Is 6 inches enough?

[tschmidt]

I currently have a shelf type track that runs around the perimiter of my room. On 3 of the walls it is 6" wide with 1 track (Gargraves) running down the middle. I thought about making it 2 tracks wide on 1 wall. I wondered about using a Ross Wye switch at each end. So my questions are:
1. Can two sets of track work on a 6" wide board?
2. Will the Ross "wye" switch work in that space?

I thank you in advance for your help.
TomS

[Anonymous]

Why would you try to use a wye switch in this case? Since both tracks diverge on a wye, this usually eats up more space than a standard track would. A GG 100 or Ross No 6A might be a better choice. Note: both of these are "long", aka 16"-19" long just for the switch. A pair of Ross No. 4's would give you 3.5" center spacing.

Also, two tracks on a six inch shelf may be pushing it. You may start scraping paint or lose equipment to a header off of the shelf. If you use a 3.5" center spacing, the distance between outer rail to outer rail will be 4 3/4". This does not inlcude the ties on the outer rails nor does it take into account car overhang. Is your shelf really 6" deep or based on a nominal 6" lumber measurement, aka 1x6?

[poppyl]

Tom;

The wye sends the tracks off on a divergent path. To get back to parallel would require too much space and would create an S curve derailment situation just waiting to happen. Your idea might work with a large radius switch that brings the second track back to 3.5 inches center track to center track. Even at that you will be looking at about 1/2 inch clearance on each side. You also have two corners to deal with which may present a problem for the curve radius of the inside track unless you can create more space in the corner.

Poppyl

[Anonymous]

Ross does cary "curved switches", but overhang clearances might make this difficult.

e.g.:

http://catalog.rossswitches.com/viewProduct.cfm?item_id=82356

http://catalog.rossswitches.com/viewProduct.cfm?item_id=639074

http://catalog.rossswitches.com/viewProduct.cfm?item_id=82482

[Craignor]

No!

Size matters.[:-,]

[spankybird]

Tom,

I believe you will find the 6" is two small for two tracks. Normal center to center diametions for double line is 4.0". As Chuck also pointed out, a 1 x 6" shelving board is finish size at 5.5". This does not leave any room for ties and any overhang of the trains.



This part of this layout is set at 4.0" centers.

[Frank53]

I havew two tracks running on the upper level. They share reversing loops at each end. This is a shade over 10 inches in width, and it is too narrow for certain engines. I should have made it a foot wide.

[lionelsoni]

Prototype trains are 10 feet 8 inches wide, which is 2 2/3 inches in 1/48 O scale. I have my yard tracks 2 7/8 inches on centers with no problem. You should be able to put two tracks 3 inches on centers, with the outer track's (2-inch) ties flush with the edge and still have adequate clearance to the wall for the inner track.

The problem will come at the corners or where the inner track approaches the wall after diverging from the outer track at the turnout. The trick here is to use a spiral curve, with as long a radius as it takes to get close to the wall and a shorter radius where you can handle the overhang. For example, you could use a spiral around the corners at each end of the 2-track wall, taking the track to its closest approach to the wall, then put the turnout to diverge to the outside of the shelf, while the inside track stays straight.