So I’ve decided on a rough plan at the moment (HO) that is effectivly a dual track loop (with plenty of scenery to disguise it - question is what radius will I be able to get on an 8x6? Will it be enough for the longer pullman length passenger cars?
Well, lets see! 6’ wide would be your narrowest portion of the table, so that would be you widest curve, 36" radius that you could fit. BUT, half of the track would be hanging off on each side, since radius is measured from the centerline. And you typically want about 2.5" between the centerline of the track and the edge of the table, so a 72" wide table minus 2.5" for space on one side, and minus another 2.5" for the other, is 72" - 5" = 67", so a maximum diameter of 67" would mean it has a radius (half diameter) of 33.5". So you should be good with pullman coaches and large power, wether it be SD90s, or 2-10-4s.
If you stretch the track out to the limit, 36 inch radius will go from edge to edge. This isn’t practical for several reasons. So 30 inch for the outer track and 28 inch for the inner one is the Largest you can go. The 60Ft pullmans will go well and look good too. The 80 footers will probably run but will not look as good.
You might need a wee bit more than 2" track-to-track spacing for full-length passenger cars to avoid sideswiping. So if you go with 30" for the outside loop, maybe 27 3/4" for the inner loop. You might mock up the curves and try out your longest cars and engines in various combinations to be sure.
6’ of width limit’s one to 35" radius, or less. Since good commercial HO crossovers are spaced 2-1/4" C/C, I would use that dimension for parallel straights, and inside curves the same, or 2.5" less (C/C).
Are you sure you have 6X8 FEET? (If it is in Inches, you’d do better with 'N’gauge).
Long passenger & freight cars tend to ‘side swipe’ if too close on tight curves. Lay you largest curve first, and position the inner curve with your longest equipment on both tracks alongside. If they CAN move past each other you’re OK.
Fashion a ‘Trammel’ to lay out your curves. A pencil and string will work. May I recommend a yardstick?
Thanks everyone! (I’ll admit a bit of that did go over my head… ) but I have been toying with the idea that the outside track would be primarily a passenger line with the inner one being frieght and possibly being the only track that has any incline at the rear part of the layout (a very minor incline after my current mess).
Having the inner line being frieght would also enable me to place the industrial spur towards the centre left of the town.
I’m still not sure that this track plan will work, but I’m trying to muddle along and get a solid plan sorted before I send the ACME wrecking crew in to demolish my current layout.
How long of freight trains are you planning on running?I would love to see your track plan when you get the chance.
Well at the moment I’ve only got 6 boxcars at the moment (2 CanFor, 2 Rayonier, 1 FGE and WP and plus 1 Canadian Wheat Board hopper). I don’t envisage going much bigger. Maybe another 2 boxcars and then adding to the hopper collection to run that proper.
I’d love to see the track plan too!! [;)] [:-^] I’ve got a general idea at the moment, but its trying to figure it out.
I want to, naturally, have my station front row centre with an island platform. The ideally Westbound from that there are two spurs (one industry, one to the engine shed), the main line then enters into a tunnel under the mountain that would be to the left of the layout.
Eastbound from the station, I’d love to have some sort of bridge (maybe over water) before that to enters a tunnel but “above ground” this side would be more of the town, perhaps country roads leading to a church in the far right hand corner.
As I said above I was thinking that in the centre I could perhaps manage to get some sort of “mountain pass” effect with the inner line.
Hopefully this will help digusie the fact that its just a simple 4x8 loop.
Ludwig:
Are you SURE of your dimensions? (6’X8’ board).
Yes, but I mean the standard basic loop track plan that normally fits on an 4x8. (usually pg. 1 on any track plan book [;)] ) Just that it’ll be skewked onto a 6x8.
Ludwig:
A 6’x8’ board will require large access holes - even with a scaled UP 4’X8’ track plan on it. Arms are typically only 31" long. You can have (up to) 35" radius curves.
If it’s a solid base, you will have walk around it - which adds much floor space. You can get much more RR into the same space by using walls and corners.
Think of a 6X8 divided into 4 pieces, and connected.
Thanks Don, but unfortunatly I can’t do a “round the walls” layout. I don’t think I need access holes - I’ve managed ok so far with out them.
Well I had a go in the Atlas track plan programme (not exactly user friendly is it?) And came up with this rough approximation. (I had to add the emblishments in Paint).
See description above (post #8) for details.
I get the feeling you want to just watch some trains roll through scenery, no?
Whatever gave you that idea? [:P] TBH, I’m not much for operations. I’d much rather set it going and let it trundle along (at an appropirate speed).