# Staging yard track spacing?



## Mustang Gregg (Jul 12, 2012)

I'm working on my staging yard and I was planning on laying tracks on a 2.5" spacing interval. I know my #6 Atlas turnouts will have room to work with that spacing distance. 

But if possible, I'd like to squeeze them a might closer at a 2" spacing.

Will 2" work with HO?

BTW: My curves have 4" spacing and my mains have 3" spacing.

Much obliged!


----------



## Odyknuck (Dec 31, 2015)

It will work however for staging, the more room between the tracks for your hand the better.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


----------



## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

What is the prototype spacing in the US? In the UK there is a universal six foot spacing between tracks.


----------



## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

the nmra rp-8 shows a minimum of 1 13/16 [for HO],but also says they recommend 2 1/16 "Preferred Minimum Track Center Distance for easy handling, coupling, yards, etc" .. tight will get more track in that area, and less room for your fingers, lol


----------



## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

Tracks typically have about a 14 foot centerline to centerline spacing, although in yards that can go a bit narrower.

2" spacing for parallel tracks is pretty standard usage for HO scale and easy to lay out. (Approx. 14'6" in scale)

3-4" is pretty wide.


----------



## thedoc (Oct 15, 2015)

Cycleops said:


> What is the prototype spacing in the US? In the UK there is a universal six foot spacing between tracks.


The real railroads generally don't use staging tracks. 

FYI, calling the real railroads the "prototype" is a misuse of the term, the real railroads were not built to be a pattern or sample for modelers to use to build their layouts. To follow this reasoning the toy trains are the real thing, and the 1:1 scale trains are just test samples.


----------



## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

thedoc said:


> The real railroads generally don't use staging tracks.


But they do have standards for spacing of mainline, yard and other tracks.



thedoc said:


> FYI, calling the real railroads the "prototype" is a misuse of the term, the real railroads were not built to be a pattern or sample for modelers to use to build their layouts.


Like it or not, this is the word used by the model railroad community for the last 50 years or so and it has stuck and become the accepted definition in this context. No one has ever come up with a better word to use and it's too late to change now.


----------



## thedoc (Oct 15, 2015)

cv_acr said:


> Like it or not, this is the word used by the model railroad community for the last 50 years or so and it has stuck and become the accepted definition in this context. No one has ever come up with a better word to use and it's too late to change now.


Well I don't like it and I refuse to use that term when I can refer to the real railroads. 

It doesn't say much for the model railroad community to misuse a term like this, but then many call a turnout a switch, and others complain, even though a switch is a part of a turnout. 

BTW, are these modelers who call the real railroads the prototype, the same ones who foisted the NMRA coupler onto the model railroad community?


----------



## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

thedoc said:


> BTW, are these modelers who call the real railroads the prototype, the same ones who foisted the NMRA coupler onto the model railroad community?


Evil people indeed.


----------



## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

The distance between tracks also is affected by the size of your hands.

Do a simple test. Set up three parallel tracks on a board. Just hold them down with tape -- easy to adjust the spacing quickly. Load up tracks 1 and 3 with cars. Then see if you can comfortably add, remove, couple and uncouple cars on the middle track. Adjust the track separation to your minimum comfortable distance. Also, be sure to do this test with the 3 tracks as far from you as your farthest yard reach.


----------



## thedoc (Oct 15, 2015)

Cycleops said:


> Evil people indeed.


There was a saying at one place I worked, "One 'Oh ****' wipes out all your 'Attaboy's'."


----------



## Mustang Gregg (Jul 12, 2012)

Thank you for all of the staging yard replies!
I will set it up temporarily and see how 2.5" spacing works.

The turnouts I have bought for it are Atlas #6's. So I reckon I will have plenty of room to make them work. 2" would be a bit tight maybe.

BTW: I only have a 4' X 16' layout, so the wider the yard, the less industry on the sides.

Much obliged,
Mustang Gregg


----------



## Shdwdrgn (Dec 23, 2014)

Odd, my understanding was the NMRA 'standard' called for 2.25" spacing on mainlines and around curves, but I'm using a 2.0" spacing in my yard. It's one thing to leave space for your fingers, but the appearance of a tightly-packed yard has its own appeal.


----------



## thedoc (Oct 15, 2015)

One thing about yards is that you can put the cars on the track on the yard lead and push them into the yard track, if your track work is good there will be no need to fix a car in the yard. And if they do derail, just pull them out to get to them.


----------



## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

Mustang Gregg said:


> BTW: I only have a 4' X 16' layout, so the wider the yard, the less industry on the sides.


If one of the sides of your layout is against a wall, you can squeeze in some "false front" industries -- where the front side of the building is against the wall, and the rest blends into the wall artwork.

If your layout is in the middle of a room, ignore this advice.


----------



## Magic (Jan 28, 2014)

For my yard I used this. Available from modeltrainstuff among others.







Very easy to keep things straight and parallel, comes out to about 2 1/8" center to center.
Enough to get my fingers in there, tight enough to look good.

Magic


----------



## Mustang Gregg (Jul 12, 2012)

Magic: 

That's a nice gage tool. :smilie_daumenpos: I will make one in 2.5".

The next thing that is hindering me is that the turnout control lever arms are coming out the wrong side of the track for my set up. It doesn't look like they would be easily changed. They are Atlas #0283's and #084's. Anyone ever attempt moving them to the other side of the track?

Thanks again,
MG


----------

