Timing Track N Gauge

[Alastair Mair]

Apologies again from this newbie modeller - I seem to remember reading somewhere when planning my layout build that one could lay a circle of track to a particular length on which you could time locos running on it to assist setting “realistic” scale speed setting on the loco chip, but I can’t seem to find it again.

 

Can anyone point me in the right direction, please?

[WIMorrison]

Measure a length of track in your favourite units and make a note of the length, then time the loco over that distance several times and add the total distance around the track and the total time for the distance travelled and enter the figures into this website

 

 https://www.calculatorsoup.com/calculators/math/speed-distance-time-calculator.php

 

Finally multiply the result by the scale you are using and that will give you the scale speed that the loco moves at.

 

 

[Nigelcliffe]

Then adjust the results to "my model world" because almost nobody models scale length track, scale crossing angles of turnouts, etc..    Let alone scale distances between two locations on their layout....   And if they did, they'd be bored silly waiting for the next train to move.... 

 

Yes, a timed loop is useful to setting consistent control of locos, so broadly similar locos move at broadly similar speeds on the same throttle settings.   

 

 

- Nigel

[jamespetts]

One can also use JMRI for scale speed matching, I believe.

[WIMorrison]

Just as iTrain, Train Controller, Rocrail or a host of devices available on the market place can do.

 

Fortunately though the method described is a free and very easy way to do it manually, requiring nothing more than a tape measure and stopwatch