Track laying question

Kevin Anderson Jan 19, 2020

  1. Kevin Anderson

    Kevin Anderson TrainBoard Member

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    Ok I am relatively new to N scale. I am working on a module that has a short siding. How far apart should the track be from each other? Thanks![​IMG]
     
  2. MK

    MK TrainBoard Member

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    Here's the NMRA suggestion. Scroll to the bottom for N scale.
     

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  3. Kevin Anderson

    Kevin Anderson TrainBoard Member

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  4. Kevin Anderson

    Kevin Anderson TrainBoard Member

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    Are these all for curves?
     
  5. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    No, not sure about the first number and what they are suggesting that is for but the second number is tangent tracks.

    I put the following together from a couple different sources...

    [​IMG]
    I'm going to use 1 1/4" for the closest so that I have 'finger room'.

    Sumner
     
    Last edited: Jan 19, 2020
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  6. Kevin Anderson

    Kevin Anderson TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks
     
  7. mtntrainman

    mtntrainman TrainBoard Supporter

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    Cobbled together from 3 sources :

    Atlas uses 1.25 inches for its N Scale Code 55 sectional track spacing on center.

    So, you might consider this to be a kind of minimum guideline, especially on curves, since Atlas sectional track is designed to be plug & play and user-friendly.

    "I would caution you about thinking in terms of minimums... it can get you into trouble with more than just track spacing. You might be able to get away with 3/4" between tracks, but it will be very hard to get your 1:1 scale fingers in there to rerail a car or loco. I would suggest at least 1 1/4" or maybe larger if you have big hands. The thing is though, if you use something like Unitrack, you are going to need to use what every they offer... where as if you are using flex track, you can pretty much make it any way you like."

    KATO Unitrack uses 33 mm center to center.
     
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  8. mtntrainman

    mtntrainman TrainBoard Supporter

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    Kevin...

    If you bought those Atlas turnouts new...they usually come with a curved section of track that when installed will bring the siding track back to parallell to the main. JS
     
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  9. Inkaneer

    Inkaneer TrainBoard Member

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    Better have really skinny fingers.
     
  10. mtntrainman

    mtntrainman TrainBoard Supporter

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    I have big hands and big fingers and I can get fingers around cars between parrallel Unitrack tracks...and they are 1.299209 inches center to center. ..not much more then 1.25 inches.:rolleyes::cautious:
     
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  11. mrhedley

    mrhedley TrainBoard Member

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    If you are constructing a module for transporting to train shows, it must conform to NTrak module standards. Track spacing for NTrak modules is 1.5" center to center. NTrak module standards can be found here...http://ntrak.org/documents/NTRAK Manual.pdf
     
  12. Kevin Anderson

    Kevin Anderson TrainBoard Member

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  13. Kevin Anderson

    Kevin Anderson TrainBoard Member

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    These are code 55 N scale Atlas switches. They didn’t come with the curve piece. I went with the 1.25 inch from center to center and then took the curve from that.
     
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  14. RBrodzinsky

    RBrodzinsky November 18, 2022 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter In Memoriam

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    The informal FreeMoN standard (since there is none in the actual) for dual mainline is 1.125” at the end plates. But, within a module, it can be whatever you want. 1.25” is good.
     
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  15. BNSF FAN

    BNSF FAN TrainBoard Supporter

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    Hey... I resemble that remark.

    All kidding aside, I used the Kato spacing (1.299 or 1.3 inches center to center) on my layout and it seems to work just fine.
     
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  16. bill pearce

    bill pearce TrainBoard Member

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    When I built my Cajon layout, I was going for prototype appearance, and fortunately there were only a curve or two visible. On the track that wasn't visible, I went with 1 1/22 inch spacing,and 1 i/4 in the yards, but on the mains I went with 1 1/8, so it would look like the real thing, and it worked well. Butwith the hidden return loops, they could have been a foot apart and it wouldn't have helped, as there was low clearance.
     
  17. mrhedley

    mrhedley TrainBoard Member

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