I am a newbie to model railroading and want to build my first model railroad. It will be HO but small, perhaps to fit on an 8 X 4 table. I want to run a steam Norfolk and Western theme, but other than J-scale, these locomotives are few. Is an articluated 2-6-6-4 or 2-6-6-2 too big for a small display such as this? The only other thing I’ve found is a discontinued Bachmann Spectrum 4-8-w Heavy Mountain. Could I also buy a “blank” locomotive that N&W ran and use decals? Your advice, please.
If you are thinking 4*8 (a common first layout) you will find you need 18 inch radius curves to keep the track on the table. Although it is possible in theory to have as much as 24 inch curves on a 4 * 8, in practice you will find 18 inch is pretty much it.
Only the smaller steam engines can get around an 18 inch curve and stay on the track. By small I mean six driving wheels or at most eight driving wheels. For an eight drivered locomotive you want the drivers to be small ones. A 2-6-6-4 or 2-6-6-2 ought to stay on the track IF the two driver sets are articulated and can swing freely from side to side. If the model has all 12 drivers on a single frame with no articulation it will likely derail.
If you are thinking 4*8 (a common first layout) you will find you need 18 inch radius curves to keep the track on the table. Although it is possible in theory to have as much as 24 inch curves on a 4 * 8, in practice you will find 18 inch is pretty much it.
Only the smaller steam engines can get around an 18 inch curve and stay on the track. By small I mean six driving wheels or at most eight driving wheels. For an eight drivered locomotive you want the drivers to be small ones. A 2-6-6-4 or 2-6-6-2 ought to stay on the track IF the two driver sets are articulated and can swing freely from side to side. If the model has all 12 drivers on a single frame with no articulation it will likely derail.
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here are a number of suppliers who have HO track in a 22" radius. So you are not confined to 18" radius
[quote user=“dstarr”]
While there is no doubt the larger the radius of the track the more lifelike it looks with an engine on a curve. However, there are quite a few engines, both steam and diesel, that can run on 18" and 22" track.
You can actually get up to R22" curves on a 4 x 8’. That allows only about 2" center-to-edge though.
My BLI 4-8-2 Mohawk will navigate my 4 x 8’ with no problem. My BLI 4-6-4 Hudson, however, does not fair as well because of the taller drivers - i.e. 72" vs. 79".
A 4-8-2 Mountain looks like your best proposition. It’s too bad you can’t use a 2-8-2 Mike. I just checked steamlocomotive.com and N&W apparently didn’t own any. [:O]
Can you building a larger layout? A shelf layout would allow you to achieve those broader curves so you can use those large articulateds.
Tom
While most beginners tend to sectional track, you should take a look at flextrack. Installation is not that difficult, and you can make any radius curve that fits. It is a simple skill that you will use on future layouts for as long as you are in this hobby.
Also, if you are space limited, take a look at N scale. A lot of people are in that scale, and there is a lot of good quality equipment out there. If you want to run large locos, 22" radius in N scale is about the same as 44" radius in HO scale. Note that I have been in HO for about 50 years, and would not change at this late date; but, if I had to start over again, with todays equipment, I probably would have gone N.
N scale has N&W steam engines. heres a head start for N scale N&W locomotives and rolling stock http://nwry.railfan.net/models.html
hope this helps if you do change your mind and decide to do N scale.
I might indeed go with a 2x12 layout, with perhaps 4 feet at each end for a turnaround, if that’s the proper turn. I am beginning to think that, given the small radius, an undecorated locomotive of appropriate size might be my best bet. I can provide the Norfolk and Western lettering later. I am undecided on whether to build a shelf unit or regular benchwork. Either way, it probably will be against a wall, particularly since I plan to go only two feet deep.
I like watching this little Bachmann Spectrum 4-4-0 pulling this little train around my layout. I let it chug around while I am working on the layout. I just have to remember to get out of its way every six and a half minutes.[(-D]
You might not find any lettered for the N&W but they did run smaller steam locomotives such as 2-8-0’s. Even into the 50’s they were used on branches that couldn’t take heavier locomotives.
For a small layout, smaller steam is better.
If you really want to run larger locomotives then I suggest you widen your table.
Enjoy
Paul