Is it possible to have O72 On a 5x12 layout?
Kyle - A fellow "Train-Nerd"
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Mathematically impossible.
MELGAR
072 = 6' diameter; which won't work on a 5' wide board.
When trying to squeeze track into a space, it’s important to keep in mind that the Onn dimension isn’t exact and doesn’t include clearance for equipment overhang. Always lay out the track and test it with the locomotives you intend to run before committing to a footprint. Don’t ask how I know this. 😀
I just did 072 on my 6x12 and that was tight.
You can do O54 half curves on a 5'X 12' layout.
@The-576-Guy posted:Is it possible to have O72 On a 5x12 layout?
Kyle - A fellow "Train-Nerd"
Yes it is "possible". It depends what you are trying to accomplish.
If you want to run a large locomotive requiring a minimum of O72 around an oval, then it is obviously impossible to place a 72" diameter withiin 60". You can't even fit a 60" diameter within 60" since you need some room for overhang. This limits you to O48 track if you want an oval. You can give up on the oval and just run a switch engine to move cars back and forth.
Or... if all your equipment works on a 48" minimum diameter, then you can get the equipment to run even better by simulating an eased curve as shown in the layout below. I used 3 sections of O48 shown in yellow, 2 sections of O60 in blue and 2 pieces of O72 in red. Thus it is possible to have 4 sections of O72 on a 5 X 12 layout.
Of course you could use a flexable track such as Gargraves and actually create an eased curve, but whatever you do there will be track with a tighter curve than O60.
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THX John, That helped a lot on my layout design.
Kyle - A Fellow "Rail-Nerd"
Kyle,
You can't go wrong following John's advice Your trains will look better as they pass through the curves, especially with longer cars such as passenger cars.
Earl
Try it on the floor before you commit to it on the layout. Given that you are still using and limited by the O-48 the primary advantages of the easement are aesthetics. And that is only going into and coming out of the curves. In return you are giving up the ability to use O-54 track, and equipment that might really need those additional six inches of diameter.
