Clearance and vehicle check gauge – free, for Z, N, TT and H0

Description

Before you print a portal, a platform or a load, this gauge shows how much room vehicles need. There are two parts per scale: a clearance gauge that you push along the track and a vehicle gauge that you push a vehicle through.

• Clearance gauge: its outer contour is the clearance without overhead line. It rests on the rail heads, and a tongue between the rails keeps it centred. Whatever it touches as you push it along reaches into the clearance.
• Measuring nose for platform and ramp: the step at the bottom shows how close and how high an edge may be (H0: 21 mm from the track axis, 11 mm high).
• Vehicle gauge: a window with the vehicle envelope, open at the bottom for wheels and rails. If a vehicle or its load touches it, it is wider or taller than the envelope.
• Current editions: clearance to the 2019 edition (57 mm high in H0, an older edition gave 59 mm), vehicle envelope to the 2024 edition.

In the set per scale:

• Z: clearance 20 × 23 mm, edges up to 9 mm from the track axis and 4.5 mm high; vehicle envelope 17 × 22 mm
• N: clearance 27 × 31 mm, edges up to 12.5 mm from the track axis and 6 mm high; vehicle envelope 23 × 30 mm
• TT: clearance 36 × 41 mm, edges up to 16 mm from the track axis and 8 mm high; vehicle envelope 30 × 40 mm
• H0: clearance 48 × 57 mm, edges up to 21 mm from the track axis and 11 mm high; vehicle envelope 40 × 55 mm

Scales: One variant per scale: Z (1:220), N (1:160), TT (1:120) and H0 (1:87). Each variant contains the single parts and a collection plate with all parts of the scale (3 mm apart).

Dimensions: Dimensions taken from NEM 102 (2019 edition) and NEM 301 (2024 edition). The clearance gauge rests on the rail heads and needs no height adjustment. The feet of the vehicle gauge sit at rail-top level (height offset 0); if your track sits higher than the baseboard, shim both feet by that height. The space for an overhead line is not included, because the standard only allows it to be derived from the drawing. The gauge itself has not been tested on a layout yet; how accurate it turns out depends on your printer.

Material: PLA is enough because the layout stays indoors; PETG works too. 0.4 mm nozzle, ideally 0.12 mm layers, no supports.

Not a toy. Model-making accessory for model railway hobbyists aged 14 and up; contains small parts that can be swallowed, keep out of reach of small children.

Dimensions

Dimensions of the default variant in print orientation.

Material and temperature

PLA is enough for gauges and structural parts (0.4 mm nozzle). For small details use resin or a 0.2 mm nozzle. With resin: wear gloves, follow the resin manufacturer's instructions and cure the parts fully.

Print orientation: Lying flat, no supports.

Safety notice

Not a toy. Model-making accessory for model railway hobbyists aged 14 and up; contains small parts that can be swallowed, keep out of reach of small children. Not a toy. Model-making accessory for model railway hobbyists aged 14 and up; contains small parts that can be swallowed, keep out of reach of small children.

Not an original part. No affiliation with the manufacturers named; brand and model names only indicate fitment.

What's included

You get one ZIP for the version you choose, with:

• STL – print-ready mesh
• 3MF – with print profile
• STEP – editable in CAD

Files per version

Version	Contains	Price
Z (1:220)	lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_z_sammelplatte.stl, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_z_sammelplatte.3mf, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_z_sammelplatte.step, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_z_lichtraumlehre.stl, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_z_lichtraumlehre.3mf, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_z_lichtraumlehre.step, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_z_fahrzeuglehre.stl, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_z_fahrzeuglehre.3mf, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_z_fahrzeuglehre.step	€0.00
N (1:160)	lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_n_sammelplatte.stl, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_n_sammelplatte.3mf, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_n_sammelplatte.step, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_n_lichtraumlehre.stl, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_n_lichtraumlehre.3mf, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_n_lichtraumlehre.step, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_n_fahrzeuglehre.stl, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_n_fahrzeuglehre.3mf, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_n_fahrzeuglehre.step	€0.00
TT (1:120)	lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_tt_sammelplatte.stl, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_tt_sammelplatte.3mf, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_tt_sammelplatte.step, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_tt_lichtraumlehre.stl, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_tt_lichtraumlehre.3mf, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_tt_lichtraumlehre.step, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_tt_fahrzeuglehre.stl, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_tt_fahrzeuglehre.3mf, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_tt_fahrzeuglehre.step	€0.00
H0 (1:87)	lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_h0_sammelplatte.stl, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_h0_sammelplatte.3mf, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_h0_sammelplatte.step, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_h0_lichtraumlehre.stl, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_h0_lichtraumlehre.3mf, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_h0_lichtraumlehre.step, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_h0_fahrzeuglehre.stl, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_h0_fahrzeuglehre.3mf, lichtraum-und-fahrzeug-prueflehre_h0_fahrzeuglehre.step	€0.00

Printing

1. PLA (or PETG), 0.4 mm nozzle, 0.12 mm layers, 2 walls, 15 % infill, no supports.
2. Both gauges lying flat, as the files are laid out.

FAQ

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Version 1.0.0, updated 5 November 2026 · SKU MB-CLEARANCE-GAUGE