new n scale track plan

zachary

Member
hi guys am at it again well ive decied to go to nscale and need some help with a track plan

first off the space i know im gonna be floged its 4x8 already built

the road name is bnsf and up time frame is early 1990s to present day

i like to switch industries but do want a countious loop for just running

location i like is the cajon pass but can be anywhere

industries unit coal and way freights

track atlas code 55

limit of 14 switches

thanks everyone for your help and any thing i left out just let me know zacharyf
 

Triplex

Active Member
So trains in the 6' range with engine(s). That's long for this size layout, but not unworkable. I'd make the main more than once-around, to avoid the tail-chasing impression.
 

zachary

Member
yeah i was thinking about a twice around useing the senic and relaxed but want to enlargeing the curves but dont know what i can use thanks zachary
 

zachary

Member
yes atlas code 55 flex and turnouts and do i need to do anything to the turnouts to make them work the best
 

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
Do you already have the turnouts? I model in ho, but have noticed that Atlas insists on using stamped sheet metal points in all of their turnouts for ho scale. The spacing between the guard rails and the track is too wide on their ho scale stuff, but that can be solved easily with a little bit of styrene to make some shims to get the distance where the guard rails are actually useful. The bigger problem is that sooner of later the thin sheet metal points will lay over and go out of gauge when weight is put on them as with a train going over them. In my experience with ho, I would go with anything but Atlas for switches.
 

Triplex

Active Member
Do you want a single or double mainline?

With 6' trains on this size layout, fitting a visible classification yard will be difficult.
 

zachary

Member
single mainline and it dose not half to have a yard i was thinking of useing the spur that runs off the layout and in the futre build a removeable yard
 

Triplex

Active Member
With a two-lap single-track line, the question is how much separation you want or need between the laps. Larger curves look better, but they force the inner lap closer to the outer, which doesn't look so good.
 

Triplex

Active Member
Okay, I'll start by assuming generous 1.5" track centers. Then let's say 1.5" is also how close track centerlines are allowed to the edge. Allow room for a siding on the outside of the outer lap, and another on the inside. And the same on the inner lap. With 7" between the closest centerlines, that puts the inner lap main 4.5"+7"+1.5" in, or 13". That means an 11" radius. Hmmm...that was too generous. With more usual 1.25" centers and 6" between closest tracks, you get 13" minimum mainline radius. It should still be bigger...
 
Top