Driver size Bachmann EM1 2-8-8-4

[kiwi_al]

Hi,
Does anyone have a Bachmann EM1 2-8-8-4 and could measure the driver size please ?

Thanks

Al

[narrowminded]

Hard to get at due to all of the detail but it looks like .367"/ .368".  Translates to 58.72"/ 58.88".  Online specs for the prototype list them as 64".  Hmmm.

I'm not confident that the measured dimensions are correct to the last .001",  but can pretty much guarantee that they're not off by 1/32".

[peteski]

Hard to get at due to all of the detail but it looks like .367"/ .368".  Translates to 58.72"/ 58.88".  Online specs for the prototype list them as 64".  Hmmm.

Not surprising at all. N scale flanges are much larger than 1:1, so in order to preserve wheel spacing the tread is often undersized.

[narrowminded]

Not surprising at all. N scale flanges are much larger than 1:1, so in order to preserve wheel spacing the tread is often undersized.

Makes sense.  I will still make some wheels with smaller than NMRA standard flanges, even measurably smaller.  The only need for the oversize is large track irregularities (to scale).  If you know your track is good (really good) and your turnouts are sufficiently thin at the closure rails most of that flange is really unnecessary.  Maybe I'll learn otherwise when I try this but I doubt it.

[kiwi_al]

Thanks I appreciate the help.

[mmagliaro]

They are about 5.25" undersized.  With .016" flanges, that would bring them up to 64", and I doubt they put such small flanges on there.  So it seems to me they are pushing it already.   It's just a fact of life in the N Scale world.