Club standards for rolling stock

Status: Completed

Submitted: 01/14/18  ? By: Keith Waddell       Location: Inventory       Category: Rolling Stock

Assigned: 07/17/18   ? To: Keith Waddell       Priority: Medium       ETA: 08/01/18

Skills Taught:   Documentation

Detailed Description (What):

A committee wil be formed to design standards for locos, stock and track. This committee will form a list and criteria for guaranteeing high quality running capability on club equipment. From this, any item failing to meet this criteria will be either fixed (track and stock) or withdrawn from operation and sold.
The set of standards will be published to members as a quality expectation.

Reason(s) (Why):

To avoid poor quality club locos and rolling stock and track.

Notes:

Keith – please provode info to bill to put on website

Keith to send email to planning committee members for review & tweaking before presenting to club for approval.
As examples of criteria for this new club standard i submit the following

Locos
Locos must obey all std nmra stds.
Locos must be able to creep through number 4 or 5 turnouts at a speed of 5mph or less (1 inch per sec) without stopping or hesitating.
Locos must have couplers that are of correct height, trip pin height and self center correctly.
Road locos must be speed matched with other club locos (switchers and steamers excepted)
Locos fitted with sound must have a correct audible level appropriate for club operation.
Locos fitted with sound must have the correct sound.
Locos must be complete of handrails, windows, numberboards
Locos must have working headlights
Locos must be era appropriate. Either 50s thru current

Rolling stock
Nmra stds apply
All cars must have metal wheels (sprung trucks excepted)
All passenger cars and cabooses must have windows
All couplers must be of correct height inc trip pins, be self centering and with working springs
All stock must be able to traverse number 4 switches without derailing
All stock must be painted – no unpainted plastic.
All stock must either be weathered or look pristine (no 3 yr old dust residue!)
Any stock that is weathered must look realistic.
Passenger cars must have seat/appropriate interiors
Passenger cars fitted with lights must not flicker and must look realistic
All stock should be free rolling. Should roll down dutch flat grade. Trucks with pickups for lights excepted.
Cabooses should be fitted with lights

Track
Track should meet nmra stds
Any turnout must be capable of allowing a good quality 6 axle loco through without derailing or inducing a short.
All turnouts should have powered frogs, either via frog juicers, powered switched frogs or from the switch blades
Nothing should stick up above rail level between the rails.
No track should be unpowered
Any switch that causes a short via the floating switchblade should be fixed (insulated) or replaced
All track is to be code 83.

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