By: Aqualita Brown

Aqualita Brown — Tue, 22 Apr 2014 17:42:19 +0000

have a question about getting back into building scenes and collecting model trains have not done N 20 years very rusty..O & N scale

By: Newman Atkinson

Newman Atkinson — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 04:15:16 +0000

I agree with Gerry. When using sectional track there is usually only a couple of radius readily available. So through your curves the turns will be hard to match on your inner and outer track. and keep an even clearance throughout the whole curve. So when you want to get more realistic in your layout designs you will want to try flexible sections of track. In the straightaways you might want to hold a closer on center distance between tracks but in the curves you will have to expand the center to center distance to allow the clearance on the inside and outside of a track.
Each track in the same curve will have a different radius. Both usually measured from the same point but adding the appropriate extra inches the farther from that point you get. I have a 5 track ladder of yard switches and the inner track curve is a 22 inch radius but as I progress outward each track will add another 2 1/2 inches apart center line to center line to hold the car clearances As your radius gets larger then your distance between tracks can get closer because as your radius gets larger , your car overhang gets less because your curve is shallower. Even if you are only doing single track clearance in the turns (inside and out on obs-tickles,tunnel portals, is important. On duel parallel track clearance of one of the tracks is not enough. You need to make sure that the clearance of both tracks together do not cross a center line between the two sets of tracks. Put the longest cars with lots of overhang on each track and that clearance should not cross over into the clearance of the other track. Also a tall long car with height clearance needed might clear the wall of a tunnel portal but many of them have rounded ceilings might also have clearance problems when the long car overhang high roof line meets the tunnel lower ceiling where a straight track through the portal would clear just fine. Sometimes a wider portal would be needed in the curves. I am sure they would be on the real prototypes too.
from Newman Atkinson Terre Haute, Indiana

By: Gerry

Gerry — Wed, 09 Apr 2014 15:54:40 +0000

Also, remember that when measuring track for curves to measure the inside lean of your longest car(s) as the ‘in swing’ can create problems on tracks with two curves, inner and outer, and with any obstacle(s) on the layout.

Comments on: Laying the Rail Road Track

By: Aqualita Brown

By: Newman Atkinson

By: Gerry