Clearance Spacing

I space my track on 4 inch centers and have no problems.

On something like missing the 2x4s, I would put the center of the track 2 inches from the 2x4 at the closest corner.  

4.5 inches is not necessary for the yard.   You can get by with a little less than 4.   I use 4.

prrjim,

Thank you for the info.,that sounds fine to me.

I was going to put the yard in first,but think I'll "map out," the tracks & turnouts as close as seems reasonable,& move on with the main tracks which was planned to be double all round the layout,but to get the most out of the available track,I think I'll again plan for double tracks but work heavily on 1 main & mostly on sidings 1st. Switching has always been my cup of tea in HO & is still in O Scale.

Thanks again,

Al Hummel

I have a suggestion or idea, based on experience and sketching many track plans.

Double track eats up a lot of space in O.   Everything is doubled and using the passing sidings requires twice as many switches. 

I sketched out a few ideas on mine before I settled in on a single track mainline.   This gave me 4 inches of width to use for industrial flats, scenery, or a siding.

So if you really like switching better than just running, consider sticking with single track and passing sidings.

On the club layout, our yard has 3.5" tangent spacing. On straight track, you can have track as close as 3.25", but then you start having problems with 12" to the foot fingers to place/remove/adjust rolling stock. Out on the main, you can do the same 3.5" spacing provided you have good easements going into curves and separate them accordingly to prevent side-swiping equipment (additional spacing required for articulated locomotives running inside full-scale passenger cars). The caveat is that derailment with close spacing increases the probability of equipment getting clipped by something on the adjacent track.

Thanks for that, Matt.

I'm working on a wharf.  I was hoping 3.5" would be OK.

Cheers

I had a yard handlaid over my fuel oil tank in my basement years ago when I lived down in Southern Ohio.    The tracks had to fit between some pipes and the wall and I think they were about 3.5 inches give or take on centers.   This was handlaid in a tight area so there were some small kinks, the rail was not arrow straight.    No derailments but a little side to side movement occurred.   

Anyway, the gist of it is that the old Atlas Gondolas, now the Trainman Gondolas were wide enough that the ladders would sideswipe each other and knock the cars off when they were on adjacent tracks.   

The important variables are missing.  Radius is the most important, followed by the longest carbody and location of truck pivot points on that car - these are the determinants.