I have limited room with which to build my layout and am trying to cram as many features into as small a space as possible. To this end I wondered if anyone knows of the most space-efficient way to create a reversing track loop. I found this in an old topic, but is this the smallest possible build?

Edited May 4, 20159 yr by Kumata

I think the only way to get it smaller, is with Flextracks - but they simply suck.. :-/

If you get some speed on it, consider adding 1 plate on the outside of the loop, so it slopes inwards, leaning the train towards the middle, that helps a bit.

Flex track can only create a bigger loop, not smaller.

You are right talking about the radius (well, actually you can achieve a slightly smaller radius with flex track) but maybe you could save one straight rail in lenght. BUT as marook said, the flex track have a lot of disadvantages, like beeing louder and having more friction.

  On 5/3/2015 at 6:32 PM, jodawill said:

Flex track can only create a bigger loop, not smaller.

That sounds strange.. My flextracks can make a circle with R26.

For reference, LEGO® standard curve track measures R40.

Please note, that curve sizes are based upon the radius of a complete circle measured, in "LEGO® studs", from the center of the circle to the center of the completed track.

  On 5/3/2015 at 7:47 PM, marook said:

That sounds strange.. My flextracks can make a circle with R26.

For reference, LEGO® standard curve track measures R40.

Please note, that curve sizes are based upon the radius of a complete circle measured, in "LEGO® studs", from the center of the circle to the center of the completed track.

Maybe I'm wrong then. Still, I would never recommend something smaller than R40. R40 isn't large enough as it is. You'd have to really slow it down for a smaller radius.

  On 5/3/2015 at 7:49 PM, jodawill said:

Maybe I'm wrong then. Still, I would never recommend something smaller than R40. R40 isn't large enough as it is. You'd have to really slow it down for a smaller radius.

Absolutely - so narrow curves is not much fun.. ;-)

My Horizon Express tips over in the curve at full speed on the R40 curve, even though I have it raised/tilted by two plates on the outside..

Try the Inglenook Sidings design -- and use a small oval as the mainline. That fits is a 3 x 4 baseplate space, and many hours of entertainment, especially if you build decouplers.

Maybe you should think of the way you make your loop considering the length of your longest train.. my Horizon Express would hit its tail in this loop....

Iv lately built a nice double loop layout on a single bed size 6x3. Iv just managed to fit it but it works great on a limited space.

Sorry, I meant to make clear, I was talking about a reversing loop specifically. I guess flexi track sounds like my best option.

  On 5/3/2015 at 11:34 PM, MusicaRibelle said:

Try the Inglenook Sidings design -- and use a small oval as the mainline. That fits is a 3 x 4 baseplate space, and many hours of entertainment, especially if you build decouplers.

The last few weeks I have been searching examples of inglenook puzzle layouts. Do I understand it right that it's possible to install it on 3 times 4 baseplates (32x32)? I'm using blue era rails (4,5 V). I tried tot make what you wrote on BlueBrick but it didn't work. I have to make the sidings inside the loop and that seems not possible. Am I missing something?  

Inglenook layout sizes are a function of how long your rolling stock is.

in 4.5v era, that’s about 16 studs or a piece of track. Though the loco will be twice that because of the battery box car.

A regular inglenook has siding lengths of 4, 4 and 5 cars. A smaller inglenook with siding lengths of 2, 2 and 3 is still operationally satisfactory at L-Gauge size. The headshunt length is short siding length plus loco length.

This means a small inglenook layout would need only two straights on the short sidings.

4.5v point geometry means your sidings won’t diverge, and as you’ve discovered, won’t fit inside a minimum size circle. 

This gives three options.

-without loop, a 4.5v inglenook layout would be 1baseplate/10in/25.4cm wide (since points don’t diverge) and 5bp/50in/127cm long (short siding length plus point length plus point length plus headshunt length)

-with loop, points outside, a basic loop is 3bp/76.2cm/30in square. You need to add another baseplate in length to fit points in and half a baseplate in width. This means an inglenook with outside sidings, needs 4bp/101.6cm/40in by 3.5bp/88.9cm/35in space.

-with loop points inside adds a straight after the points on the loop and makes the inside sidings curved. The dimensions of this setup would be 4.5bp x 3bp.

Edited July 14, 20186 yr by Chromeknight