GL5 Forum

Hello everybody
can anybody help I have a few questions if I stick to GL5 wheel standards what is the widest measurement I can have from the inside of the rail to the face of the check rail.

And what would be the narrowest I could make the flange way at the frog.

Would it be any problems in make again the wheels of the drive-in car 7/8" instead of 1/2" to ensure the weight of a person is carried on the wing rail at the frog to protect the toe as much as possible.
Thank you very much
David Roberts

Dave,

In reverse order, there is nothing wrong with overwide wheels except that, apart from looking wrong, I doubt they would help much. To carry the load more effectively onto the wing rail, wouldn't they need to be cylindrical, and we don't want that. Although noses do eventually wear, I doubt you'd need to be too concerned, aluminium noses last a long time, even on passenger carrying railways.

You could narrow the flangeway at the crossing (frogs live in ponds), I've reduced some of mine by 1/32, but of course the opposite way must then be increased by at least the same amount, and I'm not convinced it's worth it really.

I suggest you stick with our standards, they work well. The GL5 standards say to use a back to back of 4 11/16 which you are presumably working to, but they also accommodate the older 4 5/8, so there is the possibility that, if you alter things too much, visiting locos or stock may not fit.

Dave.