Is 14 1/2 " long and 2 9/16 to 2 3/4 " wide the correct length and width of a scale flat car? If so are Menard's flats considered scale? Thank you very much to any and all replies.
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14 1/2" x 4 = 58 feet in length. 2 3/4" x 4 = 11 feet wide. How close do you want to be? Know any railroad whose flat cars are 11 feet wide? Most manufacturers use selective compression. John
Thank you John, much help
Most scale modelers try to avoid selective compression for their locos and rolling stock. They do tend to use it for the trackwork and scenery.
Gandydancer posted:Is 14 1/2 " long and 2 9/16 to 2 3/4 " wide the correct length and width of a scale flat car? If so are Menard's flats considered scale? Thank you very much to any and all replies.
Depends upon the manufacturer of the flat car, type and when it was made. Find one that looks close and then compare the specs.
56'10" long (car, no couplers) and 10'6" wide seem common for the Alaska RR. Most of theirs were built in the '50's. Detail attached. Still in use.
The 14 1/2" is usually coupler end to coupler end, so I would say that is a scale size car for a '50's vintage car.
Edit: LOL, they have them in ARR, but they are numbered incorrectly. I may get some anyway.