[seabee4life]

so i have decided that all the way around my bedroom is going to be train track.............the shelf itself will be 4 inch in width and at 3 corners will be a 2 foot by 2 foot square which wil be cut at a radius to so it doesnt look stupid at each corner i will have little a little town as you call like one corner a jail house and little workers out side the next like a hill with farmers and a tunnel in the middle and like or i want to go full on nascar at every corner i havent decided yet but i have a few questions first

1 i am wanting to do 18 degree turns around the corner how much room do i need for the turn i haveread it can make a 90 degree turn in a 18 by 18 inch space

2 will 22 degree turns work how much space do i need for them

3 on the one corner with the little cut out i want to use flex track there can it be done

4 wanting to use flex track for the straights as well cuz i found them for 5 bucks a stick much cheeper that way and cover 36 inches a strick vs 9 inch a stick

5 do you see any flaws in my system

6 does it matter where i put my power source will it make a diffence where i put it

7 i want to install a bridge i made out of balsa,i want it to be a real bridge not just a look of a bridge sittn on my shelf

8 would i be able to make one turn a tunnel ???

9 i think the train set i got is a life like will those turns worrk with what im tryning to do

10 if anyone has any info on my train set let me no please

i have attached a drawing of what i am dealling with its not to scale but i hope you get the idea

wellsince i cant get them to work you guys are more than welcome to check my myspace out i uploaded them there maybe on of you guys can post it in a reply for me since i dont no how to resize them to fit my myspace is www.myspace.com/michaelphay

 

[tankist]

your attachment didn't come through for some reason...


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* try using anyrail (free trial) or any other track planning software. every question of dimension will be answered


*. its not 18 degrees but 18 inches of radius. of center that is. to complete turn you will need to allow for 20. but if you can definitely get up to 22. it will take more room of course.

*. i use flex extensively for everything i can. so obviously i can only say flex is the way to go.

*. i would avoid tunnels but then if you can make it so you can lift the mountain to access tracks, it will work.

*. make sure you have several power drops to your rails, like every 6-8 feet or so and exact location of power pack will not matter

* set probably will have 18R curved track. up to you if you want to use them

 

[tjcruiser]

Per Anton's comments above, make sure you leave room for loco and car overhangs as they go around a turn. I.e., it's the train that will likely need the most width, not necessarily the track itself.

Hence, per Anton ... 18" radius track (measured to center of rails) should have an extra 2" or so away from the center of the track ... hence, 20" radius minimum to wall.

Flex is great, but if you are bending it into a turn, you'll need to anchor the endpoints somehow ... either solder the rails to the adjacent track, or pin fasteners adequate to hold the shape.

 

[full maxx]

depending on the size of the engines and rolling stock you may want to go with 22" radius as longer equipment will give problems on tight turns

 

[mr_x_ite_ment]

I would like to second the opinion of going with 22" radius. If you ever run longer locos and/or railcars, you might be glad you have the 22" radius!

 

[seabee4life]

im rea;;y npt concerned with long trains just the fact that i am more than likely giving this to my son as he is almost three i want to experiment with it and see what happens what i like and everything