How much space do you need for a Piko A-Gleis layout?
Benjamin | TrackDrawer.com · published 4 November 2026
For a closed loop in Piko A-Gleis you need a 90 x 90 cm baseboard. A loop with a passing loop fits from 185 x 90 cm, and on 200 x 120 cm the Auto-designer lays double track all round with a siding and a small yard. On 240 x 120 cm Piko A reached 13.3 m of track, the longest result of any H0 system in our measurement.
We measured this with the TrackDrawer Auto-designer, using an ordinary stock of A-Gleis and a 5 cm clear margin around the board.
The Piko A-Gleis radii
Piko A-Gleis is H0 track on 16.5 mm, two-rail DC. The four radii in our catalogue are exactly 61.88 mm apart: R1 360 mm, R2 421.88 mm, R3 483.75 mm and R4 545.63 mm. That 61.88 mm is also the track spacing: a turnout plus matching curve puts the second track at that distance from the first. There is no R5 as a separate curved piece.
The width of the track seen from above is listed in our catalogue as 43 mm. That is an estimate rather than an official figure, so allow a few millimetres of slack on your baseboard.
Outside width per radius
The outside width of a circle is twice the radius plus the track width. For the baseboard we add 2 x 50 mm of margin.
| Radius | Radius in mm | Circle outside width | Board with 5 cm margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| R1 | 360 mm | 763 mm | 86.3 cm |
| R2 | 421.88 mm | 886.8 mm | 98.7 cm |
| R3 | 483.75 mm | 1010.5 mm | 111.1 cm |
| R4 | 545.63 mm | 1134.3 mm | 123.4 cm |
Each step outwards costs 12.4 cm of depth. Double track on R2/R1 therefore fits a board about 1 m deep, double track on R3/R2 one of 1.12 m.
The smallest loop: 90 x 90 cm
With 86.3 cm as the minimum, that becomes a 90 x 90 cm board in 5 cm steps. The designer lays twelve R1 curves as a circle, 2.26 m of track. On 100 x 90 cm it becomes an R1 oval of 16 pieces and 2.51 m. Nothing more fits on that size.
A passing loop: from 185 x 90 cm
The A-Gleis turnout (55220 left, 55221 right) is 239.07 mm long and diverges by 15 degrees with a 907.97 mm radius (R9). The matching curve 55219 is a 15 degree R9 curve. Turnout and matching curve together move 470 mm forward; on the straight side you add the G231 straight (230.93 mm), so that side is 470 mm long too. A passing loop therefore costs 47 cm at each end.
The Auto-designer found the first loop with a passing loop on 185 x 90 cm: "Station with two platform roads on R1, plus 2 sidings", with 32 pieces and 6.18 m of track. At 100 cm deep, 185 cm remained the smallest width. Märklin C track manages the same on 160 cm, because its turnout is shorter (188.3 mm with a 24.3 degree divergence); see how much space for C track.
What fits on common sizes?
| Board | What fits (examples) | Pieces | Track |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90 x 90 cm | circle of twelve R1 curves | 12 | 2.26 m |
| 100 x 90 cm | R1 oval | 16 | 2.51 m |
| 180 x 90 cm | R1 oval, plus siding and yard | 30 | 5.73 m |
| 185 x 90 cm | station with two platform roads on R1, plus 2 sidings | 32 | 6.18 m |
| 200 x 120 cm | double track R3/R2, plus siding and yard | 55 | 10.72 m |
| 200 x 120 cm | double track R2/R1, plus 2 passing loops | 44 | 9.62 m |
| 240 x 120 cm | double track R2/R1, plus passing loop and yard | 68 | 13.34 m |
| 240 x 120 cm | station with two platform roads on R2 | 32 | 7.36 m |
So on 180 x 90 cm Piko A is just 5 cm short of a passing loop; there the designer fills the loop with a siding and a small yard. What other systems do on that size is covered in an H0 layout on 180 x 90 cm.
On 200 x 120 cm double tracks appear, including ones with a crossover between the inner and outer loop. On 240 x 120 cm a passing loop and a yard join in; no other H0 system got more track on that size in our measurement, see an H0 layout on 240 x 120 cm.
Handy pieces for small boards
- Y turnout 55226. Both roads diverge by 15 degrees, each on R9. A Y turnout helps at the throat of a station in a tight corner.
- Short straights. Besides the G231 there are G119, G115, G107 and G62 (61.88 mm). The G62 is exactly one track spacing long, handy when lining up tracks.
- 7.5 degree curves. R1 and R2 also come as a short 7.5 degree piece, for small corrections.
- Flexible track G940. A 940 mm length for free curves on a permanent layout.
Reach
You can comfortably reach up to about 60 to 70 cm from the edge. If a 90 cm deep board stands against a wall, you will just about struggle to reach the back tracks, so keep the rear strip simple. At 120 cm, stand the board free or make it accessible from two sides. If you want to store or move the layout, build a 185 x 90 cm board from two sections about 92 cm wide. Each section stays portable and fits through a normal door; put the joint on a straight, not in a curve or under a turnout.
Frequently asked questions
Does a passing loop fit on 180 x 90 cm with Piko A?
Not with the typical stock in our measurement: the first variant with a passing loop worked from 185 cm wide. With 5 cm more width it fits.
What depth do I need for double track?
Double track on R2/R1 is 886.8 mm across the outside: about 1 m with margin. On 200 x 120 cm the designer even laid double track on R3/R2.
Your own baseboard
Look at the Piko A plans in the Railfolio, or enter your board and stock and let the Auto-designer lay a plan.