#13 wheels in stud.io

[LordsofMedieval]

Are they too small? Or accurately sized? Brick Train Depot lists these wheels as 13.5 studs for rim diameter, but the ones in stud.io are, like... a hair above 13 studs even.

I know this seems anal, but it matters a lot when you're trying to determine spacing for, say, trailing and leading bogies, etc.

Thanks for any help.

 

*Edit* And please don't take this as criticism of whoever designed/implemented them. I am just looking for facts to get models correct - not trying to attack anyone or step on any toes.

Edited June 3, 2023 by LordsofMedieval

[LordsofMedieval]

I have another question that is related to this, so I'll just graft it into this thread.

Lately, instead of designing the front of locomotives for just the leading bogie to swing (as on prototypes), I've been following @Ts__ example and engineering the entire pilot to swing, as in his fantastic Black Five from a few years back.

My question is: ideally, should there be a slight vertical gap left between this 'pilot' section and the frame of the locomotive? Or to put that in more universal terms: is it necessary to leave some space (say, half a plate) between the parts that constitute a bogie, and the parts that constitute a frame, thereby preventing tiles from sliding against the bottom of plates? Do you want to eliminate any perfectly flush fits to account for track undulations (and the fact that we're dealing with a plastic medium)? Or is it okay to have these areas slide against one another?

In TS' example, I obviously don't have the engine in front of me, but it looks like there's no gap at all between the part that moves and the rest of the engine... which would seem to imply a gap really isn't needed.

Edited June 3, 2023 by LordsofMedieval

[bogieman]

1 hour ago, LordsofMedieval said:

I have another question that is related to this, so I'll just graft it into this thread.

Lately, instead of designing the front of locomotives for just the leading bogie to swing (as on prototypes), I've been following @Ts__ example and engineering the entire pilot to swing, as in his fantastic Black Five from a few years back.

My question is: ideally, should there be a slight vertical gap left between this 'pilot' section and the frame of the locomotive? Or to put that in more universal terms: is it necessary to leave some space (say, half a plate) between the parts that constitute a bogie, and the parts that constitute a frame, thereby preventing tiles from sliding against the bottom of plates? Do you want to eliminate any perfectly flush fits to account for track undulations (and the fact that we're dealing with a plastic medium)? Or is it okay to have these areas slide against one another?

In TS' example, I obviously don't have the engine in front of me, but it looks like there's no gap at all between the part that moves and the rest of the engine... which would seem to imply a gap really isn't needed.

FWIW, on my home layout I have a number of vertical transitions between flat and grades that are more abrupt than I should have made them. In order for my steam locomotives to stay on the track, I need to leave a vertical gap between pilot bogie and frame that closes when entering an uphill grade and then there needs to be enough flexibility to allow the pilot bogie to "droop" when entering a downward grade. I have found using tungsten putty to add weight to the bogie keeps it on the track - I stuff it into the underside of the bricks making up the pilot bogie. On trailing bogies, I have found it best to use a suspension loaded by rubber bands acting on the tiles atop the trailing bogie to keep it planted on the rails since the trailing bogie has the drawbar to the tender attached to it and the tractive effort from the drivers is passing thru it.

Dave

[Ts__]

15 hours ago, LordsofMedieval said:

My question is: ideally, should there be a slight vertical gap left between this 'pilot' section and the frame of the locomotive?

 

I have no gap between the leading axle and the overlying frames.
First reason: I want to have pressure from above on the leading axle so that it does not jump off the track
Second reason: the optics, a gap would not look nice.

I did not have problems with derailments even on quite bumpy tracks like the BSBT in Schkeuditz:

 

Thomas

 

Edited June 4, 2023 by Ts__

[LordsofMedieval]

Thank you both. Very, very helpful stuff.