3 Rail O Gauge Toy Trains
Layout Planning and Construction
Information collected during the past thirty years regarding Postwar and Modern eras.
Topics - Kid's Track, Mix Track Brands, Access Hole, Track Clearances, Accessory Footprints
Set Kids Up For Success
Click on Photo for How To
Mix different brands of track.
From left to right: Atlas O, Gargraves, MTH Scale Trax, 027 tubular, Lionel Fastrack, 031 tubular.
All 3 rail O track can be combined with
other track if you screw the track to the layout. The rails have the
same spacing, but different brands are different heights. Shim the
tracks to adjust for height differences. All track types have advantages
and disadvantages.
When different brands of track are connected without track pins,
each brand of track has it's own wired connection to the same
circuit that both brands of track are using. To insulate center
rails and prevent them from touching, use a dab of hot glue instead
of insulating pins. My preferred method of attaching wires to
different brands of track is to solder wires to track.
Table Access Hole
Open Door with Module Sections Under Construction
Drop Door in 30" x 42" Table Opening
A 36" piano hinge is attached to the bottom.
Underside of Table with Wires Routed
Around Access Hole
The stop plate attached to door bottom helps align bolt holes
| Nails used as stay bolts are 3/8" diameter and twist out of door. |
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Postwar Track Clearances with Modern Updates in Inches
TUNNEL CLEARANCES ON STRAIGHTS
Drawings were made for Lionel postwar
trains.
Make adjustments for Modern Big Steam,
Super Diesels, Double Stacks, etc.
Overhead clearance measured from top of rail is a minimum of 6".
Center to center track spacing on straights is 4"
TUNNEL CLEARANCES ON CURVES
Drawings were made for Lionel postwar
trains.
These updated clearances are more than adequate for my Run Room's
six to ten foot diameter curves.
Make adjustments for Modern Big Steam,
Super Diesels, Double Stacks, etc.
Overhead clearance measured from top of rail is a minimum of 6".
For single curved track in tunnel use 3 1/2" on outside and 2 1/2"
on inside.
Center to center track spacing on curves is 6" between tracks.
High Station Platform Clearances
Postwar Pantograph Skid for Tunnel - This must be a tunnel that doesn't allow double stacks.
Accessory Footprints and Spacing for Postwar and Modern Accessories
These drawings were made for layout planning before RR-Track software.
Lionel Postwar and Modern Accessory Footprints
