Anyone else have/use a clearance test locomotive?

As of now I use my MTH Premier Big Boy.  It has the more overhang and "in-hang" then my MTH Premier PRR Lima, GG-1 Centipedes, Q2, T1, S1, S2; N&W Y3 and A, C&O M-1, or UP #80 coal turbine.  But this may change when the 3rd rail Jawn Henry arrives!

I have charted these measurements for GarGrave&Ross O72, O80, O89, O96, and O106.

If using a template you must consider front end overhang, rear-end overhang, cab overhang, main body "in-hang" plus same for large tenders and also account for any "normal" wobble.

It is not just  the engines, also, check for "in hang" when using long cars.

Lee:  I think that yours is a great idea!  Methinks I'm going to try it myself.  Having just read Don McQuaig's great article on building quick catenary, I've determined that I'm going to have to have it over some parts of my layout.  And, of course, the location of catenary poles is seriously determined by what engines will be running under those tracks. 

For me, the engine presenting the largest clearance requirement for those poles will be the MTH Milw Rd boxcabs.  With their fairly rigid frame, the full width of the box cab plus marker lights mounted just below the cab windows, I've had to revise some of my track configurations, changing the end or beginning of a curve coming off of a truss bridge, and elsewhere, actually re-aligning the track location when it curved too close to a basement wall.

Don commented that his "problem" engine was an MTH "Little Joe", which might also present problems for me on my layout.  In any case, equipping and engine with the cardboard templates that you describe would really be a boon in locating those pole bases.  Take all the guesswork right out of it.

And, actually, I've seen pictures of prototypical "clearance test cars";  which, of course, don't use sheets of cardboard but rather have what looks like a crown of sticks extending out from the car to the extent of the most serious clearance car or engine that the RR plans to use on that route.

Great idea, thanx for the suggestion.

Paul Fischer

Great Idea! Something simple but so effect! Thanks fro sharing!

I just use my DD-35A. If that doesn't hit anything, then nothing else that I own will cause any problems. 

We have a 21" "test passenger car" at the club, it's just a chunk of wood and two trucks at the correct location.  That came about when a 21" car ran into the scenery on one of the curves. 

A car that tests all dimensions is a great idea Lee, and as mentioned, it's simple as well.

That's an important point to me, and if you look at the templates I use, you see that I basically trace the stick out of each loco every 1/4 inch from ground to maximum height.  As mounted (on the front of the loco bod) the template holder also shifts the template to the outside of a turn by 3/16 inch which adds a tiny margin of safety for wobble, etc. 

It's not prototypical but I like to run one of my track loops through trees with them as near to the track as possible and some of the limbs on the larger trees hanging over the locos: these templates help check the positioning of those trees quickly. 

I did once

It was a new Y6b

When first run on my old layout promptly took out the 1st tunnel portal.

We use a few different things to test clearances  A Premier Big Boy for Steam engine clearance.  An Atlas Comet II passenger car for overhang clearance and a Lionel Double Stack intermodal car for height.  Looks like it is much easier with the templates you created. 

When the NY City subway was going to purchase 75 foot long cars they cut up an older R9 and extended the chassis and added feelers for the same purpose

I'm glad I didn't have to ride that subway car!

For Standard Gauge, I use a Super 381 to check clearance. If that monster will clear, most anything else will, except for a Brute or a Rich-Art Cascade (Bi-Polar). I've made up a template for pantograph height clearance, but I just use it by hand rather than mounting it on a car or locomotive. An MTH Schnabel car pulled by a Cab Forward does the job for checking side clearance on curves.

We don't have one, but that's a great idea. We have a branch that (for now) is restricted to hudsons and smaller steam because of tunnel clearances, but part of that is going to be re-done. I think making a clearance car is definitely called for.

Front and rear end overhang is a consideration, as is articulated and inline.  I recently purchased a Lionel 89' scale auto rack with clearance problem at mid-length.  I thought I covered all the bases but; there certainly are a lot of considerations!

Stack

I ordered a Williams scale GG-1...after one lap around the layout it cleared all "too close to trackside" obstructions...now I have some bare patches of scenery to fill in where there were lamp posts and trees

You have shown us an excellent testing tool Lee.

Thank You.

Personally, my Imperial RK Big Boy is the maker or ratings.

And on tight curves it does clear a large swath of ground.

I'm re-designing to O-54 Minimum now and it looks much better.

Another prototype clearance car - this particular one was used on the C&O:

Jim

I have one made with a clear plexiglas base so I can use it to see under the car for switch or other track issues.

I run the car while holding a pen vertically at the corners and mid-section to draw out an interference  patterns on the layout.

My Westinghouse #801 O scale railcar is the ultimate challenge for clearing the right-of-way.!

With the 80 foot "load" attached the overhang on curves would wipe out everything within 50 feet of either side. The prototype shown is designed for adjustment both vertically and horizontally.  Even then the railroad sometimes has to remove certain obstacles along the track.

Here is another prototype photo and a commercially available HO scale model of the Westinghouse #801 36-axle railcar. The detail on the HO scale model is fantastic. They use photoetched brass parts.

Note: I will be adding "superdetails" to my O scale model of the 801 soon.

It's rather simple and effective to run something big to "clear" the right-of-way but rather risky to risk damaging it or near-track accessories, etc., if you aren't sure.  That is the whole point of a clearance test car - to check clearance to any need first. 

The largest clearance locomotive I have is a JLC Big Boy (side to side) or MTH UP Coal Turbine (height) but the maximum in both dimensions that I have, period, is a scratch build railway cannon about as big as your big Schnabel car.  I have a clearance car template to test for it, too.