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Hello,

I am looking for some advice.  I have a large layout in my attic that I am redesigning so that it goes around the entire space.  I have a huge investment in fastrack so that is what I am using.  I have 180 inches to work with for each end and I wanted to use the biggest curves possible.  So with fastrack, that would be the O96 curves.   Is there any reason I should not use back to back O96 curves?  I also have a ton of O84 track so I could use that for the large inside loop.  Any advice or insight would be appreciated.  Thanks.

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Assuming you mean creating an "S" turn with your 096 curves, one left followed by one right, that should work.   I believe John Armstrong covered S turns with 2 recommendations,  the preferred configuration is to have a straight section between the reversing curves of at least the length of your longest piece of rolling stock, ie. 21 inch passenger car.    However, I am 99% sure I remember him also stating that if you don't have room for the straight, then the 2nd best option is to go directly from the left hand curve to the right hand curve with NO straight section at all.   

096 is the minimum curvature on my layout,  I have one spot where I have an S with no straight track between them and it runs fine even with long passenger trains (21 inch cars).   

If you have some longer modern freight, or passenger cars, I'd recommend you just set up a test section and push pull some long cars through, paying attention to how the couplers react.   Typically the longer the car, the longer the overhang from wheel truck center to the end of the car frame and coupler knuckle  so they tend to swing in opposite directions going through the "S". 

Hope that helps

Here are some solutions...

This is the concentric, commonly-used 84 track nested in the 96, with approximate 6" track spacing, taking up roughly 108" of layout width:

96 Fastrack

Here is one-of-many solutions for nesting two 96 curves (back to back) using four (4) 5" straight track sections for the outer curve:

9696 Fastrack

Admittedly, it is not optimal in keeping a consistent spacing between the tracks but it will give you an idea of the strategy to use two 96 Fastracks in concentric curves. Many other solutions are possible.

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  • 96 Fastrack
  • 9696 Fastrack
Last edited by Bruce Brown

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