Well sadly there doesn't seem to be one? I suppose it's a minor detail but I am surprised there isn't any. If anyone knows of one, please let me know, it may have some odd name I haven't thought of, hopefully. Thanks as always for the enormous help one gets around here.
NSW Loading Gauge
- Thread starter Alikiwi
- Start date
I think the Loading Gauge Zec made was to assist content creators with setting up attachment points on open wagons for external loads so they are within the correct gauge, NSW has the same loading gauge as Vic and SA since rolling stock where loaded in one state and bogie exchanged to run in another without unloading and reloading the goods, I can't think of any other use of the template than what I wrote.
Cheers.
Cheers.
You might want to take a look at this one here and it's built-in according to my install:
<kuid2:45324:38100:1> 4.5m Track Spacing Template
On the DLS is this one:
<kuid:106916:10328> PRR Track Guide
4.5 meters is common with some wider spacing to 5 meters found in the Midwest where there's room to spread out. There are also some exceptions in the opposite too, although, that's most common in the Northeast in the Boston area where the loading gauge drops to 3.5 to 4 meters since these lines were built in the 1830's to 1840's.
Since the 4.5 meter spacing is common I'd go with this one if you're interested and see if that works.
As John has pointed out - a loading gauge is not always universal throughout a rail system regardless of a common track gauge. NSW is no exception to this.
The Blue Mountains Line, part of the Sydney commuter network, has a narrower loading gauge than the rest of the commuter network which prevents some commuter trains from using the line beyond Springwood.
Years ago I was a regular traveller on 3801's tour excursions to various parts of the state. On some track sections the steam loco was required to have a GPS equipped diesel pilot engine because the loco was at the limit of the loading gauge and adding a GPS receiver device to the cab roof (the only place it could go) would have exceeded the loading gauge for some tunnels and overhead road bridges. There was at least one tunnel it was not allowed to pass through (with or without a pilot engine) because the loco width made it impossible for the cab crew to evacuate if there was a problem in the tunnel.
The Blue Mountains Line, part of the Sydney commuter network, has a narrower loading gauge than the rest of the commuter network which prevents some commuter trains from using the line beyond Springwood.
Years ago I was a regular traveller on 3801's tour excursions to various parts of the state. On some track sections the steam loco was required to have a GPS equipped diesel pilot engine because the loco was at the limit of the loading gauge and adding a GPS receiver device to the cab roof (the only place it could go) would have exceeded the loading gauge for some tunnels and overhead road bridges. There was at least one tunnel it was not allowed to pass through (with or without a pilot engine) because the loco width made it impossible for the cab crew to evacuate if there was a problem in the tunnel.
John, those are not loading gauges! Those are for spacing track. I didn't think it would be so difficult, but I may just use the British one for the visual effect, given it's only a scenery item. I was hoping to be realistic, given Bathurst has a loading gauge, like <kuid2:116296:249024:2> SR BR loading gauge. Interesting about 3801, but it also reminded me how some trains can't cross the Blue Mountains due to the tighter clearance on some tunnels, as said above.
Not just tunnels. The "Outer Suburban" Tangara sets were banned from traveling beyond Springwood because of the way their doors operated. In the unlikely event that the doors failed in the open position then the train width would exceed the track clearance on the many curves beyond Springwood.
Sorry... I can see this now. Yeah hard to find.
I think, however, that both play hand in hand because when the lines were built with the height and width as spec'd in the loading gauge, this affects the track spacing as well. The original longest tunnel in the Western Hemisphere, the Hoosac Tunnel was single tracked in the late 1950's due to two reasons. The original tracks were at 4 meters spacing and too closely spaced to fit two trains during the modern era, and also due to the height as well because a modern boxcar won't fit in the tunnel in its original configuration due to the tight clearances. In the 1970's the tunnel was dug deeper and widened to account for additional heights and the track centered to allow future loading gauges. That was then, and now that's being investigated again today for the same reason since double stacks have to be unstacked in Mechanicsville NY and then run single-tracked through the tunnel then on to Ayer, MA where they are double-stacked again.
Due to the tight spacing on some commuter lines in metro Boston, they can't run freights due to the tight spacing laterally between the trains as well as the the width of the ROW and bridge heights. These lines date back to the 1830's and 1840's - my local line was 'modernized' in the 1850's. In some areas they built freight bypasses around the stations to allow the minimal amount of freight today to use the lines. In the 1970's and 80's there was a program on the then Boston and Maine to increase both the track spacing and center tracks under bridges. This worked well on most lines, but one still had a low bridge that wasn't accounted for and you know who lost when a piggyback train went up the mainline to Maine.
