Hi all, I got started in the US with Atlas track and a lot of Athearn rolling stock. The Kalmbach book "An HO Railroad That Grows" was a source of endless fascination. Nowadays in Finland I have a 4yo and a coupla Märklin digital starter sets bought second-hand and room for a real layout. I'm pretty psyched about what AC digital can do. Dead simple, if pricey. Not much NY Central in the Märklin catalog tho :-( I want to get started with a 4'x8' (1200mm x 2400mm) or 5'x9', somewhere in there. Märklin C track with bridges, nice transition curves, switching duties on mixed consists, and nighttime lighting. First off I want to get sorted re. SCARM v. AnyRail.
If you are still modeling in HO, 4'x8' is a bit tight, in that your running track will be forced to run mostly in an oval shape near the edge of the board. 5'x9' will provide more flexibility and allow somewhat broader curves, if you can make that room available.
True true while unsure how Marklin works with Atlas HO I need to use 18raduis curves (22r won't fit). Welcome! I use "SCARM", like it easy to learn they have "Märklin HO C track" option (it's under HO-1/87(64))
In a discussion at marklin-users.net I found this: For C-tracks there are: R1 = 360.0 mm (14.2 inch) R2 = 437.5 mm (17.2 inch) R3 = 515.0 mm (20.3 inch) R4 = 579.3 mm (22.8 inch) R5 = 643.6 mm (25.3 inch) I've been able to operate long passenger cars on R1 curves but yeah it ain't pretty! But it does make it possible to pack a lot onto a sheet of plywood.