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Item# Item Name Footprint 30 Water Tower 6" x 6" x 10 1/8" 97 Coal Elevator 7 x 12 x 12 1/8 132 Pass (stop) Station 8¼ x 12 1/8 x 6½ 145 Automatic Gateman 7 x 5 3/4 x 4 3/4 155 Blinking Light Signal w/bell 2 1/2 x 3 x 8 5/8 164 Log Loader 10 3/4 x 11 1/8 x 9 175 Rocket Launcher 9 3/4 x 15 1/4 x 16 1/2 tall 175 Controller 4 1/2 x 6 x 2 3/8 193 Industrial Water tower 6 x 6 x 14 3/4 214 Plate girder bridge 10" long 282 Gantry Crane 5 x 5 1/8 x 13 317 Trestle Bridge 24 x 4 5/8 x 7 high 321 Trestle Bridge 24 x 4 4/8 x 7 high 342 Culvert Loader 9 1/2 x 12 1/2 x 6 1/8 345 Culvert Unloader 9 1/2 x 12 1/2 x 8 1/2 362 Barrel Loader 4 1/8 x 19 x 4" high 364 Conveyor Lumber Loader 3¼ x 28 x 4 1/8 397 Diesel Oper Coal Loader 7½ x 10 1/8 x 7½ 415 Diesel Fueling Station 9 1/8" x 9" x 7 1/2" 455 Oper Oil Derrick 5½ x 9¼ x14½ 456 Coal ramp w Hopper 3¼ x 35 x 6¼ 497 Missile Platform 11" x 12" x 4" 943 Ammo Dump 4 x 5½ x 2½ 2301 Operating Sawmill 6 x 16 x 6 2305 Oper Oil Derrick 5½ x 9¼ x 14½ 2306 Oper Icing Station 4 1/8 x 11 x 8 1/4 2308 Animated newsstand 6¼ x 8½ x 4¼ 2314 Searchlight Tower 5 x 5 x 12 2315 Oper Coaling Station 6 x 9½ x 10 w Tray 2316 Oper N&W Gantry Crane 6 x 6½ x 10 2320 Flagpole kit 3 3/4 x 3 3/4 x 11 3/8" high 2321 Oper sawmill American Flyer 6 x 14 x 8 2323 Oper Freight Station 6½ x16½ x 5 3/4 2324 Oper Switch Tower 6 1/2" x 5" x 7 3/4" 3356 Horse Corral w car 6½ x 10 3/4 x 3472 Milk Platform 5 x 7¼ 3656 Cattle Corral 6 5/8 x 9 3/4 6418 Bridge Metal base & plastic sides 10" long 12701 Operating Fuel Station 9 1/8" x 9" x 7 1/2" 12705 Lumber Shed Kit 6 1/8 x 3 1/8 x 3 1/8 12710 Engine House kit 9 x 9 1/8 x 7½ 12716 Searchlight Tower 5" x 5" x 12" 12719 Animated Refreshment Stand 6¼ x 8½ x 4¼ 12723 Microwave Tower 13" high 12726 Grain Elev Kit 13½ x 16½ x 16¼ 12734 Pass Frgt Station Kit 6 1/8 x 12 3/8 x 5 3/4 12741 UP Intermodal Crane 8½ x 14½ x 12 3/4 12748 Illum Station Platform 3¼ x 12 x 5 1/8 |
Item# Item Name Footprint 12773 Freight platform 3½ x 12 x 5 12759 Floodlight Tower, 12" tall 8-Lamp 12767 Steam Clean & Wheel Grind Shop Wheel Grind Module 11 1/8 x 5 5/8 x 6 3/8 Train Wash Module 15 3/8 x 14 x 8 1/4 Steam Clean Module 11 1/8 x 5 5/8 x 6 3/8 12782 Oper Lift Bridge 8 x 29½ x 19¼ 12802 Roadside Diner w smoke 6 3/4 x 13 3/4 x 4¼ 12848 Lionel Oper Oil Derrick 5½ x 9¼ x14½ 12862 Oil Drum Loader 8 3/4 x 8 1/4 x 8 1/8 12905 Factory Kit 9 3/8 x 14¼ x 7 12929 Rail-truck Loading Dock 8¼ x 10½ x 6½ 12948 Bascule Bridge 10¼ x 22¼ x 9¼ 12962 Pass Service Center w/Steam Whistler 7 x 8 x 4 12968 ROW Girder Bridge Kit 12729 Mail Pickup Set 8 1/4" high 12734 Pass/freight Station Kit 12 3/8 x 6 1/8 x 5 3/4 12741 UP Intermodal Crane 8 1/2 x 12 3/4 x 14 1/2 high 12748 Illuminated Station Platform 12" x 3 3/8" x 5" 12768 Burning Switch Tower 6 1/2" x 5" x 7 3/4" 12749 Rotary Radar Antenna 5 x 4 x 11 1/2 12773 Freight Platform Kit 12 x 3 1/2 x 5 12802 Roadside Diner w Smoke 13 3/4 x 6 3/4 x 4 1/4 12848 Oil Derrick 8" x 5" x 14" 12862 Oil Drum Loader 8 3/4 x 8 1/4 x 8 1/8 12886 395 Floodlight Tower, 4 floodlights 5" x 5" x 11". 