hello, I,m building first layout using peco code 55. I,m .having trouble laying out a simple staging yard with a ladder effect. I,m coming off the mainline with a long left hand turnout and then using 2 or 3 right hand turnout in a row to give laddering look . my question is to maintain clearance between yard track,do you have to add a short piece of track between turnouts
No Dale, you shouldnt have too. Most turnouts are made to provide enough space so you can lay them right next to each other and have the proper spaceing. Just do a mock up and play with just be sure, but you shouldnt have too.
Good luck
John k
You may have to between the left and the rights. S curves are problematic with long equipment as the back end of the first car wants to skew in one direction while the front end of the next car does the opposite. If there isn’t enough room between the cars to allow one to remain cenetered the result can be derailments.
While I don’t work in N scale, I have noticed that some #8 turnouts require adding short sections. I would suggest, if possible, set out the turnouts and yard tracks so you have the spacing you want and then fill in with short sections where necessary.
Enjoy
Paul
Dale,
I’m doing exactly the same as you, except I’m using Peco’s “short radius” (#4, I believe) turnouts. I work with 15’ track centres and I have had to add short pieces of track (1-3/8") between turnouts to maintain that spacing. I’ve also had to add short fillers in the cross-overs between tracks.
The other alternative is to join your turnouts end to end, and then continue the curve of the diverging route beyond the frog. The prototype does this when it has to, and enables you to get the same number of yard tracks with a shorter ladder, thus increasing capacity where yard length is limited. Check out Andy Sperandeo’s book on freight yards for more details