# I need math help for an HO layout please



## Steam&Diesel (Feb 19, 2018)

I recently bought a CD of a railroad I would like to model in HO scale. Included on the CD were pictures of the yard on what I believe were white prints. They measure 3 foot by 2 foot. Their scale is 1 inch equals 50 feet. 
***There is informative writing on the bottom third of the white print. The actual height of the yard on the print looks to be about 18 inches making the yard area on the print 36 inches by 18 inches*** 

I only took general math way back in the day in high school and I don't know how to convert this to what I need. 

I'd like to have some help to figure out how large the layout would be to build the yard in HO.

As an aside, on another pic it shows one of the buildings being 55 feet, 1-1/2 inches high from the ground to the edge of the roof (not including the peak). I've figured this to be about 7.6 inches tall in HO. 55x12=660 plus 1-1/2=661.5 divided by 87= 7.603. I figure if I build it about 7-5/8 inches tall at the peak it should be about right.


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## Steam&Diesel (Feb 19, 2018)

I think I may have figured this out. Would someone please verify my math?

Length: 50 feet x 12 = 600 inches x 36 = 21,600 inches divided by 12 = 1800 feet divided by 87 = 20.6896 or rounded 21 feet.

Width: 50 x 12 = 600 x 18 = 10,800 divided by 12 = 900 divided by 87 = 10.3448 or rounded, 11 feet.

So the size of the layout would be 21' x 11'.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

You description of the scale measurements isn't very clear, but you appear to have done the math correctly, assuming you started with the proper dimensions, your conversions are correct.

Maybe some selective compression to make this a more manageable size would be a good idea, though. 

Also, if there is no room for access in the middle of that layout, that size is unworkable.


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## Steam&Diesel (Feb 19, 2018)

CTValleyRR said:


> You description of the scale measurements isn't very clear, but you appear to have done the math correctly, assuming you started with the proper dimensions, your conversions are correct.
> 
> Maybe some selective compression to make this a more manageable size would be a good idea, though.
> 
> Also, if there is no room for access in the middle of that layout, that size is unworkable.


Thank you for the reply. I've found that I don't have the room where I am to build this anyway. Once I realized how large it is I knew that access to the center wouldn't be possible except for some very creative work.


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