12889 Operating Windmill 5 5/16 x 5 5/16 x 15 7/8 12898 Flagpole Kit 11 1/8" tall 12948 Bascule Bridge "313" 22 3/4 x 10 1/8 x 9 1/8 14111 153IR Controller 5" x 4 1/2" x 3 1/2" 14080 Hobo Hotel 8½ x 10½ x 3 3/4 14082 Ped Walkover w Speed Sensor 13 x 14 3/4 x 7 Spans 2 tracks 14083 Ped Walkover 13 x 14 3/4 x 7 Spans 2 tracks 14086 38 Water Tower 6 1/8 x 6 x 10 W water effect 14102 175 Rocket Launcher 11 x 11 x 17 14106 356 Oper Freight Station 6½ x 16½ x 5 3/4 14147 Old Style Clock Tower 4" high 14157 397 Oper Coal Loader 7½ x 10 1/8 x 6 24106 Exploding Ammo Dump 4 x 5½ x 2½ 24113 Ford Dealership 16 x 11 1/2 x 6 3/4 32910 Rotary Coal Tipple w Gondola 14½ x 14½ 11½ 32919 Animated Maiden Rescue 6" x 4" x 6" 32987 Hobo Campfire 5.5" diameter 32998 Lionel Hobby Shop 11½ x 16 x 6 3/4 52495 Mushroom Water Tower w Flag 13" tall 62709 Rico Station Kit 7½ x 22½ x 9½ ZW Transformer 6½ x 7 x 12 |
MTH - Mike's Train House Accessory Footprints
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Item# Item Name Footprint 30-1094 Operating Street Clock 8" tall 30-9001 #6 Farm House 7½ x 7½ x 7 30-9002 #5 Country Church 6 1/2 x 4 1/4 x 11 3/4 30-9003 #4 Country House 5 x 9 5/8 x 7 30-9004 Hobby Shop 10 3/8 x 9 3/4 x 12 1/8 30-9005 Passenger Station w 2 Platforms 13½ x 37 x 8½ 30-9011 Switch Tower 6 1/8 x 10½ x 9 1/8 30-9012 Corner Drug Store 7 x 9 7/8 x 7 3/8 30-9013 4-Story Building 9 3/4 x 10 3/8 x 12 1/8 30-9015 #4 Country House 5 x 9 5/8 x 7 30-9017 Bank 9½ x 18 x 7 1/8 30-9018 Hardware Store 9 1/8 x 8 3/4 x 9 30-9035 Jewelry Store Corner Building 7 x 9 7/8 x 7 3/8 30-9043 Operating Coaling Tower 9 1/2 x 8 x 12 30-9047 #4 Country House 5 x 9 5/8 x 7 30-9053 Ped Crosswalk Single Track 11 5/8 x 13 3/8 x 7 7/8 30-9066 Ped Crosswalk Double Track is 16 1/8 x 13 3/8 x 7 7/8 30-9054 Movie Theater w chasing lights 13 9/16 x 16 1/2 x 9 1/2 |
Item# Item Name Footprint 30-9076 Row House 4 x 8 3/8 x 7 30-9088 Vegetable Road Side Stand 5 7/16 x 8 1/2 x 4 1/4 30-9093 Fireworks Road Side Stand 5 7/16 x 8 1/2 x 4 1/4 30-9101 Sinclair Operating Gas Station 11 x 15 x 6½ 30-9102 Operating Firehouse 15 3/8 x 16 5/8 x 12 3/8 30-9103 Operating Flag 4 3/8 D x 10 3/8 30-9104 Operating Car Wash 21 5/8" x 13 1/16" x 6 1/4" 30-9105 Drive-in Diner 21 5/8" x 9" x 13 1/8" 30-9119 787 Log Loader 10 3/4" x 9 1/4" x 9" 30-9122 Saw Mill 10 1/2" x 9 1/2" x 6 1/2" 30-9126 Lamplighter 4 7/8" x 6" x 12 3/8" 30-9129 Operating Watchman's Shanty 4 1/2" x 5 15/16" x 4 1/8" 30-11007 O Scale Water Column 4" tall 30-50004 Big Mo Die-Cast Trailer 2 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 3 3/4 30-90001 Out House 1 3/16 x 1 5/16" x 2 7/16" Z-4000 Transformer 11 1/8" x 14 3/4" x 8 3/4" high |
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