I am making a double track loop uring Ross track . 0 42 onb the outside loop and 031 on the inside loop. What is the ideal center to center track distance to keep from getting into trouble? Part of the loop , ( one end ) will be in a tunnel. Thanks Chester [:)]
[#welcome] to the forum. I always use 4" between centers, but that is on wider curves.
You may want to just have the different curves use a common center, giving you about 5-1/2" between the tracks. That should handle any equipment that can go around those curves. The thing to watch out for is overhang with long cars on the insides of the curves.
Post war aluminum passenger cars and FM locomotives are some of the longest traditional trains. The modern scale cars may have trouble with those curves on general principles, not to mention the overhang issue.
Parallel straights can be done in 3-1/2", but I use 4" for those too.
Thanks for the information.
Ches
It is difficult to give a general rule. I found that as soon as I set the track to a minimum clearance some new engine or car shows up that has some stupid overhang that screws up the clearance.
However if you are only running 042" engines then I think you can be pretty safe with the clearance rules above. Hopefully. Also note that the cars and engines move and shake as they roll by . So if you are TOO close you may have a problem with adjacent engines as they roll past eacj other.
The 072" Triplex’s tender has side steps that overhang further than any other tender. I had to add a crossbar on my clearance car to provide for the proper the spacing.
Alan