Radii & Nscale

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I am planning (carefully) my next big Nscale layout for when I retire and have considered hundreds of ideas from MR and other periodicals. I have two questions:

  1. Since Nscale is about 1/2 the size of HO, when I see a nice layout in HO and the size is 20’ X 20’ for example, shouldn’t I be able to build the same layout on a size 10’ X 10’ table? If that is so, then a 30" radius curve in HO could actually be a 15" curve in N although I would much rather stay with at least 24" for my long passenger cars.

  2. In the September issue of MR on page 79 Jim Clements has a very nice layout. However, on page 78 the “Layout at a glance” statistics show that he has a minimum radius of 36" and when checking the grids on the layout on page 79, the Mule Shoe Turn for example looks like it only takes in a space of about 48" total because of the 24" grids. That would only give 24" radii and much less in other parts of his layout. What gives or am I missing something here? I have noticed this before on other layout diagrams.[?]

Thanks all you great guys (and gals).

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If you can use the same space as the HO. I recommend no smaller than 2/3.

3

Hello,

Actually N scale is 54 percent as large as HO (87.1 divided by 160 = .5443). An exact reduction of a 20 x 20-foot HO layout would be 10 feet, 9-1/2 inches on each side. However, if the HO layout has internal aisles you have to add back however many inches required in length and width to keep the aisle widths usable and comforttable.

Regarding that track plan in the September MR, we start with whatever track plan the layout builder is able to supply, and the specifications the builder gives for the Layout at a Glance box. I’ll agree, however, that there are several curves on published track plan that are a good bit sharper than a 36" radius.

The Sugar Spring Mining Co. RR HO track plan in the September MR is a good example of what I meant about aisle widths. Reduced by 54 percent for N scale, it would measure 10 feet, 6-1/2 inches by 11 feet, 10 inches. But that would also reduce the aisles from a minimum width of 24 inches to about 13 inches. Subtract 13 from 24 and you get 11, so an N scale version of that track plan should measure at least 11 feet, 6 inches (rounding up the fractions) by 12 feet, 9 inches. Or make it 12 by 13 feet to be on the safe side.

So long,

Andy

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WOW! Thanks for your replies. And one from Andy yet! WOW!