Size of average N scale cars

[rsauerbrun]

I am a newbie to N scale and am planning my first layout. This may seem like a silly question, but what is the average length of the N scale engines and cars? I want to build a layout that will run two trains simultaneously and want to figure out about how many cars I need to make everything look realistic on a 3x5 bench.

Thx 

[asciibaron]

I am a newbie to N scale and am planning my first layout. This may seem like a silly question, but what is the average length of the N scale engines and cars?

ask and you shall receive...

40' car runs about 4 inches
60' car runs about 5 inches
4 axles diesel runs about 5 inches

in 4 feet i fit 9 40' boxcars, a GP30, and an N5 cabin car

-steve

[Mark5]

3" = 40'
4" = 53'
5" = 66'
6" = 80'

[asciibaron]

I am a newbie to N scale and am planning my first layout. This may seem like a silly question, but what is the average length of the N scale engines and cars?

ask and you shall receive...

40' car runs about 4 inches
60' car runs about 5 inches
4 axles diesel runs about 5 inches

in 4 feet i fit 9 40' boxcars, a GP30, and an N5 cabin car

-steve

got home and measured..

40' car 3.5"
50' car 4.25"

-steve

[TrainCat2]

Being an average is taking more than one car into account, I see the answer would depend on the consist makeup and the period being modeled.

Steam era, mainly 40' and smaller if moving coal or ore. Transitional era, 50' become more prevalent. Sixty footers dominated the 60's-70's. Modern era run a gamut from 50' to 89'. Specially true with unit trains. Once you decide the consist makeup, you can easily get the average  length with the # of cars in the consist.

[cv_acr]

As far as general service cars go, 50' cars are still among the most common, although new boxcars are now mostly built to 60' length. 86' boxcars are specialty service (autoparts mostly) and not as common. 89' auto racks shipping finished automobiles are more common.
Most covered hoppers are 55'-60' in length. Centrebeam lumber flatcars are around 70-75'. 40' cars are pretty much non-existant anymore. So, 60' seems like a good modern average length.