I am adding a 5 track freight yard to my ho scale layout. What is the min. Spacing for straight track in this yard.
thanx ccg
2 inches on the straight tracks, although that makes it hard to get your fingers between them to handle the rolling stock.
Rich
I spaced mine 2.25" center to center to allow finger room.
Rich has the basic number for HO, His caveat about finger room is important, but the need for it depends on how the yard will be used. If just for in and out staging, usually no need for extra room. However, if you build trains in staging, then you need lots of finger room for getting stuff on and off the tracks.
Keep in mind that yard track spacing is somewhat dependent on the geometry of the turnouts in the yard ladder. Best to do your design and lay it out full size to make sure it fits right if you go for tight spacing, as you’ll have little room for slop when it’s tight spacing. It’s always a good idea to test the track with trains on adjoining tracks to check your work before the final spike down begins.
I have been working with this dilemma the last few days, mocking it up with tracks and turnouts and trying to get a good feel of what is good. Basically the conclusion I reached was this. It looks better with 2 inch spacing and I get a bit more track in. But the cars are very close together when it comes to switching the cars. It’s impossible to read roadnumbers and so on. So my conclusion is and what I will do is this. In the working yard I will have have about 2,5 inches apart and in the staging yard, to be built later I will use the 2 inch spacing. Distance of the floor will also be a factor in this.
Magnus
The real railroads used to space them as close as they could. There are photos of small yards with spacing as close as 12’ center to center. Most model railroads use 2" (roughly 16 scale feet) centers. Centers this close are no problem in visable operating yards, but are an issue in staging where it would be necessary to rail rolling stock.
S&S
My yard tracks on my few loop layouts was 2" centers…I found no need to stick my digits in a area where they’re not wanted nor welcome in between the cars.
I used magnets to uncouple,took the few minutes needed to ensure my track work was bullet proof,checked wheel gauge and coupler and trip pin height for smooth and derailment free operation…
Like Larry, I use 2-inch centers. I originally derived this from John Armstrongs book, “Track Planning for Realistic Operation” - the guru of track planning recommended 2-inch minimum centers in yards. I built a staging yard to fit 11 parallel tracks in a two foot wide area underneath the main RR yard which is being built above it.
Cheers, Jim
Hi cog
I work on the theory if there is going to be an OOPS! it will most likely be in the yard
Regardless of whether or not its on or off stage you need to be able to get fingers in between stock to put it back on the track after that heavier than planned switching move or just to put stock on the layout if its an off stage yard.
Even in coach yards its a good idea to have a bit extra room just in case a shirt cuff catches a dome car.
So make sure no matter what measurement you go for you can get fingers in to put stuff back on the track.
regards John
Remember, also, that double crossovers, etc. often require 2" track spacing if you decide to go with “complex” trackage in your yard.
When we started my yard, due to snipping of turnouts here and there, the geometry somehow got a bit off (some a bit less than 2" some more) and my tracks vary a bit but we can rerail or move rolling stock by handling the roof edges fine.
I was too much of a rookie and required the help of a knowledgable friend to get my yard started back in '08 and even then we had a surprise here and there with spacing and we weren’t sure why.
Jim
The 2" standard reflects typical prototype practice. However, if you model a specific prototype, it’s worth checking into that a little further. Some RRs had peculiar standards. The Rio Grande narrowgauge tended to have wider spacing for several reasons, among them an anticpated but never accomplished standrard gauging of the NG main from Antonito through Chama to Silverton.
Then there is the most modern practice, where there’s a tendency by some roads to go to wider spacing in the interest of safety.
I use 2" spacing just about everywhere unless something wider is necessitated by structures or whatever.
Here’s one end of my main yard which is 10 tracks wide on 2" centers. For me leaving extra “finger space” isn’t worth the aesthetic compromises. If you tune your track and equipment sufficiently, derailments should be rare and you won’t have to reach in to rerail cars often enough to worry about having the extra space.
Curves may require slightly larger than 2" spacing depending on era modeled and type of equipment. See NMRA S-8 (Track Centers).
I want to build my yard with 2" spacing as well. Is there a certain switch size that works best for that dimension? Thank you!
For switch size, do you mean turnouts? If so, I use #4 Atlas on the yard and #6 transitioning from sidings to main or at exchanges. The former gives you a tighter configuration for yards. Some poeple have really involved track set ups on yards. Nice stuff!
Ditto here for 2" from center of tracks in yard. Mine are arrow straight. You doing a curved yard or straight one?
I use 2-inch spacing too. Actually I think I measured 2 1/16th between centers just for a tad bit more margin. As for switch size, I suggest #6 as a good compromize between using space efficiently but broad enough to handle most equipment. I’ve gone with #6 as my minimum since I have 6-axles diesels as well as 89’ long freight cars.
As for laying and getting everything to fit, I’ve found I usually have to splice a bit of rail in to get the #6 switches to all fit in place, occasionally trim the rail back on a turnout too - well, thats just part of track laying. If you use sectional track, you are limited to the dimensions and geometry so that could affect track spacing, but if you go with flex track, you need to get used to cutting and fitting - but that allows you get get the spacing you want vs. what is forced onto you. Cutting or splicing is just part of the deal if you want more control on how you lay track. (technically using #6 switches is sectional or modular, but I haven’t decided to roll my own turnouts yet.)
Because I am on a budget I’m mostly using Atlas code 83 turnouts (below) and where necessary, I’ve got a few specialty turnouts such as a 3-way, a double slip and some #8’s and a few curved #8’s (Walthers code 83). If money were no object, I’d probably go with the American style Peco code 83, but they are nearly twice the price of the Atlas.
I use a Dremel with cut-off disc’s and Xuron, and patience. Here are some photo’s of the yard I’m working on - presently delayed by basement repairs - fun fun.
[URL=http://s30.photobucket.com/user/leafwalker7/media/layout%20005_zpskd2sjemu.jpg.html][IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c310/leafwalker7/layout%20005_zpskd2
If I remember right you can get by with 1 3/4" but most use 2" to 2 1/2".
Models, like the 1:1s, fit what they can where they have space. lots of space is better, but you may be limited in your table depth. And even if you are not you may be limited by the ladder length.
No. 4 switches will naturally place your rails further apart, No. 6 switches will put them closer together, but with a ladder that is too long for the layout.
LION used No 6 turnouts, and him cut them short both at the points and the frogs.
You do what you have to do,and you do not have to settle for what some manufacturer has made.
ROAR
I have the yard tracks pretty close. An OOPS! is such a rare occurrence that (if required) moving the train next door out of the way to fix the problem is not a big deal. That being said, prototype yards often have access roads running down the lengths of the yards every few tracks or so. I like the look this gives and a road next to the track also offers digit access to that track.
Hi Batman
Thats a good point the real RR have shunters pathways ect down the yard so that offers the way to wider track spacing.
regards John