Basic questions about 1:20.3

[NevinW]

I have a garage and a pretty big desert area outside for a potential layout.  I was planning on building a HO or On3 shelf layout on the garage but I took my wide to the hobby shop and she discovered garden railroads.  She wants me to build one.  I am thinking about a a Nevada desert railroad outside either E&P (4-4-0!) or C&C (SPNG) and a shelf switching layout in the garage for the winters,  Indoors, I have about 45 feet x 2.5 feet in the garage. 

I have a number of questions:

1. Is an 8 foot diameter (4 ft R) minimum curve adequate?
2.  What is the minimum track center distance  for 1:20.3?
3.  Is a shelf layout doable in 1:20.3?  Are there an examples on the web you can refer me to?  I am thinking a mining layout using the Bachmann Porters and geared locomotives. 
4.  What track is readily available but can be made to look reasonable realistic?  I assume that handlaying is possible, are there turnout kits? 
5.  It looks like most LGB turnouts are less than a #4 turnout.  Are there commercially available narrow gauge larger switches?  Are they too big to be practical indoors? 
6.  Who makes craftsman kits for structures, especially mine structures, engine houses etc? 
7.  What would be the best way of laying track in the high desert- Reno, Nevada?

Thanks - Nevin

[JerryB]

Nevin:

Welcome to the world of 1:20.3 scale trains!!

1. 4' radius is the minimum I would / do use. All of Bachmann's current 1:20.3 engines will negotiate that radius, but larger engines such as the announced K-27 and others probably won't work on 4' radius. If you plan to use geared and 4 wheel locomotives with small rolling stock, you will be OK. As in any model train operating environment, larger radius is better.

2. My RGS based clearance gauge measures ~7 1/8" wide (12' in 1:20.3), but I usually use ~8" (~13' 6" in 1:20.3) on center.

3. Of course a shelf layout is doable. Not many that I've seen, but any track plan can be scaled and modified to work. Your available 45' length is a little over 900' in 1:20.3 scale, so short trains and rolling stock will be in order, but that was typical of narrow gauge RRs anyway.

4. Most folks use code 332 track, as that was first produced and popularised by LGB. 0.332" is equal to 6 3/4" in 1:20.3, so it would represent very heavy class 1 railroad trackage. Not very attractive for 3' narrow gauge scale modeling. Many scale oriented modelers use code 250 or code 215 rail. Both are available from several sources in various materials including aluminum, brass and nickel silver. My favorite is Llagas Creek, available from Dave Goodson (aka "TOC") at Northwest RCS and 'Stretch' Manly at California & Oregon Coast Railway. Find them at http://dnkgoods.home.mindspring.com/index.html and http://www.cocry.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT respectively. Both of these gents are very knowledgeable and will spend the time helping a LS beginner. Handlaying is certainly an option, but it is a lot of work. C&OCRwy has lots of supplies and tools for handlaying as well as TO kits.

5. LGB turnouts are radius based to match their track curvatures. Their radii range from 2' to ~10'. The other code 332 manufacturers (primarily Aristocraft and U.S.A. Trains) followed suit in the early days, but now have some numbered TOs available. LGB is currently in bankruptcy and out of production with virtually no stock available in the U.S. Aristocraft just announced a 100% price increase on all track products, thus making the code 250 option look better financially as well as being more attractive from a modeler's viewpoint. Code 250 TOs are available in sizes ranging from #4 to #10 and larger as well as being available in kits. Bare frogs and points are also available in either resin or metal. Check with either of the suppliers above.

6. Most LS structure kits are labeled something along the line of ". . . suitable for large scale . . .", meaning they are somewhere between 1:32 and 1:20. I really don't have much appreciation for a building with 5' tall pedestrian doors! Garden Texture is a premier supplier of both wood kits and plan sets for structures, including 1:20.3 scale. See them at http://web.mac.com/gardentexture/iWeb/Site/Home.html. Lots of mining, bridges, railroad, and other general use structures there.

6. If I were starting again, I would go with Llagas Creek code 250 track and TOs. I already use 100% radio control, so I would use aluminum rail, thus saving some $$. This stuff should have a long life and work well in your environment.

For more LS possibilities and information, pick up an issue of Garden Railways. Lots of information there.

Hope this helps & Happy RRing,

Jerry Bowers

[tac]

Mornin', Nevin - tac here in partly-flooded UK.  There are a lot of good answers to your rather complex set of questions here, and from folks who know what they are talking about, too.

Many of us who post here, whose interest lies mainly in LS, are also members of another two other very useful groups - both actually dedicated to LS in ALL its many facets.  They are called -

www.mylargescale.com

and

www.largescalecentral.com

They are better than many magazines, too, and run the gamut from beginner to real manufacturer.  In fact, a recent poster on mls. proposed exactly what you want to do - a mining operation as well as a small-time geared loco line, but in considerably less space than you have.

I suggest you join the many of us here, who are also members over there, and get the best from all three worlds!

Welcome to LS!

tac
www.ovgrs.org
www.mylargescale.com
www.largescalecentral.com

[Fr.Fred]

Don't forget "Large Scale Central", or LSC.....The "Better" of the chat groups or forums....

[Steve Stockham]

Yep, I'm a member of both and both have their strengths! They also don't cost you anything to join! You will get answers to your questions at both places and by extremely knowledgeable people! Welcome to large scale!!