track

[ramdbm]

I am setting up a layout for my grandson. I bought him a set with a 24x48 in. layout. I want to have two or three tracks for him and run diffrent trains. looking in the catalog I'm not sure what size curved track I need to do this. Is the curved track that came with this set 12 1/2 in. any advice would be a great help.

[mhampton]

To fit on a 24" wide board, it's probably 11.25" radius.  The radius measurement on N scale track is typically to the center line of the track.

[skipgear]

You won't be able to do it with Bachmann track as the smallest radius they offer is 11 1/4" or about 23" outside diameter at the edge of the plastic ballast on the track. Atlas offers 9 3/4 sectional track without plastic ballast that would next inside the 11 1/4 but you may have problems with certain loco's on the smaller radius. 11 1/4 is the accepted norm for minimum radius any more so if you want 3 loops you are look at at least a 30" wide board if not more using Bachmann track: 11 1/4 radius, 12 1/2 radius, and 12 1/2 radius with some added straight sections. The next radius out that Bachmann offers is 17 1/2.

If you go to flex track or Kato unitrack you can do what you want but it will still take more than a 24" wide board. To run things reliably. Kato unitrak goes down to 7" radius and I believe Tomix track has a 5 or 6" radius curve track for trolleys. Most standard equipment won't run on this though.

[ramdbm]

thankyou for your advice,but the layout will be larger than 24 in. wide. the track that came in the set is 24 x 48. What I am looking for is that which other size curves would I need. I have seen other layouts that had multiple tracks, this is what I would like to do. as always any help is welcome

[skipgear]

You can do multiple nested loops but not with Bachmann track.  With Bachmann you can do two seprate double track loops pretty easy but there will be a pretty good space between them. There is nothing that says all three tracks need to be nested, you could have a double track loop on the outside with a "branch line" on the inside. No need to make it look like a Lionel racetrack.

If you want to do nested loops with sectional track, it will require Atlas True Track or Kato Unitrak. They are the only two lines that have multiple curve radius that work together.

The other option is go to flex track which allows you to make any radius you want.

[ramdbm]

I want to thank all for the help, now my grandson and I have work to do