How Much Does Railroad Track Length Shrink in the Cold, Lets Find Out! | 7.5" Gauge, 1/8 Scale

Anyone who has laid 7.5" gauge track for ride-on backyard trains knows that leaving the appropriate sized gap between sections of rail is an important to allow for track expansion and contraction with temperature swings. How much does the length actually change?

[@petersipp5247]

I appreciate you using US Standard ! Great experiment. I needed to put a starter ring gear on my truck flywheel one time. It was winter. I put the flywheel outside overnight. Put the starter gear on top of the wood stove. Cranked it up. Got the starter gear to expand. Brought the flywheel in. Grabbed the starter gear with a channel locks...slid the warmed up gear on the cold flywheel...just like that. So yes...cold shrinks...heat expands.

[@mattkinnard6899]

SAE for life! I have done that starter ring job before with touches, I like the creativity of using the wood stove.

[@davestrains6816]

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing. Dave

[@ccrx6700]

Really interesting experiment Matt Cool! 👍😊❤️

[@mattkinnard6899]

I am glad you enjoyed it! As always, thank you for your support!

[@TriGogglin]

That was a great experiment.. yup spring can't come fast enough.

[@mattkinnard6899]

Glad you enjoyed. Heard the first tree frog if the year tonight. Way early, but you won't catch me complaining about it

[@TriGogglin]

@@mattkinnard6899 hope that's a good sign, I'm so do e with wearing coats

[@Don55443]

Good info, thanks!

[@irdmoose]

Railroad track isn't the only thing that shrinks when it's cold.

[@mattkinnard6899]

There is always that one person...

[@irdmoose]

@@mattkinnard6899 I'm not entirely sure what you're referring to.