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Horseshoe Curve Radius in HO Scale
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<p>[quote user="MGAMike"]</p> <p>Hi There!!</p> <p>I am planning my new model railroad and I think I would like to incorporate Altoona's Horseshoe Curve. The real thing is 1,300 feet across which roughly calculates to a 90" radius in HO Scale. Since I do not want the curve to take up half of my train room, does anyone have any opinions or thoughts on what radius would make for a good representation of the curve? My planned minimum radius for the layout is 32".</p> <p>Any thoughts or advice is appreciated.</p> <p>Thanks,Mike</p> <div style="clear:both;"> </div> <p>[/quote]</p> <p>What era are you modeling? </p> <p>It matters... at some point one track was removed (it was 4 tracks, now 3). I want to say either Conrail or NS did the track removal..</p> <p>This also affects your radius. See new NMRA RPs for track centers</p> <p> <a href="https://www.nmra.org/sites/default/files/standards/sandrp/pdf/rp-7.2_curved_track_centers_july_2017.pdf">https://www.nmra.org/sites/default/files/standards/sandrp/pdf/rp-7.2_curved_track_centers_july_2017.pdf</a></p> <p>What I gather from that is that you would want to lay the inside curve at 32", the next at 34 9/16", the next at 37 1/8", the outside at 39 11/16".</p> <p>For post 4th track removal (Im not sure what PRR's track numbering convention was):</p> <p>Inside 32", (track removed), 35" (ball park), 37 9/16". </p> <p>Steam era would be 2 19/32" between each total of 4 tracks</p> <p>(I would go with 2 5/8" just for sanity's sake...for all of them if you can afford the space)</p>
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