Here's one for everybody. When designing your layouts, how close to the edge of the table are you willing to lay track and risk your most expensive and precious locos?
There are variables that come into play here. Do you run them fast? Is your bench work really solid with no movement (No matchbooks under a leg to steady it)? Are you in an area that is prone to earthquake tremors? Do you have kids that get close to the layout? :)
I usually have a siding near the edge... A track that won't get used regularly. Good for photography. The mainlline is about 4" in from the fascia. Folks can lean on the edge without a train running up their sleeve.
Regards,
Jonathan
Mainline no closer than 4''
As far as possible. It's good to have scenery between the track and the edge. And to have something for a derailment to fall on besides the floor. I learned the hard way. I've seen ballast slope right down to the layout edge. Not good.
I had to add a 3" strip to my layout all the way around to make sure that doesnt happen. I will landscape those areas to make sure there is something there for protection as well. I was very careful in laying track to make sure it was straight and true, level as possible. I hope i never have a derailment like that.
How close to the edge depends on where the track is located. If it's in a tunnel back in a corner or against a wall. The centerline of the track could be as close as 2-2 1/2" from the edge. If it's out in front, 4" seems more appropriate. That said, I prefer curves to straight track, because it makes the layout look larger. So rather than have a long straight along the front of the layout, i'll often angle the main track away from the edge by about 10-15 degrees, toward the center of the layout and curve it back toward the edge as it approaches the other end of the layout.
Thank's to all who responded, four inches is kinda what I had in mind, too. P'