Life's hard, even harder if your stupid John Wayne
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My spacing ranges from 3 to 4.5 inches center to center between straights and 4 to 5.5 between curves. This is not set in stone....just laying track out and seeing what works.
The curves are 0-54 and 0-72 except on sidings and yards.
My biggest engines are a 726 berk, mpc santa fe GP-38 and 2353 santa fe f3s.
I am going to start posting pictures and progress of my layout in another thread within the next few days.
Thanks!
I would think the geometry of the available track and switches (turn outs to you HO'ers) would determine the spacing for the most part. There is a great book by our host publisher "Freight yards."
If they are too close together they won't look right.
Pictures when you're done, thanks.
On my small layout which has all 027 curves, I try to space the track as close as possible with all the 027 engines and cars that I run. 3" from center rail to center rail on straights works but you must increase this to 3 1/2" as the track approaches within 6" of the first curve. In the 027 curves, 4 1/4" center to center , measured between the first curved section works for me. If you are using 027 and 042 curves you might get away with 4" on curves. On diesels with square front and rear, the 4 corner handrails will overhang the outside of the curve the most. Your longest car, such as passenger cars, the overhang will be to the inside of the curve.
I think Lionel recommends spacing at 4 & half inches on curves from center rail to center rail, but watch your spacing when dealing with diesel engines(GP-9's & SD-45's), the front hand rails, and long passenger cars.
Lee F.
Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.
kpolak wrote: You really need to test this with what you are running, and give another 1/2".Kurt
You really need to test this with what you are running, and give another 1/2".
Kurt
What is the closest I can get tracks together without risking collisions using traditional O and 027 engines and rolling stock? How much more space should I give at turns than straightaways?
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