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Warren, I am still a new modeler but I am also a Civil Engineer so I will do my best. 'Snap Switches' are the sharpest variety built by Atlas. They have an 18 inch radius curve built into them. They are also furnished with an additional 18 in rad, 10 deg curve section of track. Since the tangent, the straight portion of the turnout (what modelers call switches to avoid confusing them with the electrical switches we use so often) is nine inches long, assembling Snap Switches with the additional ten degree curve will result in yard tracks at three inches on center. If you rearrange your yard with the ladder track on a twenty degree angle from the body tracks, the yard (body) tracks will be closer together (maybe two inches on center, I'm not sure). I wouldn't use less than two inches on center in HO Scale no matter what. If this is your first layout, I recommend using two and a quarter to two and a half inches on center for your yard tracks since you will be using your fingers more often in the yard than you expect. The way I would do this is by setting the ladder at an angle between twenty and thirty degrees and using flex track for your body tracks. Some experimentation will allow you to establi***he angle you are looking for. If you are worried that you may not get it right, reply to this message and I will draw up the geometry and compute the angle for you. As for the Code 100 and Code 83 rail ... All model track is classified by the depth of the rail. Code 100 track is track with a rail 100/1000 inches high. Likewise, code 83 rail is 83/1000 inches high. There are codes 75, 55 and lower if you are interested. The largest rail used on prototype railroads (something like 132 lb rail) is closest to code 83 rail. Many of the 'rivet counters' can't stand code 100 in HO Scale because it is larger than the heaviest rail used. I like it for two reasons. For the reasons cited earlier, it offers beter reliability for operating trains. Second, it is the most widely available track which helps it remain economical. Good luck with your stuff. - Ed
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