such as the Union Pacific A-A Alcos, is about 85% of true scale, and the scale speed of these diesel engines is approximately 17% faster.
Please note that, I have based my calculations upon my memory that a real F-3 is about 15-foot in height above the top of rail. If someone has more accurate information relative to the height of an F-3 or FA-1 Alco, please let me know and the tables will be adjusted accordingly.
So, get out your stopwatch, rev-up your diesels and stoke your steamers, and try not to break the sound barrier! All aboard!
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