I am in the process of building an N scale layout and am wanting a double line main on parts of the layout. Some places the two tracks will run paralle with each other and I would like to know what is a safe distance for them to be from one another? Thanks, Mike
1 and 1/8th inch to 1 and 1/4 inch is usually good. On a straightaway you can get closer (like an inch), but you may have trouble reaching between the tracks to put a car on the rails if the other track is occupied.
From http://www.nmra.org/
S-8 Track Centers
This STANDARD lists Track Center Distances and provides for Side Clearances required for various curvatures with three size categories of models.
- Class II
- Includes small four-wheel truck diesels, geared and other small steam locomotives with short end overhangs typical of old-time, logging and branch lines and equivalent rolling stock.
- Class I
- Includes longer steam locomotives typically with two-wheel trailing trucks, larger four and six-wheel truck diesels and equivalent rolling stock.
- Class Ia
- Includes the largest steam locomotives with four-wheel trailing trucks, articulated locomotives, those with rigid wheelbases in excess of 20 feet, full length passenger cars and other long rolling stock.
|
Curvature Degrees |
M(*) |
0 |
5 |
10 |
15 |
20 |
25 |
30 |
35 |
40 |
45 |
|
Radius - Prototype |
Tang. |
1146 |
574 |
383 |
288 |
231 |
193 |
166 |
146 |
131 |
|
|
‘N’ Scale |
|||||||||||
|
Radius-Inches |
Tang. |
86 |
43 |
29 |
21 1 |
||||||