Yard Track Spacing

I'm a little leary about 4" spacing on curves even with 60-foot rolling stock, especially at 36" radius. You might do better with 4.5" spacing -- 36, 40.5, 45, 49.5 since you're not running anything larger than 70' with minimal overhang. I'm still not sure about the 36"/40.5 radius clearance on the longer equipment.

You could always use track planning software and see how things look. Here is what I have used in the past: http://www.anyrail.com/index_en.html

The NMRA Standard - S-8 Track Centers can provide some guidance though the flex track test would be best.

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

Track spacing is usually set by the switches. 

As Old Goat mentioned, the NMRA specs will usually keep you out of trouble. 

Whenever factory turnouts do not provide the spacing you need, simply trim them to fit.

I built a 'U" shaped lower level staging yard similar to your radii.  Used 4.5"  spacing for the type of equipment you mentioned.  The Atlas sectional track made it quick and easy.

The peninsula in photo is approximately 11' X 29'.

In the second photo we had a yard where the main was approaching on a 45 degree angle and we needed 4" centerlines established in an relatively short space. 

Using Atlas #5 turnouts I trimmed 3 tie lengths of rail off the ends at various points to make the throat flow well.

It was after this construction that J. Allen introduced me to Brad Strong who has been making custom numbered and any combination radius curved trunouts which makes all my track work much simpler.

I use 4 inch spacing.   Not so much for the equipment, but more for the 12 inch to the foot fingers that sometimes have to get in to retrieve something.

However, on the other hand, the only place I have curved tracks the minimum radius is 52 inches.    80 ft passenger cars have no problems clearing each other on these tracks, it is actually through a passenger station.   

At 36 inch radius, I think you should lay down a couple of pieces of flex temporarily and test it.    I am pretty sure 40 ft cars would have no problems with clearances.

Thanks again guys.

Tom that looks like a serious sized layout. In the first photo of your island staging yard is the inner most track set a 36"radius or smaller?

As I am working in an 18' x 19' space, the theme of my layout would be inner city industrial. Basically a small four tracked yard surrounded by industries and warehouses. My mainline track runs off to a hidden single track staging loop which I have designed in way that I can turn one freight train into four just by adding two strategically placed dead end spurs that allow two sets of locos to run the train north bound or south bound. In fact if you have a few more locos stored at each spur and don't mind doing a bit of 0-5-0 switching you can have eight or twelve different freight trains from just a single staging track.

Regards Daryl

Your track work looks great btw.

Daryl, Thank you. 

Yes the inner radius is 36".  Each curve has a spiral easement calculated for it's radius.  The benchwork is an scrapless width of 32".

I have laid tangent track at 3.5"c/l but 3 7/8" is as close as I like for my fat diget 0-5-0.

Due to increased R.O.W. length  we used curved turnouts on the East end to make that throat much smoother. 

I am not following exactly how your track lan is laid out but I would suggest using curved turnouts considering your room size. 

Also, Brad Strong could either make a ladder track of curved switches closing up the distance between the point tips and previous frog.  

Or.

Make he could make a wye of three curved switches where the first curved switch feeds a curved switch on each exit leg.  That  yields four tracks in the length of two turnouts.  Again, tightening the distance between the point tips and previous frog.

I'm running 4" centers in the yard (12 inch to the foot finger clearance), 3-3/4" on parallel straight track widening to 4-1/4" centers on my 48" minimum radius curves.

All curves have easements and I can accommodate 80 foot passenger cars with these spacings.
 

Notice the widening of track centers on the curves on the photo below.

 Whoa Jim, that looks beautiful to me.

Let's see more as U go!! Looks like lower level staging? What's the heights??

I need to rebuild my whole RR and am looking for ideas before I go wrong again.

I think I could just play with a switching yard alone, if I had one set up like that.

I wish I had set my mess up as a switching operation long ago...I could be happy doing that type operation...no time to turn back now.

By the way, that is 2-rail track I believe...and a beautiful set of track work!!

Wow!

Joe,

The yard is at 54-1/2" while the rest of the upper level varies between 54" to 61".  I'm 6'0" and wish the yard was about 1/2" to 1" lower, but not enough to change it, it's easy enough to work as-is.   The lower level varies between 41" (staging) up to 44" where it enters a 2-1/2 lap helix for a climb to the 61" point of the upper level.

Hope so as this is the 2R forum!

Jim S., I'll agree, beautiful track work.

Simon