I want to start working on two sidings through and next to the Menards power station. In back of the station I want to curve the track around to the left. Both tracks would be hidden by buildings in front of them. My question is they will only be for hoppers cars so I will be going with a smaller radius. Most likely like 0-31 or 0-36. I will be using Gar Graves preformed curve track when I know if the same radius will work. So can I use the same radius for both tracks maintaining the same distance between the tracks. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks Paul
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If you have enough space, you can run as many parallel tracks as you want with the same radius, but they will never maintain the same distance between the tracks. It will always vary in the curves, regardless of the track radius/diameter.
ADCX ROB, thanks for the feed back. I thought maybe I could use the same and maintain distance by dropping one curve back. So in other words I would be better off with two diameters side by side. Like 0-32 inner and 0-42 outer correct............Paul
Paul
Either way will work so it is based on preference or available space. Here is an illustration. By starting the inside curve sooner the space between the two tracks will increase at the mid-point of the curve and then come back to the original spacing between the two tracks. Both curves are 042
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You can measure the distance between the parallel track: centerline to centerline (or inside rail to inside rail.) That distance is the radius difference between the two tracks, so that they will stay parallel through the curve. Remember O36 track has a radius of 18". Your O32 and O42 would be correct if the parallel tracks were 5" apart (centerline to centerline).