Maybe A Stupid Question - Track Raduis

[brubakes]

How many pieces of code 83 track would it take to make a full circule in 18", 22", and 24" radius?

 

[CP9302]

This is going to make my head hurt...

C = Pi * D so...

18" radius = 36" diameter = 113.1" circumference = 3.1 3' pieces of flex
22" radius = 44" diameter = 138.2" circumference = 3.8 3' pieces of flex
24" radius = 48" diameter = 150.8" circumference = 4.2 3' pieces of flex

Anyone have any Tylenol?

 

[CBCNSfan]

Well a piece of flex track is about 3 feet, and the circumference of a circle is C equals Pi times diameter diameter = 2 (Radius)
C = 3.14 · (d)
Radius= 18" so C= 3.14 (36) = 113.04" 113.04"/36"= 3.028 pieces of flex track

OK you do the math for the rest

Cheers Willis

must be getting late

 

[brubakes]

what if I don't use flex track and just go with standard curve pieces? again, I'm a newbie.

 

[CBCNSfan]

what if I don't use flex track and just go with standard curve pieces?

Well I do believe it would be 12 sections each, I think that's how many come in a train set package.

Cheers Willis

 

[jbaakko]

what if I don't use flex track and just go with standard curve pieces? again, I'm a newbie.

Atlas 22" is 12, so I'm betting just about all are 12, 3 sections per quarter.

 

[UP2CSX]

12 sections per full circle holds true for track up to 26" radius. I think it's 8 per circle in 28" and 30".

 

[GWT&P]

For Atlas sectional track (that's what I used), each 18"R section covers 30 degrees, so 12 pieces.
For Atlas 22"R & 24"R, each section covers 22.5 degrees, so 16 pieces.

 

[HaggisKennedy]

I know more than one of us have commented "I'm glad I paid attention in Geometry class".....



Kennedy

 

[GandyDancer]

For Atlas sectional track Atlas 22"R & 24"R, each section covers 22.5 degrees, so 16 pieces.

Bold added by me. Thank heavens someone who knew what they were talking about answered.

For those calculating lengths for flex track, the numbers shown are going to be short. Remember the radius of a curve is measured from the center of the track. One would really want that outside rail to be long enough so add 1/2 the track gauge to the radius before performing the calculation. For an approximation use 3/8" for HO. Calculate an 18" radius curve using 18 3/8" instead.