Prototype for 11.25-inch Radius N-Scale Curves

[Caveman]

Everyone says we have to compress space on our model railroads. Not true!

I found an N-scale 11.25-inch radius curve located at 38°24'18.3"N 104°19'20.3"W (38.405094, -104.322302). The 50-foot scale in the bottom corner of Google Maps will fit six times across the track loop.

Transportation Technology Center
55500 Dot Test Rd
Pueblo, CO 81006
(719) 584-0644
http://www.aar.com/

[peteski]

Cool!  But what made you look there in the first place?

I looked around the area and I found bunch of rail cars strewn around here. Looks like a typical derailment on my club's NTRAK layout!

[CNR5529]

You found what is affectionately called the "screetch loop"!

This is at the Transportation Technology Center, which is a subsidiary of AAR, where all sorts of testing and research is carried out on all aspects of the rail industry, both on the vehicle and infrastructure side. The screetch loop is part of the TTT (Transit Test Track), and is meant to look at curving compatibility, suspension stability, and wheel to rail noise (the reason for the name...). It is meant mainly for transit vehicles like subways and streetcars, but I have seen mainline locos and passenger cars eased into the entry spiral to test coupler motions. It is exactly 150 ft in radius, or 11.25" in N, just as you measured.

For a full description of the facility, take a look here: http://www.aar.com/tracks.php

The screetch loop is at the bottom center:

[CNR5529]

Cool!  But what made you look there in the first place?

I looked around the area and I found bunch of rail cars strewn around here. Looks like a typical derailment on my club's NTRAK layout!

That would be the Hazmat and emergency response training area.

[ednadolski]

I looked around the area and I found bunch of rail cars strewn around here. Looks like a typical derailment on my club's NTRAK layout!

That's what happens when the prototype tries using truck-mounted couplers....   

Ed

[Caveman]

Cool!  But what made you look there in the first place?

I was looking for something—I forget what, now—when I got sidetracked by something interesting, which led to getting sidetracked again, and again... and finally I saw something about test tracks for trains at the Transportation Technology Center. That sounded interesting so I looked for the test tracks on Google Maps to see what they would look like. Then it was just a matter of looking around and finding interesting things.

— Chuck

[peteski]

I was looking for something—I forget what, now—when I got sidetracked by something interesting, which led to getting sidetracked again, and again... and finally I saw something about test tracks for trains at the Transportation Technology Center. That sounded interesting so I looked for the test tracks on Google Maps to see what they would look like. Then it was just a matter of looking around and finding interesting things.

— Chuck

Ah, so it was a typical Web-surfing episode - you didn't set out to find it - it found you. 

[Caveman]

I was looking for something—I forget what, now—when I got sidetracked by something interesting, which led to getting sidetracked again, and again... and finally I saw something about test tracks for trains at the Transportation Technology Center. That sounded interesting so I looked for the test tracks on Google Maps to see what they would look like. Then it was just a matter of looking around and finding interesting things.

Ah, so it was a typical Web-surfing episode - you didn't set out to find it - it found you. 

I have a short attention span sometimes, especially when reading interesting things. My brain gets going about 1,000 mph (1,609 km/h for you non-USA folks) and I forget what I'm working on. I start out looking for specific information on the Southern Pacific in Los Angeles in 1952 and four hours later I can tell you why barns are painted red (it's because of the physics of dying stars), but I've completely forgotten about the SP.

[peteski]

I have a short attention span sometimes, especially when reading interesting things. My brain gets going about 1,000 mph (1,609 km/h for you non-USA folks) and I forget what I'm working on. I start out looking for specific information on the Southern Pacific in Los Angeles in 1952 and four hours later I can tell you why barns are painted red (it's because of the physics of dying stars), but I've completely forgotten about the SP.

Neah - it's not just you. I often end up doing the same thing (and my brain only goes up to 320 MPH).    This happens especially when I'm on Wikipedia, but I can get sidetracked pretty much anywhere in the Interwebs.

[nkalanaga]

I used to do that with printed encyclopedias and dictionaries....

[peteski]

I used to do that with printed encyclopedias and dictionaries....

But nowadays it is much easier to stray by clicking on the hyperlinks in the test and then backtrack to the original page using the browsers "back" button. No need to place bookmarks or write down the page number to get back to.    (the emoticon to the left shows that this was a humorous post).

[nkalanaga]

Thank you.  That emoticon I HAVE learned to recognize.  And, at least in my case, your comment is quite true, besides being humorous: who said I came back?  Quite often I got so distracted that I forgot what I was originally looking for.  I could literally spend all afternoon reading encyclopedias, looking up things I'd find in one article, with that leading to another, and so on.  Besides, a finger worked just fine as a bookmark, if I did want to come back.

Mom taught me to read when I was in kindergarten, so that I would stop hanging over her shoulder while she read the newspaper, asking "what does that say?"  So, once I learned the basics, I was reading the papers, and looking up my own words in the dictionary.  Nowadays, we'd probably both be in trouble, for exposing me to "inappropriate material".   

The first few years of grade school "reading" lessons were very boring for me.  I still have the habit of reading anything that sits still long enough.  Fortunately, the other subjects were enough to keep me occupied.

Yes, I was considered a little odd...