track plan ideas

[Locojunkie]

Hello everyone, I want to start a new layout for my o gauge trains, I am looking at a 4 x 8 layout but can go bigger if necessary. I will be utilizing Atlas O gauge track for this layout. My largest locomotives are 4-8-4's and 4-8-2s. I want to operate these locomotives comfortably without any problems. My question is what o gauge track and size layout would I need thanks.

[8ntruck]

The 4x8 foot space allotment pretty much limits you to O27, standard O, which I think is a 30" curve, or 36" Fastrack curves.

I'm working on a 4x8 layout that uses the 36" Fastrack curves.  That a little less than 6" on either side of the track in the 4' dimension.

Good luck.

[lionelsoni]

Radius in inches to the center rail:

O27  12.5

O31  14.142

O34  15.75

[Postwar Paul]

Hello Locojunkie,

 I have been in the hobby "Model Railroading" all my life. Many different scales, and gauges. It's a little different in O, some engines might be able to take a tighter radius then you might think is actually possible.

I am a little concerned about 4-8-4's.

So, I would suggest going back to Model Railroading 101.

First, try to determine what radius ( or diameter for O and G) that your engines require. Either from the manufacturer specs, or by testing. Then, you can determine what radius curves you require, and then you will know what table size you will need to accommodate.

It's always been that way, design to fit the engines you want to run.

So, try to determine the needed radius first. Then work up a design.

[Postwar Paul]

The postwar engines mostly all can run on O-31. When you mentioned 4-8-2, and 4-8-4, it doesn't sound like Postwar, and I'm sure will not run on O-27. 

There have been some scale, and Hi Rail in O, not sure which engines you have ? So, it will be crucial to figure out what track diameter they require.

Paul

[rtraincollector]

8ntruck

The 4x8 foot space allotment pretty much limits you to O27, standard O, which I think is a 30" curve, or 36" Fastrack curves.

I'm working on a 4x8 layout that uses the 36" Fastrack curves.  That a little less than 6" on either side of the track in the 4' dimension.

Good luck. 

 

O gauge has O-31, O-42, O-54, and O-72 He could make two loops with O-31 and O-42 seing he has 48" withe on the board. Little close on the edge ( Probably about 2" on each side ) but he could do that. I think it might be a little too close to do a crossover with switches. 

I have never seen so don't think they made O-63 but always wondered why as they Made O-54 and O-72.