Narrowest Aisle Width?

Think about operating sessions when you have guests,I had open houses for 3 different conventions and I have 30 Inches as my tightest and it was crowded as they came by tour bus with 48 people.Good luck.

Mikey

I had 24” aisles and I kept knocking scenery off the layout when I’d turn around (I’m not that wide, just don’t pay too close attention). I increased my aisles to 30” and now I’m much more comfortable and I turn around without decimating a forest.

I would go for 36". It is better for crowds, and who knows if you may need/want that much more in the future. Rarely do people complain that they made their aisles too wide.

Good luck with your weight loss program Kevin, keep it up

I think 30" would be enough for people to pass each other.

The aisles at Warrenville are 18" but are just used by me for access. Good thing I lost weight  several years back (74 pounds, but since gained back 24) because my belly was not good for scenery near the aisle's edges - LOL

First, congrats on your weight loss!

Second, I suggest a minimum of no less than 30".   While you may be able to squeeze through a 24" opening, we aren't getting any younger and the 30" minimum really does make a difference with guests.

-Greg

I used 33" (why? Don't ask me, just how it worked out when If finally got the design program to work). I probably won't have problems with guests or operating sessions that much, so that isn't a concern. My prime reason was to allow easy walking in and out, if I am carrying something won't knock over anything, and also allows me to keep away from the layout table in case anything is close to the edge. I probably could have gone narrower, but the way it is it is comfortable.

Thanks to the responses so far.

It won't be designed for operating sessions but I will want to accommodate visitors when that time comes.

My layout is around-the-walls with a center peninsula. Access is a swing gate to a U shaped operating area. I have had the layout in place for five years so there is a reasonable amount of visitor experience. The minimum aisle width is 28" because that was the absolute largest we could get and make the desired track plan work. Two people can easily pass in 28" as long as it is not continuously. I limit the people in the room to three since that is the maximum number of operators the track plan accommodates and with more than three it is too hard to see around people to keep track of the trains.

There are two key things to keep in mind. First is the control arrangements. If there is a main control panel all operators need to access, then the space at that point needs to be a lot more than 28". Mine has no physical controls, each operator gets an iPad for the LCS and a Cab2 for the engines. This greatly minimizes the need to constantly walk back and forth through the aisles. When operating, I frequently sit on a barstool.

Second is the vertical aspect of the layout you plan. Mine is 41" high with a hidden yard at minus 6", a second level at 47" (perfect to intercept flailing elbows) and a third level at 53", chest height. These vertical aspects where near the edge of the layout make 28" too tight because people can not bend slightly when passing each other plus it causes operators to stand back from the layout edge to see properly, thereby blocking the aisle.

33" would have been a lot better but we could not make 33" work. 28" has proven to be "adequate". As a non train comparison, in our indoor and outdoor kitchens where two or three people work back to back and others watch, the aisle width is 48". If only my train room were large enough!

36 inches.  So operators and visitors can get around one another.  more is better.

@Amfleet25124 posted:

.......what do you consider the optimum base minimum aisle width?

Whatever the waist measurement is for the pants you're wearing.  Give enough room for you and one other to pass by you.

Due to enlargements and add on module peninsulas there are a few spots where I have  12" wide service slots where my waist can slip in like a gun in a holster to service turnouts or coupling action.  I can do what needs to be done but  can not turn around or breath deeply after dinner there.

I do not really have any aisles  as such but there are two pinch points, one at 32" and another at 28".   Pinch points like a venturi do not matter that much be cause  two can pass either before or after that spot.

Kudos for dropping the weight! I had to drop 55 lbs. 15 years ago. I've kept it off but it took several years to change old habits.

I started off thinking 20" was wide enough because that width would accommodate my step ladder. Then I woke up and building for 36" inside the layout and about 45" on the outside aisle. I don't plan for visitors or operators, but that 45" aisle is the only path from the basement stairs to the rest of the basement. Kind of a safety issue.

Amfleet, congratulations on undertaking a worthwhile challenge that will keep you enjoying the hobby for many years.
In my pending design I allowed for 12” around the perimeter; for maintenance purposes only. I will have a small, easily moveable,  step ladder/stool under the layout to provide additional height and reach.  There will be a separate viewing and control center areas.

My minimum ended up being around 26-27", but there are wider spots to congregate.  The room shape and access really dictated what I had.

This is down the side of the layout, but it won't be regularly accessed by visitors, and certainly not by crowds, it's 26" wide.  That aisle was really provided for access to the window, A/C, sump pump, and dehumidifier.  It's also handy to access that hidden yard track set at the wall.

This "choke point" is the access to my workshop at the other end of the layout, again the width was almost already determined by the posts, I just squeezed it by about 4" and it's 27" wide.  So far nobody has had any issues getting around the limitations.

Thanks for the kudos on the weight loss.  Still a way to go.  Looks like the consensus is that 24 inches is below the bare minimum and an 18 inch chokepoint would be doable only for maintenance purposes.  I need to see if I can somehow increase the choke point designs to 24 inches.

I believe 24" or wider is suitable for maintenance, that's primarily what I see the narrow aisle areas of my layout being used for.  There are no hard and fast rules here, some areas have gobs of room for wide aisles, others don't.  Also, some layout designs allow for more room for access aisles.  We all work with what we have.

I currently have a 6' long place that is 20" wide where the layout passes from one home to the next at the head of a stairway, poses no problems for me (199lbs).  The layout I had in my garage had a short span where it was only 15", enough to get by/thru but not something I would want as a standard.  It was also 48" high and made it tight, the upstairs layout is 36" high, makes a difference when you consider height and width together.  Here's the current layout:

Whatever YOU or comfortable width is the key.

I also designed my aisles to accommodate a step ladder. The aisles are wider at the floor and narrower at the table top. All the aisles exactly match the taper in the step ladder.

Too bad most folks "taper" don't match step ladders!

As for my point of view, I normally go with the minimum width of the doorway or isle way walking into the room. Incase if theres any big boxes or anything that needs to come in or come through. Normal door frame is about 30 inches, so whats im going with

I went with 30" aisles but made 36" octagons at the end so turning around or passing is possible, the next layout at our next house will be more around the room and islands with 36" aisles if possible.

I have had pop up holes that were 2'x2' max, so under certain circumstances a 2' pinch might be workable.  Whenever you drop below 36" though there are questions you need to answer.  It isn't just who might be using the aisle.  It isn't just how wide the train shelves are and how high the track level is.  You also need to look up, ask yourself what is up there that you might have to access at some point, and if so how are you going to fit a ladder in there.