BAe/Boeing GR.5 / AV-8B wings-span 'What If' question????

[MAD]

G'day gents

I am currently looking at a 'What If' project, to which I sort your assistance!

I am trying to obtain the distance (wing span) of the BAe/Boeing AV-8B/GR.7 Harrier II design from the outer-most out-rigger wheels (please see attachment pic!). The actual wingspan of the Harrier II is quoted as - 9.25 m (30 ft 4 in)
Next...... does anyone know the universal excepted international gauge / width of railway stock / carriages?

Do you know where I am heading with this?  

Your assistance and vast knowledge will be most grateful and very appreciated

M.A.D

[Captain Canada]

Sounds like a great idea...and one I wish I'd thought of !

[GTX]

Using the following, I would estimate at just under 4.5m:



Regards,

Greg

[Green Dragon]

Wiki is your friend! 60% of the worlds rail track uses Standard Gauge (Or International Gauge) of four feet eight and a half inches.
The Great Western Railway used broad gauge of seven feet but that stopped in 1892. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Track_(rail_transport)

Paul Harrison

[MAD]

Sounds like a great idea...and one I wish I'd thought of !

Thanks mate!
Please feel free to PM me, for your input and ideas 

M.A.D

[MAD]

Using the following, I would estimate at just under 4.5m:



Regards,

Greg

Yeah thanks Greg!!
That makes sense, when you have the scale key!!
I've sent you an email regards this mate!!! look forward to your response 

M.A.D

[MAD]

Thank you Mr Harrison

I think my question should be along the lines of how wide is the standard flatcar width, as opposed to the gauge
I am confident that main battle tanks width is predominantly governed by the width of a railway flatcar? Can anyone elaborate on this? For this might give me a better idea of the widths we are talking

Thanks again mate

M.A.D

[rallymodeller]

Standard gauge is 56.5 inches (4' 8-1/2"). Russia, Finland and Spain uses 5' gauge; most of Africa and Japan (with the exception of the Shinkansen high-speed trains, which run Standard Gauge) are on Narrow Gauge (3' 6"). Some places, such as the mountains of Switzerland, use Meter Gauge, and in India there is Broad Gauge (5 1/2') as well. Australia's just all over the place, as is Brazil.

Interestingly, the US Military tendered for locomotives back in the Fifties that could run on any gauge from 3' to 5.5' -- the MRS-1. Coolest thing about it is that the gauge change could be done from inside; the trucks had powered adjust. EMD and Alco each built units, the Alco one was eventually chosen.  I drew a profile of the Alco one:

[rallymodeller]

Thank you Mr Harrison

I think my question should be along the lines of how wide is the standard flatcar width, as opposed to the gauge
I am confident that main battle tanks width is predominantly governed by the width of a railway flatcar? Can anyone elaborate on this? For this might give me a better idea of the widths we are talking

Thanks again mate

M.A.D

Sorry, didn't read that part. The term you are looking for in that case is "Loading Gauge", the width and height permissible on a given railway system. This varies from place to place; the UK has the smallest loading gauge in Europe while Russia and North America have the largest. Of course, as always Wikipedia has the answers.

[MAD]

rallymodeller, you are a gentleman  

Thank you for you valuable input and correcting me on the correct terminology (I think that is half the battle one )

I see you do railway flatcars and the likes yourself  

Would you be interested in participating in this little project  

M.A.D

[rallymodeller]

rallymodeller, you are a gentleman  

Thank you for you valuable input and correcting me on the correct terminology (I think that is half the battle one )

I see you do railway flatcars and the likes yourself  

Would you be interested in participating in this little project  

M.A.D

Hmm. Might be... been kind of interested in a way to combine my railway whiffery interest with my aviation whiffery interest...

[PR19_Kit]

You're going to fly a Harrier off a railroad car?

Like the idea, but you may need outriggers to support the outboard jockey wheels.

[rickshaw]

Thank you Mr Harrison

I think my question should be along the lines of how wide is the standard flatcar width, as opposed to the gauge
I am confident that main battle tanks width is predominantly governed by the width of a railway flatcar? Can anyone elaborate on this? For this might give me a better idea of the widths we are talking

Thanks again mate

M.A.D

The main determinants are:

Loading width (of the flats)
Loading gauge (how close do trains pass by one another)
Axle bearing (how much weight is distributed across how many axles, plus the diameter of the wheels)
Track bed bearing  (how much weight the track bed can sustain for prolonged periods of traffic).
Tunnel width and height.

[MAD]

Like the idea, but you may need outriggers to support the outboard jockey wheels.

PR19_Kit, I was thinking that myself, after Greg (GTX's) estimate of wingspan. A retractable outrigger arrangement on the flatcar might be the go!!

Thanks for your contribution my friend  

The main determinants are:

Loading width (of the flats)
Loading gauge (how close do trains pass by one another)
Axle bearing (how much weight is distributed across how many axles, plus the diameter of the wheels)
Track bed bearing  (how much weight the track bed can sustain for prolonged periods of traffic).
Tunnel width and height.

Rickshaw as per normal your input is productive, valid and wisely taken on-board!!

M.A.D

[MAD]

Been looking on the web for things I am looking for, but unable to explain fully or use correct terminology, for those with rail/military knowledge this is what I am trying to explain as fold-down/fold-up platforms (rallymodeller  )
Folded -up when in travel, and folded down when re-arming, carrying out maintenance and taking off and landing!!

  M.A.D