1 mile is 5280', *12"= 63 360 inches, /87= 728.2758" /12" = 60.68965'
Even odder, ScaleRailsOnline has a scale calculator that says 1 mile in HO is 728.28 inches (60.69ft), so I think I missed a step on my calculation, though is seems it should be correct.
Hummm, I dunno, I can tell there's something wrong, guess this equates to why I'm NOT a math major.
Wow that would be somethingOne HO inch is 87 real inches.
Nothing odd about that. It is not computing what you think it is. Use full labels to get the true meaning.Odd...
5280ft ÷ 3.5 (MM) = 1508.57 (roughly)
1 508.57 millimeters = 59.3925197 inch
I never thought I would see the day that elementary algebra would be called "cool" by a young person.Wow, cool Thoroughbreed!
Why not just divide 5280 by 87. It's alot quicker. Ther's no need to multiply by 12 then divide by 12, it's a waste of steps.
5280/87=60.689655172413793103448275862069
Josh -
The problem with your calculation was you divided by 3.5, you needed to multiple.
HO scale is 3.5 (actual) millimeters = 1 (scale) foot. The 1:87 or 1:87.1 ratios are both approximations (it's actually 87.08588845749120069668710765993, far to cumbersome to work with).
One HO scale mile equals 18480 actual millimeters, so at the standard conversion rate of 1mm = 0.03937 inch, 1 scale mile equals 727.5576 inches, or very slightly under 60 feet, 7 9/16 inches.
So, yes, an HO scale mile is about 60 feet.