Hi Jim,
No it doesn't. But the fact that someone somewhere is successfully using it is good enough for me.
Alternatively, perhaps you can point me to the UK authority which sets and determines model railway standards? :-)
I can remember it being much discussed in the model railway circles which I was in in the 70s. If you were somewhere else at the time that is unfortunate. But not knowing about a thing does not make it invalid! > Sounds a bit like the 7mm scale Fine standards situation > where there now seems to be about four gauges at the > last count - I think I've heard of 31mm, 31.2mm, 31.5mm > and the original 32mm.
That's correct. Called respectively 0-XF, 0-SF, 0-MF and 0-G0GF in Templot. The Gauge 0 Guild has settled on 31.2mm as the optimum, and is also using the designation 0-SF for it.
0-SF and 0-XF are now very popular and gaining ground in 7mm scale. For exactly the same reason that 00-SF will gain ground in 4mm scale - it gives improved running and better track appearance (from narrower flangeways) without requiring any change to existing wheels. So your stock remains interchangeable with every other 00 gauge layout.This compares with the daft 00 finescale standards published by D0GA, which require modellers to change *both* track *and* wheels. (In which case it would be much easier to go to EM, for which the required parts are readily available.) And having so changed your wheels, they won't run on your friend's 00 gauge layout. > Taking up slop in a set of standards might be OK under > controlled circumstances but is surely going to start > causing problems when locos and stock, which depend on > the slop to perform satisfactorily, come up against the > tighter gauges.
If this is true you are effectively saying that EM gauge doesn't work!
Consider Romford/Markits driving wheels:
- The same wheels are used for both 00 and EM. It is surely therefore logical to have the same flangeway gap for both?
- EM axles put the wheels 16.5mm apart. 00 axles put the wheels 14.5mm apart. That is a difference of 2mm. If the wheels are 2mm closer together for 00 then it is surely logical to have the rails 2mm closer together also? EM track gauge is
The proviso is that we are talking about similar model railways, using similar radii and similar prototypical switch and crossing angles for both EM and 00.
Notice also that the one critical dimension, the CHECK gauge, is virtually identical for both 00-BF and 00-SF. (i.e. 15.25mm for 00-BF, 15.2mm for 00-SF). So not such a drastic change after all! (00-BF is the traditional BRMSB 00 finescale.)
Clearly if you are talking about "train set" curves with radii down to 18" or less, then 16.2mm won't work. For those you do need more "slop" as you say, and it was for such railways that 16.5mm gauge was originally adopted.
The argument about "not reducing the gauge any more" is a nonsense in my view. If having the correct track gauge is important to you then you don't model in 00 in the first place - you use P4. If the gauge should be 4'-8.1/2", saying that
4'-1.1/2" is ok but 4'-0.5/8" isn't, is just bizarre.The FACT is that 16.2mm gauge with 1.0mm flangeways works *very* well for traditional finescale 00 wheels, and also accepts most modern r-t-r stock straight from the box. What more could you want? And if you don't believe me, go along to the Carshalton club and have a look:
Martin.
---------- email: snipped-for-privacy@templot.com web: