I finished my module benchwork a few days ago and I’m going to purchase some track and roadbed soon. My question is, how many mainline tracks would I need? 2 or 3? My current plan, lol, is 2 mainline tracks and a siding, all using #6 turnouts. Any help would be great.
3… If that’s all you’re going to use. You have to watch right-hand and left-hand turnouts, as they don’t go the same way. Look in the MR Schedules section for a train show, and see if you can pick them up there. I did, and saved a huge chunk of cash. (And with $2 in my wallet now, I needed that…)
So, I should use 3 mains as a rule? The other details are not much of a problem. The next train show is in 3 weeks, so I might actually wait to buy my track there. There need to be more shows here close to me lol.
I’m sorry. I misread your post…
To determine the number of main lines you need, figure out (realisitically) how many people will be operating at one time. If it’s just you and the cat (I hope she hasn’t unlearned not to get up on my layout in my absence!) then you should have one. If it’s gonna be you and 3-4 people, go with two. The late Linn Wescott recommended not double tracking the lines and creating many sidings and passing sidings. Sounded good to me, so that’s what I did… Seriously, what good does it do to have 1 train going on a triple track main line? I suppose if you loop it at the ends, you could have up to three going, but control only one.
Btw, another suggestion for wiring modules. If you’re going to use phone cable for track, might as well buy good quality bulk stuff and use standard wall jacks between modules. I just came up with this idea a few days ago, so I don’t know how well it will work.
Well, if I can get up early enough before class, I’m going to venture to the local hobby shop and see if they can suggest something. I really need to join the NMRA I guess to get all the right rules, huh? lol
The number of tracks depends on what you want to do. If you’re the only operator and want ot see more than one train in operation at once, then a double (or triple or quad) mainline is an easy way to go way to go. Running two trains on a single track with sidings by yourself can be challenging. Also, if you want to run long trains in a small (4x8 foot) to average (9x12 foot) area a multiple track mainline allows this. Prototypically more than two mainline tracks is not very common outside the northeast. A good book on this subject is “Track Plannaing for Realistic Operation” by John Armstrong.
Enjoy
Paul
The standard for HO modules are 2 mains of code 100 and #6 turnouts spaced 5 and 7 inches on center from the outside edge and each module will connect to the next with a 9" straight (ie 4 and 1/2 per module). The rest of the module is anything goes. The standards are published online for anyone to see at www.nmra.org/standards/ms-1_0.html . You need not be a member to look at them.
John:
I may have missed something, but who are you going to be joining with at shows? Unless you are bringing an entire portable layout yourself, you will have to match up with the other modules. And you better warn them you’re coming!
If you intend to run your modular layout as part of a modular railroad club or with anyone else, you need to comply with the NMRA and/or N-Trak standards and recommended practices. HO scale requires two main lines, and N-Trak requires three. You can download these standards for free from the NMRA or N-Trak Web sites.
Better to say you need follow the standards of the group with which the module will be operated eventually.
Some HO clubs do follow the NMRA module specs faithfully, but most I’ve seen deviate from those to varying degrees. That said, the NMRA (2 main tracks) or Free-Mo (1 main track) specs would be a good start if you don’t have a particular group in mind but want to build a module that can be adapted to a club. Looking at those also might help you plan your module’s trackplan better.
I think NTrak clubs tend to be more consistent in their specifications. If you’re in N scale it makes sense to follow NTrak, BeNdtrak, or oNeTrak specs.
This is pretty much the answer I was looking for. i was a little confused on te info from the NMRA site when I decided on this project a few months ago. They have the drawing of the N scale module and it was 3 track, but I think said HO was 2. But from my memory, I thought the modules I have seen were 3 in HO. And as far as I knew, they were following NMRA standards.
Since I haven’t been able to dig up any contact info, I’ll have to wait till next weekends show. The group I was planning to join will be there as far as I know. I think they had most of thier modules set up at a local hobby shop. But that was around until about 12-15 years ago.
I’ll get it figured out sometime, lol. But, until then, I’ll run 2 tracks per NMRA standards and practices.
I finished my module benchwork a few days ago and I’m going to purchase some track and roadbed soon. My question is, how many mainline tracks would I need? 2 or 3? My current plan, lol, is 2 mainline tracks and a siding, all using #6 turnouts. Any help would be great.
3… If that’s all you’re going to use. You have to watch right-hand and left-hand turnouts, as they don’t go the same way. Look in the MR Schedules section for a train show, and see if you can pick them up there. I did, and saved a huge chunk of cash. (And with $2 in my wallet now, I needed that…)
So, I should use 3 mains as a rule? The other details are not much of a problem. The next train show is in 3 weeks, so I might actually wait to buy my track there. There need to be more shows here close to me lol.
I’m sorry. I misread your post…
To determine the number of main lines you need, figure out (realisitically) how many people will be operating at one time. If it’s just you and the cat (I hope she hasn’t unlearned not to get up on my layout in my absence!) then you should have one. If it’s gonna be you and 3-4 people, go with two. The late Linn Wescott recommended not double tracking the lines and creating many sidings and passing sidings. Sounded good to me, so that’s what I did… Seriously, what good does it do to have 1 train going on a triple track main line? I suppose if you loop it at the ends, you could have up to three going, but control only one.
Btw, another suggestion for wiring modules. If you’re going to use phone cable for track, might as well buy good quality bulk stuff and use standard wall jacks between modules. I just came up with this idea a few days ago, so I don’t know how well it will work.
Well, if I can get up early enough before class, I’m going to venture to the local hobby shop and see if they can suggest something. I really need to join the NMRA I guess to get all the right rules, huh? lol
The number of tracks depends on what you want to do. If you’re the only operator and want ot see more than one train in operation at once, then a double (or triple or quad) mainline is an easy way to go way to go. Running two trains on a single track with sidings by yourself can be challenging. Also, if you want to run long trains in a small (4x8 foot) to average (9x12 foot) area a multiple track mainline allows this. Prototypically more than two mainline tracks is not very common outside the northeast. A good book on this subject is “Track Plannaing for Realistic Operation” by John Armstrong.
Enjoy
Paul
The standard for HO modules are 2 mains of code 100 and #6 turnouts spaced 5 and 7 inches on center from the outside edge and each module will connect to the next with a 9" straight (ie 4 and 1/2 per module). The rest of the module is anything goes. The standards are published online for anyone to see at www.nmra.org/standards/ms-1_0.html . You need not be a member to look at them.
John:
I may have missed something, but who are you going to be joining with at shows? Unless you are bringing an entire portable layout yourself, you will have to match up with the other modules. And you better warn them you’re coming!
If you intend to run your modular layout as part of a modular railroad club or with anyone else, you need to comply with the NMRA and/or N-Trak standards and recommended practices. HO scale requires two main lines, and N-Trak requires three. You can download these standards for free from the NMRA or N-Trak Web sites.