I've owned trains for 70 years, but have never been serious about it. I will soon have enough space for the 0-scale layout of my (or anyone's) dreams. My first question is about building a yard area into the layout. Like most of you, I have some Lionel engines, but I also have some HUGE scale model Sunset Third Rail steamers. How much space will I need to build between tracks so that they can begin any turns that are necessary to get out of the yard?
I have an 8-track yard on my layout, with spacing of 2 7/8 inches, which corresponds to 11 1/2 feet, compared to 10 2/3 feet for the prototype loading gauge, in other words, only the tiniest clearance between tracks. If I put anything of any size into the yard, I simply keep the adjacent tracks clear within a distance back from the turnout that, in the worst case, is the length of the unit. This wastes very much less space than separating all the ladder tracks would, especially since you wouldn't expect to see a large locomotive in the yard anyway.
Bob Nelson
In real life only the smaller switchers, like an 0-6-0, ventured into the yard. So you can build it with O31 switches. The large O72 steamers were sent over to the roundhouse.
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