Correct Proportions...

[IanT]

Sorry, I have another question 

So, I am pondering over a few things here, and again apologies if in the wrong place. I understand that whilst  you can buy ready made buildings with the correct proportion of size, I actually do want to build my own station.

Thing is, how do I relate this to size of build? ie height, width in relation to track with planned cantenary. I did check some links on here, but the post was 2011 and most of the links were dead or 403 forbidden.

My layout is to be 8ft x 4ft, although I can stretch to 10ft if need be. I want to purchase the Revolution Pendolino and i've seen that this is 147 cm long!

Now comparing this to my layout to be, would this be actually correct as I've seen so many videos and pictures that have much smaller formations of trains eg HST, MK3, MK4 i.e. 5 coaches and not full formations so why would one company supply a full correct set, but others dont

So ( and I am sure im probably sending my head doo laly)  but how do some you propose to having the realism or recreation of realism but obviously to proportion.

Thanks in advance - I am sure there are going to be very long replies to this of which I would appreciate any time and effort.

[Newportnobby]

I'm not well up on this modern stuff so am prepared to go down in flames but are you maybe confusing Pendos with the Voyager 5 car units?
When I started in N I was told ideally no train (unless a heavy freight) should occupy more than 1/3rd of the scenic area but sadly we don't all have the space available to comply

[PLD]

Unfortunately, the vast majority of layouts have to have a degree of compromise to fit in the space we have available.
Curves are much tighter than is prototypical, distances are foreshortened, we run trains a few coaches shorter than they should be etc etc. Buildings however are difficult to make smaller without looking silly so the usual thing is to have less of them - reduce the terrace from 8 houses to 6 for example.

Many modellers do get over ambitious and try to cram in too much or run trains too big for the layout, and to be honest they don't look realistic. "less is more"... As a general rule it's often suggested to keep train length to no more than 1/3 the length of the layout.

Pendolinos come only in 9 or 11 car lengths - the shorter trains you've seen were probably 4/5 car Voyagers.

[Newportnobby]

As a general rule it's often suggested to keep train length to no more than 1/3 the length of the layout.

Pendolinos come only in 9 or 11 car lengths - the shorter trains you've seen were probably 4/5 car Voyagers.

Assuming you're correct then, wahey! I got it right
Some also believe a train looks better with odd numbers of stock i.e. 3, 5, 7 etc coaches.
I do confess to being in that group.

[njee20]

I think the question is more why do you have to have a 147cm Pendolino when you can get an HST that's much shorter? Ie not scale length.

Revolution did do 5-car Pendolinos first time around, but they sold poorly, and the 9 and 11-car options were far more popular. Both Farish and Dapol have always sold HSTs as two power cars and 1 or 2 mk3 coaches respectively, with the option to add more progressively.

Not sure how that relates to building size though. Look at photos - measure stuff using Google Earth, look at reference photos, then divide by 148 to get the N gauge size.

[jpendle]

The issue of available layout space versus what trains can be run is one which affects nearly everyone.

If you think that a Pendolino would be too long for your layout then either don't buy one, or buy one and remove some of the intermediate coaches.
Originally they were 8 car sets, then strengthened to 9 cars, and then some went to 11 cars, so an 8 car set would still be correct if it were in Virgin livery.

But also Rule 1 always applies, 'It's your layout so you can run what you like'.

If you really want a full length Pendolino on an 8' long layout I would suggest modelling somewhere like Euxton or Acton Bridge. Pendolinos run through these stations but don't stop and are far too long for the platforms anyway.

Regards,

John P

[Bealman]

I do think that a model like that needs a place to stretch it's legs, though.

[PGN]

You need to abandon all this modern nonsense, dear boy, and go pre-grouping like I did! 

My LBSC branch train consists of a D3 class 0-4-4T passenger tank and four 4 & 6 wheel coaches with a 4-wheel full brake, and the whole formation can be accommodated at a platform that can only take 2 BR mk1s.

My NER push-pull train is even shorter, with just an O class 0-4-4T and a single 48' clerestory push-pull coach.

Mind you, the same problems arise if you want express passenger workings or "proper" goods trains. My LSWR N15 class 4-6-0 looks decidedly lightly loaded with a horsebox, 6 bogie coaches and a bogie full brake. Most 0-6-0 goods engines could happily work 40 wagon trains, and the heavy 2-8-0s could handle 80 or more. And as for the ROD ambulance trains, with their set formations of 16 bogie coaches ... forget it! I'm going to have to settle for a heavily truncated 6-coach formation.

So ... as others have said ... it's all about the art of compromise. Play about a bit, experiment, and find what works for you.

I find that one of the best ways to disguise sharp curves is to lay a transition curve. I work with Kato unitrak ... and by starting with one of their gentler curves and using progressively tighter pieces as the curve progresses, I find that you really don't notice just how tight the curve is at its apex!