Track Spacing

[lionelsoni]

I found this in a document entitled "Guidelines for Railroad Grade Separation Projects"

http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/operations/specs/attachments/grade_separation.pdf

"4.1.2 Track Spacing and Shifting...The Railroad requires a minimum spacing of 20 feet between freight tracks and 25 feet between freight and commuter tracks."

Twenty-five feet is 6 1/4 inches in 1/48 scale.  That is an interesting number.  A common way of starting a siding is to put a curved track section on the non-diverging outlet of a turnout.  The two tracks are then the continuation of the two curves.  If you do that in O27, the track spacing is exactly 6 1/4 inches.

[ed11670]

I like to get them as close as possible, so that the trains pass each other almost touching. To me it looks very realistic that way, And fun to watch.

[phillyreading]

It all depends on how far the cars overhang sticks out, some passenger cars may have hand grips that stick out more or some gondola frieght cars may have brake wheels that stick out, so you would need to measure the width of your model train cars and see how far to space. Also on curves a 21 inch long passenger carAtlas Amtrac passenger car) will need more room than say a 12 or 15inch long passenger car(Lionel # 15101 for example). Also from experiance I have found that some engines(deisel or steam) need more room to pass each other on both straights and curves.

Lee F.

[lionelsoni]

I find I can get away with 2 7/8 inches on centers between yard tracks; but I use a little more elsewhere where I have room for it.

[3railguy]

Depends on what prototype you are modeling. 4 3/8" is the norm for O scale but consider curve radius when departing.

[cnw1995]

Frankly, I've not measured it formally - just set my trains upon the tracks so I could see they cleared each other without touching - and doublechecked on the curves. I've one curve where they are too close together because of some space limits - I've kept it as an operational detail. Train 1 has to stop before this danger spot to allow Train 2 to move through first...

[ttt]

What is the minimum track spacing (from center rail to center rail) for 3-rail O gauge track on a straighaway?