I’m trying to lay out a short yard ladder using #4 turnouts. I can’t seem to get less than 2 1/2 inch spacing. I want to be about 1 3/4" center to center. There is a formula that says to divide the lenght of the turnout by the frog angle to get the spacing. I do not know the frog angle of my Walthers/Shinohara code 83 turnouts and I cannot quite visualize how this works. Can you help please?
Bruce,
This Shinohara turnouts have ‘extra’ track on the divirging leg and that is why you wind up with about 2 1/2" spacing. Either ‘trim’ the turnouts or use the 2 1/2" spacing. 1 3/4" spacing is about 12’ 9" in HO. I have seen older prototype yards that are that tight, but current US Federal law specifies a minimum 15’ center on ‘new construction’. I use 2" spacing(about 14’ 6") on my home layout and like that. Our club uses 2 1/2" centers as they wanted more ‘finger’ room between the tracks.
Jim
Jim, the last couple of ties seem to support rather straight rails so if I trim some off, isn’t the angle of divergence the same? [?]
Hi,
gotta love this forum. Just today I came up with the same question and got my answer. Have to rebuild my yard again due to a change in the layout location and want to cram as many tracks in as possible.
Thanks
Frank
You can trim both the straight and the diverging part of a turnout. You can also build a compound ladder, with a turnout connected to the diverging part of the first turnout.
Trimming the diverging rail won’t make any difference to ladder track spacing. It will only affect the main (through) track to first ladder track spacing. Theoretically you will need to trim the through leg of the turnout to 7" to get 1 3/4" centres. On the #6 there is the opposite problem as the through leg needs to be 12" long to get 2" centres. They are only about 11" long so either short filler sections or laying the ladder on a slightly steeper angle are required to get 2" spacing.
Others have mentioned trimming the ends of the turnouts to get the spacing closer together.
But there’s another potential problem you may be heading for. While a #4 ladder will work fine with relatively short wheelbase equipment such as 50’ or shorter box cars, gons, etc, and 4 axle diesels, if you have a lot of longer equipment such as 89’ flats, 85’ hicubes, autoracks and some 6 axle diesels you may discover they won’t like the #4’s so much. This may be especially true of the first track of the ladder because from the lead, through the #4 and onto the track is a relatively nasty ‘S’ curve. In particular I think you will have problems with the (newish) Walthers full length passenger cars with diaphrams.
If you have longer equipment I’d suggest mocking up the configuration you have in mind and testing out your stuff looking carefully at couple swing as the cars and engines traverse the turnouts. Doing this before you hack up a bunch of turnouts would seem prudent.
Of course, with manufacturers working hard today to get their equipment to bend around the tightest radii it might work fine.
Charlie (just because I’m paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get me) Comstock
Bruce,
Personally, I wouldn’t go any smaller than 2" CTC spacing in your yards. You have to consider adequate “finger spacing” - i.e. How easy is it to access a piece of rolling stock if/when it derails in the middle of your yard? If your hands are big, even 2" spacing is going to be difficult.
Charlie also makes a good point about rolling stock length. That will make a difference, too.
Tom
Hi,
As some other indicated, you might want to reconsider such close spacing. I know we all want as much yard track as we can get, but giving up easy access of the everpresent “0-5-0” switcher can prove to be a difficult trade-off.
“Twer I were you”, I would set up 3 or 4 tracks and experiment with the spacing just to see what looks & feels good to you.
Ha, you may have guessed, but I’ve been there done that. My 6 track yard could easily fit a 7th track, but the trade-off is just not worth it.
ENJOY,
Mobilman44