i'm trying to inclose a closet space with a double track main.. the board is 54" x 28".. is it possible.. I have a pic of the track design.. to give you a general idea Track Plan [ 16 May 2001: Message edited by: mjc205 ]
Unfortunately, your image link did not work for me. If you are going to have a loop double tracked it is possible but you are going to have pretty tight radii. Long equipment may make it around the ends but won't look very good.
To answer your question directly, yes, it will work. The next question is: "How well will it work?" The answer is, not very well. When I began my present layout, I had only 24" across, and I also had a double main. Yes, the trains made the corner, and didn't de-rail, but looked goofy. I split the layout down the center, and added a 12" section to widen it to 36" total, and that's still tight, but looks OK. You'll be restricted to GP's only, and short rolling stock. Robert
I agree. My current layout is 2.5'x4' and originally had a double track oval. I run mostly smaller equipment but it still looked kind of goofy (you should see my dash 8 rounding those curves ) I removed one of the ovals and below is the current trackplan. It still is a little goofy looking but one day will be expanded upon. Russ/NYC The Hoffman Valley Railroad NARA # 28
The general consensus is the curves will be on the tight side. Let's see 28 is the width of the board so you will probably use 13.25 inch radius curves on the outside track and 11 inch radius on the inside curves. That will be tight. If that's all the room you can muster then you are stuck with it. I do have a trick up my sleeve that might help you. Simple almost to simple. Hide the tight curves in a mountain tunnel. Either a portion of the curve or the whole curve. You can even try a series of tunnels. That's what the SP did to hide some of it's tight curves on Tehachapi...kidding of course. I am rebuilding or remodeling a train layout I built for my dad. The tightest mainline curve on the layout was a 13 inch radius. Some 11 inch radius in the yards. Today I have expanded the curves to 17.75 and the passenger cars seem to glide around the curve without showing any extreme hang-over (not the morning after thing...ok). I will keep the 13 inch radius curve, as a run around to turn a consist of lashed-up dieseasels. I have some 26 and 28 radius curves in the staging yard and the passenger trains look good passing over these curves. Where I plan on having tighter radius curves they will be hidden, under a mountain...the tunnel thing. I've rattled on long enough. Yes, it will work and now you have a trick up your sleeve. Edited Add on: One other option I like to utilize is having the railroad go underground, as under a city. Ie., St. Louis, MO just east of the Arch between it and the river...BN had tracks that tunneled below certain sections of the city. Visible from the Arch you could see the trains pass through the area thanks to a series of ventilation ports.
The link does not work. I strongly suggest you repost your original post with a working link in the Layout Design section here at Trainboard. You will get advice and encouragement from those who live and breathe design and sense of operations.
Hmmm...link is still not working. Can you go to 36" instead? It'll give you more possibilities. I'm building a 36" x 65" portable layout with twin running tracks, yard, industry, etc. My two main curve sizes are 9-3/4 and 11. I can go a bit bigger but I'll lose the double tracks. Yes, long locos like my SD70MACs look a bit goofy but it's the compromise I can live with.
Layout Size You are correct most N scalers use a 1.25 or 1.50 center to center clearance. I have several sections on my layout where I use a 2.25 upwards to 2.75 on 17.25 radius curves or greater. It looks good and reminds me of several locations on various western roads where they once had two track mains with a siding and the siding was center and now removed. Ie., Cajon Pass, CA., Summit Station, Summit, CA.. You don't want me to repeat that right? In a space as small as has been suggested flex track spaced so the trains don't overhang and collide with each other... works. All you need is the thickness of a piece of paper providing clearance between trains. Seriously, the 1.25 center to center is to close a margin for my comfort zone or likeing. Especially if I run opposing DD40X's or any of the Articulateds on less then 15 inch radius curves. I prefer 1.50 to 2.0 inch center to center track clearances. No it's not HO, but if you use some of the measurements HO uses Ie., 15 inch, 18 inch or 22 inch radius curves...what a swell layout that makes. Those are measurements I work from and since I transferred in from HO is makes it easier to design as I already know how much room I will need to build the layout of my dreams. Useing the above mentioned stat's... you'd be operating the equivalent of a 30, 36 and 44 inch radius curves... as compared to HO. If that didn't make sense ask me to explain. Later!
