How would full length passenger cars look on 15" radius curves in N scale? What would be the minimum width needed to make a 180 degree turn using Kato unitrack? I am thinking 34-36 inches.
Gary
im using 19" radius (38" dia), and honestly, i think it still looks a little tight. 15" u can see the inside rail on turns.
I did some experimenting with my Super Chief cars on various radii of Unitrack before deciding on my radius…19" looked fine…15", ehhh…13-3/4" definitely too toyish for my taste. I ended up compromising with 15" as my minimum, but using 28-1/4" & 19" sections at the beginning and end of the curves. I even ended up having to compromise that in one spot…no 28-1/4"r, just a 19"r at the beginning of one curve the farthest from my viewing area and eventually partially obscured with trees.
Moral of the story, use the biggest that will fit, and if possible use those really large pieces to ease the transition.
Your mileage, and what you consider toyish, may vary.
Edited to add: a 19" radii 180 degree curve, started and ended with the 28-1/3"r sections, works out to 38-3/8" tangent to tangent. but if you are planning to double track that curve, there is no companion radius to do that…you’ll have to insert stratigically placed 1-1/8" straight sections in the outter curve.
I was wanting to use 19" radius. We found a house that my wife really likes, but the only bedroom suitable for a layout is a little tight. The measurement I got along the solid walls are 4 1/2’ x 10’ x 5’. There are a few more we want to look at before we make a decision.
Gary
If you are considering something that will sit against a wall, you probably want to keep the depth less that 3’, and closer to 2’ even better…that is unless you construct it moveable and leave enough space to move it and get around to the other side. The farther you get beyond 2’ depth, the difficulty of reaching for construction, maintenance, and derailment increases quickly.
I want to start off saying I’m a total newbe. I haven’t even bought any rolling stock or track. Just doing the benchwork.
Right now I’m getting confused on radius. In one forum they say 15" will work for 99% of rolling stock. Some say 19". And some say more.
I’m building on hollow core doors. I have two 36"x80" connected by a 24"x80". This is in a U shape.With this I’m thinking I can only have 15" for loops on the two 36" doors.
So I’m wondering if I’m going to have problems?
15" is fine for most 50’/60’ boxcars and such, but for a full length pass car (85’) it’ll look a little tight. sounds like you have a good setup for benchwork, 36" will give you 3" of scenery on each side of the track, which is about the minimum for N scale.
I printed a HO trackplan out of the trackplan database that I thought about modifying a little. It runs around three walls at about 18" wide and has one long penisula. It is a point to point and I want something I could continously run if I wanted to with no duckunders or lift out sections.
Gary
If you must have tight curves due to available real estate, the best thing to do is bury them in scenery so they aren’t so obvious.
There’s two, count 'em, TWO 15" r curves under that hill side. You can see part of the “high” line to the left of the paper mill buildings. The more visible parts of the layout offer more graceful curves…
Lee
Make the room bigger or use the Feather River Loco Repair device on the cars.
Lee, your layout rocks! Do you have a link to any more pics?
I can add two feet to each 36" door. This would give me 60" wide at the end then tapering back to 36". I’m assuming that would give me plenty of room.