I think the claustrophobia factor is a function of layout height as much as aisleway width. My entrance aisleway is 32" wide (passageway only.) With a towering fascia (60" track level) on one side, a solid wall on the other and a shelf on that wall that’s slightly above my head (I clear the brackets by about 10mm) it’s downright scary! OTOH, a narrower access aisleway with fascia levels of 42 and 45 inches feels like the wide open spaces.
One side of that narrow aisleway may get a second deck sometime in the future - maybe. I wonder what that will do to the claustrophobia factor.
Just measured my one and only aisle width - 13"; I have to move sideways the 8’ length of the aisle. Very narrow, but it works for me and does give me more layout room.
My N-scale layout has a U-shaped aisle that is 30" wide and briefly pinches down to 24" to fit around a helix blob. In ideal circumstances (a lrger room), I would have established a minimum width of 36", although I have to say I was quite surprised at how roomy the 30" aisles are now that I have the benchwork in. Of course, my layout is designed for just one or two operators or maybe a visitor or two every now and then; it certainly could not support a full blown operating “crew.” Jamie
An excellent point. Another is, are you measuring the distance between fascia lines, or the actual clearance? Card boxes, cupholders and such are like little mice, gnawing away at aisle width while you aren’t watching them. Even a clip to hold a switch list can be a literal PITA if it’s located at the narrowest point in an aisle that is used frequently.
As for a 13" aisle - at any height above 24" from the floor, I’d fit it like a champagne cork…[(-D]
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with minimum 600mm aisle clearance)
My layout is J shaped. The short isle at the bottom of the J is 19". This works for me as my yard is on the (or will be) on the short leg of the J so I want to be close anyway. For larger people 19" would be tight. The remainder of the layout has a 35" isle which is real nice. The larger the better beacuse even though you don’t need that extra width, it makes for some enjoyable viewing to stand further back from the layout to watch while the trains are running. The height of the layout would be a factor as well.
Good point - while there is the claustrophobic feeling with a tall layout, the higher it is, the narrow the aisles can be in some cases. If you have to bend over to look at the layout, there has to be room for your caboose. If you can see everything while standing upright - you don’t take as much space.
But then - if you are making things that tight that you have to worry about exact fitting, you probably need to rethink things and make the aisles a lot wider. Unless you never have friends and family view your layout, it’s not a custom fit suit.
Getting ready to start construction on a new layout. I’m planning on 24" aisles on two sides of the layout room. I took a yard stick, held it against the wall and verified that 24" was wide enough for my big fat belly. The benchwork will be 48" high, not including plywood, foam, etc.
If I find the 24" a little tight maybe I’ll be motivated to lose some weight.[dinner]
The bigest factor for aisle widths is how you are going to operate your layout. If you have fixed operating positions you need to provide space for other operators to get past. I belong to a club with a large walkaround layout. We have aisles down to about 24" but provide people passing sidings where we have fixed operators, where we expect meets or a lot of switching. Look at your layout design and consider how many people would be needed for a maximum operation, where they would need to move about and your fixed positions. This will drive your aisle widths and may result in a track plan change or a reevaluation of how you will operate.