80' passenger car curve radius

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I’m currently planning my new layout and it’s looking as if the biggest curve I’ll be able to accomodate will be 26". My question is will 80’ passenger cars look at home on that tight of a curve?

thanks in adavance!

2

26" Radius is tight? I hope not, because that makes the 18" Radius I am using now. Tortourous. I am planning on Running my full scale passenger cars on 24"

James

3

Great! Thats what I needed to hear!

By the way…where’s the dome car!?

4

Wes454,

80ft. and 85ft. passenger cars from Walther’s, Rivorossi, Con-Cor should have no problems negotiating this curve. In real life this would be a sharp curve but Amtrak trains negotiate these types of curves at low speed.

5

They should look good doing it too. Physical negotiation of the 18" radius curve is possible, but most people think it is ugly.[swg]

6

I guess the “look” was more of what I was concerned with. The layout will be more of a display layout with continuous loop, a siding and a 4 track staging yard. It will be mostly just to run trains so my daughter can watch and enjoy them. I want to able to run my passenger cars at speed so they can overtake the coal drag in the siding. I was just concerned that those long cars wouldn’t look good in the curve. I think you’ve all put my mind at ease! Thanks!

7

There might be some overhang which makes it look like a toy instead of a model.

8

Ideally, for a display you want it to look real, eh? 48" is fair, but they really flow around 72" radius on my 1947 version of the Great Northern Empire Builder. I run 2 - 70’ head end cars, and 12 -85 footers pulled by a pair of E-7’s and I have a 45 degree, 72" radius curve that is generously eased on both ends(o=3/4", L/2 =12").
Enjoy, that is the main thing!

9

Third Dome back in the train, Ahead of the Full dome. We are all upstairs. Right now I am enjoying a Cherry Coke, What’s your pleasure?

OK It looks like we fouond the resident construction engineer in the house. [8D][8D][8D] 45 Degree curves. I barely understand the concept. 72" Radius? His layout must be in Boeing’s 747 Main Assembly Building. Easements none the less? He has more patients for tempting the invocation of Murphey’s Law than I. [8D][8D][8D] With any luck, he can take a good teasing. [:D]