Mrr tutorials - Trackplans - Common mistakes

- MRR TUTORIALS - TRACKPLANS - COMMON MISTAKES

Common mistakes in the planning of the track plan
There are both good and bad ways to build the same layout

Locomotives and cars that derail for seemingly no reason and on completely random occasions are things that make anyone get tired of their model railroad. There are certain track combinations that should be avoided. There are also several ways to build the same layout, where both function and appearance differ significantly between the "Good" and the "Bad" design.

Double S-curve
A common combination that unfortunately often occurs in track plans, but which often becomes a source of derailments and lost carriages, is the double S-curve.

Single S-curve
By placing the gear as a continuation of the previous curve, "only" the side track forms an S-curve, which is better than a double.

Siding using curved turnouts
Curved turnouts provides space savings while avoiding S-curves. In the prototype on the major railways, however,curved turnouts are very rare.

Arragement for S-curves using a standard turnout
With the construction below, the S-curve is completely avoided. We have extend the useable length of both the tracks. Therefore, this track arrangement is both more functional and more correctly executed.

Curve easement using sectional tracks
Tight curve radiuses are often neccesary due to space restrictions. Sectional tracks is most often preferred using really tight radiuses (<500mm). This is because laying flextracks is very tricky on such radiuses. You can anyway obtain a nice looking exit of these curves by addding wider radiuses curves in the end of the curved section.

/ Martin T