Re: Atlas O Track Geometry and Interference Problems

[Scott A Smiley <sc.smiley@juno.com>]

The club tracks are 4.25 center rail to center rail and 3.5" from edge of top to center rail.  I think ties are roughly 2-1/8 so your 3" from the ties is actually more than we have on the club layout. 

 

When the manufacturers set up the spacing as well as the templet we followed for the club, no one envision the extremely large sale engines that are being produced today. 

 

Actually, when the club got started we only had tracks 1 and 3 on 8.5" spacing.  Still 3.5 to the edge though.  We added tracks 2 and 4 to increase available run time. 

 

Scott

 

 

On Sat, 8 May 2010 21:36:44 -0500 Bill Lohman <844bill@gmail.com> writes:

Excellent point, Ed.  I use three inches minimum from the edge of the ties to the wall.  I think it's 3.5 inches on the club modules to the plexiglass if I remember correctly.

On Sat, May 8, 2010 at 4:54 PM, Edward Weltens <ed.weltens@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

Also watch out for curves near walls.  They need greater clearance too.

---

From: Bill Lohman <844bill@gmail.com>
To: ttat-members@aoot.com
Sent: Sat, May 8, 2010 4:35:47 PM
Subject: Atlas O Track Geometry and Interference Problems

FYI to help any of you planning to use Atlas O track.  The same would extend to Ross with variations.

 

I use Atlas O track on my layout.   Their system and all track products and bridges are all based on 4.5 inch track centers.  

 

In my case I was making two concentric 90 degree turns in Cornfield Meet Corner where it crosses Headache High Bridge with 099 curves on the outside and 090 curves on the inside on 4.5 inch centers.  

 

Big surprise.  I thought Atlas O had it all figured out.  My Big Boy and 21 inch passenger cars totally interfer with each other( as was the case with some of the club corners on 4 inch centers).  I had to widen the track centers to 5 inches.

 

The same situation will bite those of you who plan to use Ross track which has 5 1/4 inch centers. Even tighter. 

 

Bill 

 

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