Well, after quite some time of collecting I guess its time to get down to laying track. My problem is, is that I can’t figure out the radius for the inside and outside curves. It sounds like a easy question, but I can’t seem to get a grasp on it?
My layout size is 6x10 with basically two ovals not connecting eachother. I would like to know what is the maximum radius I can do on the inside and outside curves without having the track right on the edge of the layout, thanks.
John[:)]
John, O-72 would leave you hanging over the edge, so O-54 tubular would probably be the largest common diameter. Another option to consider would be to use a size that would be common and use sections of straight, full and fractional, to fit the curves to the space. This way you could use as small as O-27 or O-54 and make your curves in a semi-continuous arc. There is also the option of flex track from Gargraves and custom bending your curves.
John,
I have a 6 x 11 layout. O-72 just misses the 6 ft. dimension.
There are a couple options.
You can use O-54, O-42, and O-31 curves in the 6ft dimension if you want some large outside curves to handle larger engines, and have progressively smaller loops inside.
Or…
You can also use all O-31 curves and vary the height of the loop by using two curves to form the corner sections and then inserting different number of straights at the ends of the oval for each loop. These straights will allow you to vary the depth of the ovals. Four straights between the top and bottom curve sections at the ends of the oval for the outter most loop, three straights for the next loop inside, two for the one inside that, etc. Until you finally have a half circle of four O-31 curves at the ends of the loop for the inner most loop.
Consider finding a “Tin Plate Track Template”. This is a green track template with a scale ruler in feet on one side (allows you to mark out a 6 x 10 rectangle on paper) and will have scale outlines for straights, halfs, switches, and O-31, O-42, O-72 curves on it. Unfortunately it does not have O-54 curves for “O” gauge.
Buy some large sheets of graph paper and use the template to draw out a couple simple layouts, and it will all begin to make sense.
Yes, there is layout software but the template and graph paper are pretty inexpensive.
Consider spiral curves. They look gentler than they are; and they waste little space in the corners. You didn’t say what track type you use; in O27 profile, I have used O72-O34-O72 and O54-O27-O54.
Yeah, I forgot to mention that Im using O gauge tubular track. Thanks everyone for the info.
John[:D]
O54 with a 10" section of straight track in the center of each curve on the outside loop will give you a radius of 64". That will give you 4" from the track to the edge of each side of the table. Use the O54 without the straight section on the inner loop for the widest radius, or drop down to O42 and again, insert a straight section in each curve’s center. You could still add 1 or two more loops or a figure eight if you wanted to.
Jim
My layout is also 6x10 with nested loops. I used 31 dia. curves on the inside loop and 42" curves on the outside loop. Could have used 42 and 54 instead but preferred to incorporate a couple of addtional twists and turns in the trackplan.
http://home.comcast.net/~graz6/wsb/html/view.cgi-home.html-.html
Mike