WAGR Rail Heights in S Scale

Rail size Weight (lbs) Per Yard	Height in Inches (HT)	Height in Millimeters (HT)	S Scale in Thou’s (HT)	Nearest Code Equivalent	Manufacturers (I’m Sure There’s Plenty More)
45	3 11/16	94	.057	55	Micro-Engineering
58	4 7/16	113	.069	70	Micro-Engineering
63	4 5/8	117	.072	70 OR 75	Micro-Engineering Peco
82	5 3/8	136	.084	83	Micro-Engineering Peco

The 82 lbs data sourced from The S Scale Model Railway Society at www.s-scale.org.uk/rails.htm

During a recent visit to the Railway Museum at Bassendean, one of the tasks that I set myself was to find and measure the height of various weights of rails on site so I could find their equivalents in S Scale when I returned home.

Why.? Because when fellow modellers would discuss codes in rail sizes, I had no idea of what they were talking about, so it was an exercise in understanding what rail to codes was all about.

I am not claiming that the above table is 100% accurate as wear has an impact on the height but I did try and find several examples of each weight of rail to get the best readings.

 

The modeller will need to research the station or line in which it is to be modelled to determine rail codes to use, the State Records Office and Rail Heritage WA have large collections of track diagrams which clearly show the weight of rails used within station yard layouts.

The S Scale Model Railway Society on the UK also has a comprehensive list of prototype rail data on its web site at www.s-scale.org.uk/rails.htm together with conversions to S scale.

Thanks to Richard Stallard in giving guidance in this piece. Richard had previously wrote an article in ASNM regarding the same subject but in greater detail (unknown to me when I started my research).

RC