How high should N-scale station platforms be?

[GreenDiesel]

I've just started working on a 26" wide by 68" long N scale layout. Last week, I bought some N scale platforms made by Faller (British N scale products are hard to find locally, which is why I bought these European ones).

As I assembled the platforms, I kept thinking they looked a little too short. The height of the platforms is noticeably lower than the bottom area of my Southern coaches. Passengers would still have to step up to board the train. 

I'm new to N scale so I'm a little green behind the ears! Their height is only about 7mm -- exactly how high should British station platforms be in N scale?

Thanks in advance,
Rob

[Newportnobby]

This might help with your dimensions, Rob...............

http://www.elginmodelrailwayclub.co.uk/2010/articles/advice/standard-railway-modelling-dimmensions.html

[Luke Piewalker]

I elevated my platforms a bit by gluing them to A4 sheets of craft foam (about 2mm thick) then cut round it with a scalpel.

[Bealman]

G'day from Australia, Rob, and welcome to the NGF. 

Regarding your platforms,  there are often other factors that influence platform height - for example, cork underlay, or even the type of track, and I'm thinking of Kato here.

[GreenDiesel]

Thanks for this feedback and for welcoming me to the forum.

I might try to elevate the platforms as suggested. I'm not using any cork underlay under the track -- if I did, that would mark the problem even worse!

I'll check those links as well.

Cheers, Rob

[Trainfish]

Rob, I use the older type Hornby Minitrix platforms and as you can see below they are 11.2mm high.



Do not read on if you don't want to get as confused as I am now.
In the diagram which Mick (NewportNobby) linked to the dimensions given are from the top of the rail to the top of the platform. I have measured this with both code 80 track and code 55 and they are 7.05mm and 8.60mm respectively. The diagram says it should be 6.18 or 6.00mm. I'm using code 55 so in theory my platforms are around 2.5mm too high but they look fine to me from what I remember. I'll have another look tomorrow 

[GreenDiesel]

Thanks. I think 11mm sounds about right. Guess I'll have to raise them somehow. Not sure why these Faller ones are so short? Rob

[Bealman]

They are models of European platforms, which are lower than British ones. 

[GreenDiesel]

Thx, this is helpful. I obviously should have done more research in advance.    I thought European would have been similar enough!

Rob

[Trainfish]

No, European people are generally taller than UK people so the platforms don't need to be as high.

[PLD]

exactly how high should British station platforms be in N scale?

The UK standard for a NEW BUILD platform today is 920mm from rail top (approx 3ft 1in or 6.5mm in N scale); however existing platforms vary between around 2ft 3in and 3ft 3in (4.5-7mm in N scale)...

Bear in mind that the dimension is from the top of the rail, so in model form it depends on what type of track you are using and whether you have some form of underlay under the track. You need to add packing under the platform to suit.

[edwin_m]

You'd be very unlikely to see a platform over 3ft above top of rail (so 6mm in N), except for a few modern platforms that have been raised to 1.1m to be level with passenger train floors.  But these are foul of passing freight trains so can only be used on lines where this doesn't happen, such as the Heathrow Express ones at Paddington and Heathrow. 

European and American platforms come in a multiplicity of heights, most of them lower than ours. 

[GreenDiesel]

Interesting. So, based on this, my Faller platform would be about right (or even slightly too tall). Yet the top of the floor of the carriages IS slightly higher than the top of the platform but, again, maybe that's correct?  I've ridden on many heritage railways on my trips to the UK but I'm still just going by memory ... I seem to recall that you still do have to step up slightly to board the carriage. Rob

[Zunnan]

The period you are modelling will have a bearing on platform height, there are plenty of photos from the '60s and older that show the need for a portable step (read as a wood crate in some cases!) to get on/off stopping trains. PELSALL was a relatively local but long closed station to me and had a platform which noticably changed height, at one point the platform surface is level with the axle boxes on a DMU! It is not alone, and yet if you faithfully modelled it almost everyone would say you made it wrong! 

[GreenDiesel]

Thanks... I'm focussing on the 1930s at the moment, so these lower platform heights might be OK then. Rob