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After a weeks worth of thinking, I finally decided to go with a yard layout. The size is 46"x104" with the option to expand into an L shape. I'm not worried about the L shape for now. All I want to know is this - What is the minimal spacing for track running parallel to each other? I searched the forum and even went to the NMRA website but I didn't find it.
The usual/standard spacing is 2 inches between track centers, so from the center of one track to the center of the next parallel track..
That said, as long as your HO man can walk in between the cars comfortably to check for car defects, then you can have it a little closer..
Another way of spacing is if you get two switches (Peco small or #4) either both left or right handed and put the curved sections together back to back (so the point/throw-bar of the switches are at opposite ends to each other as if creating a crossover) this will roughly equate to the same distance (Hope that made sense) lol..
Mike, on one of my yards I used ~2" spacing, thinking that if I had to pick up a derailed car, I could always use some tongs if space was too tight and then reposition it, away from other cars. It worked, but since then I have used 2 1/2" and it is much easier to work with the cars. In this case, it's not about scale, but the ergonomics of "will my fingers be able to grab a car without knocking over others?". So, if you have the space use it or otherwise do what you can with what you have (2" being a minimum) .
I took a rough measurement and it came to be about 2 and a 1/2 inches to the center of each track. I think that's good enough for me to reach for anything and still have some room.
Again thanks for the help. It was driving me crazy.
Thanks Rico, we don't have numbered switches over here, they tend to come in short, medium, long or small, medium, large depending on UK manufacturers and the only thing I know is that the small Peco switch is equivalent to a #4 lol..
I took a rough measurement and it came to be about 2 and a 1/2 inches to the center of each track. I think that's good enough for me to reach for anything and still have some room.
Sounds like you have it sorted, just remember that realistically 2" is the minimum, more so for little people to walk alongside rather than fingers lol, but then that said, if it looks right, it is right!
Don't forget to post us some pics when you start your build!
I've had my HO layout for about 17 years, it's based in time in the mid-1970s. I bring this up because back then most RRs didn't worry about wide track spacing like they do today (particularly in yards for motorized vehicles.)
However, back then I decided all my track (mains and yards) would be 2.5" center-to-center. Why? So I could rerail or put on or take off a railcar anywhere anytime and not be concerned about passing trains on adjacent tracks (or standing cars on adjacent tracks). I'm still glad I did it this way.
Does it look a little unprototypical especially for the time period? Yep, but I don't care.
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