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Track spacing Dream and design
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New member 1 post bpIII125v New member 1 post
bpIII125v

Hi all.  I am currently working on plans for a yard for a HO layout and have a question about track centerline spacing.  I have read the NMRA recommendations and have decided on 2 1/16" on tangent track and 2 1/4" for curves.  The design problem I have is that my train room is small and the yard will be U shaped so all of the tracks, main and yard, will start off straight and then all curve around the U shape.  How do you transition from the 2 1/16" spacing to the 2 1/4" in the curves?  Do the easements take care of this?  I am concerned about performance but want it to look good too.

The innermost yard track will have a 24" radius.  I am modeling the 50's so 4 axle power and 50' and under cars (all freight)  will be the norm, however, my son has 85' passenger cars that will make an occasional appearance.

I would appreciate your advice and please include a list pitfalls.

 

thanks,

Bill
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vasouthern Regular poster 417 posts
vasouthern

Easements

Easements will help it look and operate better.

Spacing in a yard needs to consider finger space in case of derailments and accessing couplers. Sadly our fingers dont scale down at all.

In a yard, the broader the curve the better, try to make them as large as possible even tho you have a min rad of 24. It doesnt mean EVERY curve needs to be that radi. Let them flow and be as large as space allows.

85 ft cars always have a few issues on layouts, so build, run em and see what they need. Might need more coupler swing or a truck not turn without hitting something.

 

Randy McKenzie
Virginia Southern - Ho triple decker 32x38

Digitrax Zephyr, DCC++EX, JMRI, Arduino CMRI
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Proto freelance merger of the CRR and Interstate

Based on the north end of the Clinchfield.

 

 
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doc-in-ct Regular poster 268 posts
doc-in-ct

track spacing transition

Let the transition curve handle the change over.  The fixed curved sections will likely have a staggered starting point (at least they did in WinRail).  Watch out for tight "S" curves in the yard.

Alan T.
Co-Owner of the CT River Valley RR - a contemporary HO scale layout of Western & Northern CT, and Western Mass.  In the design stage; Waterbury CT.
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