1. John Bartolotto

    John Bartolotto TrainBoard Supporter

    1,524
    1,033
    46
    I'm starting a round layout and was wondering what size radius track (i.e. 9" radius track, 11" radius track, etc.) and how many pieces of that track would I need to create a 24" or a 36" diameter round circle of track?

    Thanks in advance for the help.

    John
     
    Kurt Moose and DeaconKC like this.
  2. badlandnp

    badlandnp TrainBoard Member

    4,587
    16,153
    90
    11" would give you a 23" diameter circle, just fitting in a 24" circle. It also allows better operation of equipment, too.
     
  3. umtrr-author

    umtrr-author TrainBoard Member

    2,835
    3,394
    78
    Both 9 3/4 inch and 11 inch radius track, Atlas I presume, need 12 pieces for a circle, or two packages.
     
  4. John Bartolotto

    John Bartolotto TrainBoard Supporter

    1,524
    1,033
    46
    Thanks guys. If I used 32 pieces of Atlas 55 code 16.25" Radius Curve Track would that make a circle 32.5" in diameter?

    John
     
  5. Inkaneer

    Inkaneer TrainBoard Member

    4,325
    1,424
    77
    The radius is measured to the track centerline and not the outer limit of the track ties. I would go with a minimum of 36 inch diameter (18 inch radius) to allow some room on the outside for clearance. Ideally, I would also want to keep the track away from the edge as much as possible or provide a barrier especially if the layout was raised above the floor. That is unless you like picking up pieces of your locomotives or cars because derailments happen and they will obey the laws of gravity.
     
  6. John Bartolotto

    John Bartolotto TrainBoard Supporter

    1,524
    1,033
    46
  7. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

    9,511
    5,673
    147
    Do I dare get in on this discussion? Or should I let it go?

    I'll pass.

    Your first layout will be a teaching layout. You'll figure it out.
     
  8. badlandnp

    badlandnp TrainBoard Member

    4,587
    16,153
    90
    Rick being crypt-ic again! Guess it comes with the territory! ;)

    Using the sectional Atlass code 55 in that size should give you a good start and provide for a much more 'scale' appearance when done.
     
    Kurt Moose and BNSF FAN like this.
  9. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

    9,511
    5,673
    147
    i didn't have time to add my two cents. Other things required my immediate attention. This retired mortician got called back into active service.

    Pardon my effrontery.

    i started my toy trains experience with a roundy round. i soon learned that wasn't what I wanted or was looking for, nor happy with.. i suspect that will happen to John Bartolott. Should time last and he actually gets his round layout built.

    NMRA encourages kids to start with a Pizza Box train layout. The kids appear to have all kinds of fun building it.

    About this time of year. The request for somewhat limited advice on train layouts floods into hobby shops everywhere. For sure the one i worked for. It reminds me of the guys and gals that came into the hobby shop wanting to know what's the tightest radius curve we sell? Really?

    My thoughts were something like take a piece of flex track and wrap it around your little finger. What the heck? Although, I behaved myself back then and simply handed them the tightest radius curves we had. We sold a ton of that stuff and smiled all the way to the bank.

    We knew, if they got serious about the hobby, they'd be back and their layouts would grow.

    The downside is most of our customers didn't have the space for larger curves and didn't care about realism. Most just wanted a small space in a small apartment or even a work office to run a train. Maybe stick a small Christmas Tree in the middle of it and sing a Noel or two. Calling it good. Nothing wrong with that.

    Right about now, I'd like something smaller to work on. Did I say that? No, I couldn't of said that. That wouldn't be like me at all.

    Robert, go build what you want and remember you aren't building it to please me or anyone else here. Your building it for your JOY and however you interpret it.

    Some fine folks all they want is to run a train and they don't care if it's in a circle. That's where the hobby got started.

    There now is that so cryptic?





     
    Kurt Moose, badlandnp and BNSF FAN like this.
  10. mtntrainman

    mtntrainman TrainBoard Supporter

    9,982
    10,821
    143
    I believe most of us STARTED with a small 'roundy-roundy' before we ultimately achieved our dreams...Just Sayin !:whistle:.

    [​IMG]

    .
    [​IMG]

    .
     
    Kurt Moose, badlandnp and BarstowRick like this.
  11. badlandnp

    badlandnp TrainBoard Member

    4,587
    16,153
    90
    Absolutely! But I was punning with the 'crypt' term! :rolleyes: A round layout makes a great starter and i have seen some exceptionlly well built and detailed roundy-rounds. As have we all! My first was a Tyco round thing way back when, always was a lot of fun.

    Of course, then I had to imagine buildings in my 8 yr old brain, a Brachs candy box became a candy warehouse. Etc... which started me, as it does for most of us, down the rabbit hole of model railroading. ;)
     
    mtntrainman, BarstowRick and DeaconKC like this.
  12. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

    9,511
    5,673
    147
    I knew about the crypt term Gave me a chance for a comeback.

    John Allen, started with an oval. HO of course but does the scale or gauge really matter?

    George the ever tight radius elongated roundy round layout showed everyone how.

    We should be off to a good start. Do you think?
     
    badlandnp likes this.
  13. badlandnp

    badlandnp TrainBoard Member

    4,587
    16,153
    90
    Oh yes. Am excited to see what gets put up here by the OP, John.
     
    BarstowRick likes this.
  14. Doug Gosha

    Doug Gosha TrainBoard Member

    3,595
    7,664
    80
    IF I were starting over and IF I wasn't as old as I am and IF I didn't have so much code 80 and If I didn't have a lot of older N scale with deep flanges and IF...hmm...there was another one but I forgot it...anyway, I would definitely use Atlas code 55. If they would have had that back in the sixties, I would have been elated!

    Doug
     
    badlandnp and DeaconKC like this.
  15. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

    9,511
    5,673
    147
    Dido. I bought code 80 flex track back when it was $1.00 a piece. Try doing that now.

    Well we have what we have.

    Set incomes don't help out much. Do i dare say in the world we inhabit today.

    Okay, got's to get back to work. Chores, chores, chores.
     
    badlandnp, Doug Gosha and DeaconKC like this.

Share This Page