An N layout on 100 x 50 cm: what fits?
Benjamin | TrackDrawer.com · published 3 November 2026
A 100 x 50 cm baseboard in N takes a loop on the tightest curve, with a passing loop, sidings or a small station. But 50 cm deep is tight: only systems with an R1 of about 192 mm fit, and for most of them the clear margin around the track has to be narrower than 5 cm. With the standard 5 cm margin the Auto-designer laid a loop only with Arnold; with a 2.5 cm margin also with Minitrix and Fleischmann piccolo.
Why 50 cm deep is so tight
A loop is twice the radius plus the width of the track. At 50 cm deep, a 5 cm margin on both sides leaves 400 mm for that loop, a 2.5 cm margin leaves 450 mm. This is how the N systems in our catalogue compare:
| System | Tightest curve | Track width | Loop outside width | Fits with 5 cm margin | Fits with 2.5 cm margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arnold R1 | 192 mm | 16 mm | 400 mm | yes, exactly | yes |
| Minitrix R1 | 194.6 mm | 16 mm | 405.2 mm | no | yes |
| Fleischmann piccolo R1 | 192 mm | 27 mm | 411 mm | no | yes |
| Kato Unitrack N R216 | 216 mm | 25 mm | 457 mm | no | no |
| Peco Setrack N R1 | 228 mm | 24 mm | 480 mm | no | no |
| Tomix Fine Track C243 | 243 mm | 18.5 mm | 504.5 mm | no | no |
So Kato, Peco and Tomix drop out here, whatever the margin. Their tightest curve in our catalogue is too wide for 50 cm of depth. More on the smallest radii per system in the tightest curve radius in N.
What the Auto-designer lays on it
We had the Auto-designer work on 100 x 50 cm for each system, from a typical box of track: per radius a full circle plus four curves, eight of each of the first six straight lengths, three left and three right turnouts, four matching curves, four make-up pieces, a crossing and buffer stops where the system has them. First with a 5 cm margin, the default for a new plan in TrackDrawer, then with 2.5 cm.
| System | Margin | Longest variant | Pieces | Track |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arnold | 5 cm | R1 oval with passing loop, plus siding and yard | 23 | 2.94 m |
| Arnold | 5 cm | Station with two platform roads on R1, plus 2 sidings | 24 | 2.89 m |
| Minitrix | 2.5 cm | Rhombus on R1, plus siding and yard | 37 | 3.61 m |
| Minitrix | 2.5 cm | R1 oval with passing loop, plus siding and yard | 41 | 3.55 m |
| Fleischmann piccolo | 2.5 cm | Station on R1, plus 2 sidings | 32 | 3.42 m |
| Fleischmann piccolo | 2.5 cm | R1 oval | 16 | 2.27 m |
| Arnold | 2.5 cm | Station with two platform roads on R1, plus 2 sidings | 28 | 3.12 m |
With a 5 cm margin the designer found no loop at all for Minitrix, piccolo, Kato, Peco and Tomix. That matches the table above: their loop is wider than 400 mm.
What the measurements tell you:
- A passing loop fits. With Arnold, Minitrix and piccolo the designer lays a station with a passing loop or two platform roads. At 100 cm wide there is enough straight for two turnouts.
- About 3 to 3.6 m of track. With sidings and a small yard you get three times as much track as a bare circle.
- A narrow margin costs safety. With a 2.5 cm margin the track is close to the edge of the board. A raised lip or a clear acrylic strip along the front stops a derailed train from falling to the floor.
Trains on 100 cm
A 26.4 m N gauge coach is about 165 mm long. On a 100 cm board with two R1 half circles, each long side has a straight of half a metre or less, and the turnouts have to go there too. So plan for short trains: a locomotive with two or three short wagons, a railbus or a two-car unit. For long coaches the 192 mm curve is tight anyway.
Other options on 100 x 50 cm
- End-to-end line. Without a loop you need no curve: a straight line with a station at each end fits with any N system.
- Shunting puzzle. A few sidings and a turnout on a narrow board give hours of shunting fun, with Kato or Tomix too.
- A little deeper. At 55 cm deep, Minitrix and piccolo fit with a 5 cm margin; at 60 cm Kato does too. How much space Minitrix needs on larger boards is in how much space for Minitrix.
The board itself
A 100 x 50 cm board is light enough to carry on your own and fits on a desk, a chest of drawers or a wall shelf. At 50 cm deep you can comfortably reach every track. Because the curves sit so close to the edge, a stiff board that does not sag matters: in N you feel even a small kink in the base straight away in how trains run. If you want to store the layout, cover the board with a lid or a dust cover.
Frequently asked questions
Is 100 x 50 cm in N comparable to 180 x 90 cm in H0?
Roughly. In both cases one loop on the tightest curve fits, with a passing loop or sidings; see an H0 layout on 180 x 90 cm. In N the board is only a third of the size, though.
Which system should I choose for 100 x 50 cm?
If you want a loop on exactly this size, choose a system with an R1 around 192 mm: Arnold, Minitrix or Fleischmann piccolo. Minitrix gave the most track in our measurement, because its turnout is short and diverges on R1. Piccolo and Arnold diverge on a wider curve, which runs more smoothly but needs more length. If you already own track from another brand, first check whether a slightly deeper board is possible, say 100 x 60 cm, before buying new track.
Can I change the margin in TrackDrawer?
Yes. The margin around the track is a setting of the baseboard, in centimetres. Set it smaller and the Auto-designer takes that into account when it searches for plans.
Try it yourself
Enter your own N track and your board size and let the Auto-designer show what fits on your 100 x 50 cm.