I find the NMRA standards tables confusing to interpret so I feel it is best to ask here for a simpler explanation.
In HO, my understanding is that double tracks on curves should be 2" apart, but how close can parallel yard tracks be? (Also, what is practical for fiddling with an 0-5-0?)
Thanks for any explanations and/or suggestions.
My rule for track spacing is 2.25" for curved double track mainline and 2" on straight track. My layouts have 40+" curves for mainline track.
For yard track I use 2.25" spacing.
2" spacing on double mainlines works just fine, but even 2.25" in a yard is tight although I do it to save space. A lot depends upon the size of your fingers and where you choose to touch the cars in yard for lifting or moving.
Rich
I put my yard tracks close. The argument of what if you have a derailment doesn’t wash with me because that occurrence would be so rare, I would deal with it by moving or removing adjacent cuts of cars. If I wanted to pick up a car, which is also a rare occurrence, I would move it to where I could.
To some extent, this depends on the curve radius and the length of cars you’re running. On tight curves, long cars will have more overhang at both the ends and the middle. They may interfere wit each other when long cars are passing on a tight curve.
2" centers of 30" radius can have passenger cars bump each other when passing. The ends will swing outward and the center will move inward allowing both to briefly touch.
Yes, 2" spacing is a suitable measurement for yards. This gives you enough distance between tracks without tipping cars next to each other. Of course you’re not going to use yards as storage areas for cars.
Set my yard tracks on 2" centers, but sacrificed storage capacity in the fiddle-yard with 2.5"- 3" centers for the extra finger room.
Regards, Peter
You have an 0-5-0 at the end of each arm. Fiddle yards are ones that most of the rearranginf is by hand not with locomotives.
Have fun,
Richard
I use 2" centers for all parallel tracks, straight, curves, yards, mainlines. Unless of course there is some special reason not to.
I don’t worry about picking up cars, I generally avoid handling rolling stock.
My minimum radius is 36" with most curves being in the 40" range, never had any clearence issues - I don’t have any UP BigBoys…
2" is the long established industry standard for double track bridges, tunnel portals, and track crossovers.
I use Atlas Custom Line turnouts, they make 2" center crossovers and yard ladders without cutting or filler pieces.
Sheldon
Peter, I like your storage built right by the track. My operating scheme doesn’t call for a lot of fiddling, but I do swap some cars and intermodal trailers/containers in and out on occasion. And the wide spacing for unsceniced staging is easy to use too. Thanks for the ideas.
Dale
Not sure I understand that last statement. My new layout is designed specifically to do just that, have every piece of equipment I own on the rails and “stored” in staging yards or visible yards/sidings, etc.
Sheldon
Minimum track spacing on the prototype is 13 ft (1 13/16 inches).
Most people just do 2 inches (about 14.5 scale ft).
If you are doing fairly tight radii and long cars, then on curves many people increase the spacing to 2.25 inches or even 2.5 inches.
For fiddle tracks, something on the order of 2.5 to 3 inch spacing allows you to get in to rerail cars in the tracks.
I use short equipment and curves above 24" radius, and don’t do a lot of fiddling in yards so all my tracks, main and yards, is at 2 inch spacing.
Going by memory on the NMRA Stds, I believe they recommend as much as 2-3/8" for curves as large as 30 inch radii, when considering Big Boys, 85-ft passenger cars, or modern auto-racks/container sets. 2" for straights is a normal minimum.
The question I always have is what about the transitions?
I am doing 2.5 spacing on all my curves and straight aways. Probably overkill on the straight aways, but I want the option to be able to run any type of rolling stock or larger locomotives that are or become available with no problems on the curves. I have minimum 36" radius on the mainline, which is 3 tracks in some places, and minimum 33.5" radius on the helix that is yet to be built, but in the works. Mainline curves will typically be as follows: 36", 38.5", and 41". I do go as high as 43" however.