Laying track

[SpecialK67]

I got a simple question I'm sure some one can answer, when laying 2 tracks parallel to each other, how close can they be?

[poliss]

Minimum distance in the UK is 6'.

[SpecialK67]

Are you talking about 6inch or 6ft & is that outside edge to outside edge or center like the radius is measured

[poliss]

Six feet between the outer edges of the rails. It started off as 4'8" until the first railway passenger was killed in 1830.
See http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/gansg/2-track/02track3.htm

[SpecialK67]

poliss,I'm talking about laying track for N scale model trains not real trains

[mhampton]

Most manufacturers allow for a 1 1/4" center-to-center spacing for their parallel curved tracks.  If you use flex track, you can go closer, but you will be more apt to have clearance problems between passing trains.

[poliss]

Erm, you divide by 160 for N Scale.

[SpecialK67]

Thanks Mike, that helps a bunch,it's what I was looking for

[railtwister]

If you're using Kato N scale Unitrack, the closest you can make parallel tracks is one inch apart, center-to-center, otherwise the roadbed would need to be cut back, because at 1 inch it's touching. In terms of scale feet, that's thirteen feet four inches center-to-center. I think Bachmann's EZ-track will be very close to the same dimensions. You might be able to get slightly closer on parallel straight tracks, if you're using flex track, but I wouldn't recommend it. The standard clearance between centers for Kato curved track is 33mm, or about 1-5/16". Ntrak uses 1-1/2", which is slightly large by prototype standards, but it allows a bit of extra room for fingers. I think the six feet figure is in error, it may be the minimum clearance between the track and a wall or platforms, but I doubt it would be between the outer rails, since that would translate into only 10'-8.5" on centers, which means that there would be little or no clearance between passing cars. In this country, standard gauge cars easily have inside widths of over 9 feet, plus the thickness of sides, plus doors, door tracks, ribs, grab irons and ladders.

Bill in FtL

[SpecialK67]

I would just like to say thanks a lot to the people that have responded to the questions I've asked,it has put me in the right direction. Bachmann has done a good thing by putting something like this up. Before long I'll be able to post some pics