Question #1 Will 12 inches fron a wall be enough space for an average size person to work on the back side of a 4 foot wide top?? The answer is 18 inches
Question #2 What is the difference between a turn out and a wye and can the wye be automically operated? The answer to tjis is I was thinking of a cross over not a wye.
New Question… I have been reading as many threads as possible dealing with building a layout. One subject I haven’t headr mentioned is the pro and cons of EZ track and others like it. If balasted it looks like it would be a good option.
Push a table to a foot from the wall, put some stuff on it and try to work. I don’t think it’s going to work.
The term wye is used to describe two things, a wye turnout, and the trackwork arrangement that can be used to turn a train, which often uses a wye turnout as part of it.
You’re right on about the distance. Putting a card table against the wall was on was a good way to find out. Some times I have troble with the obvious. It will take at least 18 inches and then stand back a few inches so as not to disturb the scenery on the edge.
A turnout with both legs curved (away from one another), or
A set of 3 turnouts (can be either wyes or regular ones) arranged in a triangular fashion so as to reverse a train (or to allow a spur/branchline to be entered from either direction).
A wye turnout can be used any place you find it necessary. A wye arrangement can be used anyplace you care to place it. Just remember, the wye arrangement WILL create a reversing section (electrically), so you WILL need to insulate both rails and wire it accordingly.
The wye interested me because it looks like it would let a train change tracks with alot less space, in other woeds close togther. That was why I thought they would be usefull in a yard. I’ve got to start with the simple layout and get it up and running and I know wiring will be a challenge.
A "wye’ switch is actually called an "equilateral switch. Both legs diverge from the track centerline at and equal rate, both legs or routes have the same divergance.
A “wye” track arrangement allows railroad equipment, from a single engine to an entire train to be turned (the same as a “3 point turn” you make in your car) or at a junction allows trains from a one route to proceed in either direction on the other route.
A wye switch has a angle of divergance roughly equal to a switch of half its frog number. So a #3 wye can be used with #6 switches. Just remember that what you gain in length you can lose in width. In many cases if you use two wye switches arranged to form a crossover (without trimming), the resulting track arrangement may end up about twice as wide as a normal crossover. You also can’t build a ladder of wye switches because each route diverges.
Wyes are very useful, but they do have their limitations.