I am looking for a steam loco. I am looking at the Broadway Limited Paragon 2 units. Our layout has mostly 22" + radius curves. There is one that may go to the small side of 18 or 19 in part of the turn (end of layout loop) We wanted a Y6b but think the overhang will be too much,
So looking at the BLT J1e Hudson 4-6-4 but cannot find it in stock anywhere, Then we see the T1 4-8-4 Reading … being noobs at most of this we are wondering if the Reading will work? On a 20 " R turn how much stick out and overhang will there be?
Anyone have pics frome above on a smallish curve,
Reall wish the Y6b would work…but have to be a bit realistic…
I have 2 of them. I don’t think they’ll take 20" and smaller radius. I have 24" radius, they handle that fine. My previous layout was 30 and 32", and naturally there was no problem. With tight curves I’d stick to smaller locos. The key factor is the length of the rigid wheelbase - a smaller loco like a 2-8-2 light mike still has 8 drive wheels but they are smaller than the ones on the T-1 and so the distance from the flange of the first driver to the last is shorter.
It’s not so much the overhang, which just looks silly, it’s the ability of the loco to even go around the curves in question without derailing or becomign so bound up it stalls. The old AHM/Rivarossi Y6b, and even the Big Boy, could handle 18" radius curves but looked extremely silly. The newer models from other manufacturers might not quite make the 18" curves, but such large locos need somewhere north of 30" to even begin to look ‘normal’. FOr steam power with 18" radius curves your best bet is probably one of the smaller locos from Bachmann, the nice Spectrum ones, like the 4-4-0 and 2-6-0.
randy hit the nail on the head. even though lateral motion is a big factor, rigid wheel base is usually what determines minimum radius and that really comes in to play where the tangent makes the transition to curve. easements will allow you to get away with a smaller radius curve and help eliminate that “lionel style quick!, turn left here” jerky operation.
On 460mm (18"+) radius ANY locomotive with a 4-wheel trailing truck is going to have a lot of cab overhang. What you really need is a Pacific (or a Mike, if your railroad used them for passenger power.)
If I was looking for passenger power for curves that tight, I’d try to find a PRR E6 or G5. Too bad Bowser discontinued theirs…
(My short line, which has much tighter curves, powers almost everything with 0-6-0Ts.)
I’ve got a BLI ATSF 4-8-4 and frankly, its my favorite loco (I have well over 50). My minimum radius where it is “allowed” on the layout is 26 inches. It negotiates that just fine, but it is too small for realistic looking operation.
You are asking about a 4-6-4 and a 4-8-4. The 4-6-4 Hudson was pretty much a passenger loco with large drivers. The 4-8-4 Northern was both passenger and freight and had large drivers as well. Neither will look good on 22 inch curves - in my opinion of course.
Having had a layout with 22 inch curves years ago, I would suggest that you would be much happier with a 2-8-0 loco (Bachmann SPECTRUM is a very good choice) as it will look and operate much better on your layout - and cost significantly less than the big BLI locos.
4-6-4’s were more for passenger runs, the 4-8-4’s for freight but also hauled passenger. Engines like a 2-8-4 or 2-8-2 would be more suitable for a more mainline but smaller steam. For an articulated the Bachmann 2-6-6-2 is a good candidate, I would even run it on 15". I think the BLI Y6b can do 18".
Thanks. I am not so worried about looks as I am about clearance. I have over 320 feet of track and only maybe 10 feet of it is part of a “tight” turn. You have to do what you have to do with the room…all my other turns are30 to 40+“R Of the two turns (double main line) only the 22” plus one is seen. The other is a hidden loop inside a mountain this is where clearance is an issue…
I just don’t like the looks of the smaller ones that much… and I like the evil option of having smoke too. Not to mention the awesome sound of the BLI’s
Believe it or not the better choice or should i say the one that will negotiate your curve best would be the Y6 being as has an articulated or hinged frame would work with no problem other then overhang issue. You can adjust for that by moving sign posts and telegraph poles etc. a little farther outward on curves.
It too depends on the brand of locomotive also. Some manufactures have more then one set of flange-less wheels then others do therefor making them more “universal” if you will for all radius curves.
If you look at the product information section on BLI’s website you will see that the T1 will operate on 18" curves and the Y6B on 18" curves. So I would say it’s a safe bet with either the Y6B or the Reading T1 if you so choose.
I have at present time 4 running PRR M1’s very similar to the Reading T1 as far as wheel arrangement goes and although i have a minimum radius or 34" on the pike in the one large yard being it’s L shaped I have two track with 15" radius curves and the M1’s will negotiate them fine at low speed (scale 5 mph) but I don’t recommend it being done any faster.
You might be safe with the Y6, if you have an NMRA gauge, sweep it around your curve with issues, if it doesnt hit anything, your good to go. If you have any 85ft passenger cars, try them as a test. Because of the double hinging, the boiler front does not swing out as far, instead, the cab swings out a little further, this is more apparent on my BLI 2-6-6-4. I have the Bowser Big Boy and it has the prototypical rigid rear driver, and the boiler front swings way out on curves. Bowser says if you watch the NMRA clearance, its not an issue.
Stryker I have PCM Y6-b and from what I have been told they are the same casting as the BLI. I all so happen to have 2 18 inch tuns left. If you like, I could take a picture of the over hang for you. Where the 18 inch turns are located I normally don’t see it running there.
The Y6 really is not that big of a engine but sure pulls like one. Maybe a inch longer than a Class J.
It looks like it hardly sticks out past where the roadbed would be. The Y6b would work fore sure. The hudson looks very good to me. What is the radius on that curve?
Wait I see you were going to shoot at your 18". Any of these would work for me.
If you like the Y6, you should also consider the Proto Y3 2-8-8-2.
They are beautiful and on sale.
Mine is a first run from pre 2000, and runs fabulous.
It easily goes through #4 and snap switches and has negotiated 20" radius without a hiccup and without too much overhang. Arguably less than a Y6, given the 2 wheel trailing truck.
