i am thinking of buying one of Bachmann Spectrum’s HO scale 2-10-0’s and was curious how well does it look running on 18 inch curves? is there much overhang with it on 18 inch curves. i have a bachmann spectrum 4-6-0 and it runs fine on 18 inch curves. i have heard some modelers say anything bigger that a 4-6-0 should not be used on 18 inch curves.
That’s what I’M trying to figure out.
The ‘Russian’ 2-10-0 is a very small engine. It will run around 18" radius curves just fine. Even the larger ‘Baldwin’ 2-8-0 will run on 18" radius curves with no problem.
Jim
I don’t know the engine, so I cannot respond directly. However, I have several large steamers, including a PRR J1 2-10-4 that is advertised as needing a min of 24". As MR reported, and I have since verified, the engine will actually negotiate 22" curves, but it does a slow and reluctant job of it. How does it look? In a word…“goofy.”
So, if I had to guess, I would say that the engine in question will probably not be at all happy with 18" curves, even if you laid every section of track like John A. hisself. Oh, and it will look goofy, but the overhang will be noticeable only to the extent that you remark on it since onlookers will rarely say anything to put you off your fun…at least, the better bred ones won’t. In fact, if 18" curves is all you can get, run the darned thing if it works. Enjoy it. I have placed Walthers heavyweights on 22", 24", and all the way up to 40" curves, and they still don’t look like heck. I think they would look like they were being switched in a terminal on 60" curves in our hobby.
I hope this helps.
It’s hard to see from pics I’ve looked at, but does it have any ‘blind’ drivers (wheels with no flanges)? That’s a trick I’ve seen used in larger scales to enable a loco to get around sharp curves. This doesn’t apply to just steamers, I’ve seen diesels with this feature too.
I will remember this when I next reply to a similar question. Thanks.
Caboose, I have 2 GS-4’s by Bachmann 4-8-4’s and do fine on a 18 turn. I as well have been thinking about a 10 wheel drive steamer but just not sure. If you are just looking for bigger look at the War Baby GS-4 or the Daylight Speical GS-4.
If you have the pockets for it the Broadway Limited Class J 4-8-4 will handel the turn as well. Mine does great and does not hane blind drivers in the center. On E-Bay you can find them with out sound for around $125.00 and with QSI sound that will work on DC for buy it now for $200.00.
Daylight Speical.
Class J
Cuda Ken
The Spectrum 2-10-0 “Russian” is a very small locomotive, as noted above, it is smaller than the Spectrum Baldwin 2-8-0. Either will operate on 18" radius curves just fine.
FYI; the Russian 2-10-0 and tender is about one half as long as a GS4 and tender or J and tender. Thus is short enough to look okay on 18" radius.
As has been said several times, the Bachmann 2-10-0 Russian Decapod is a small loco…
The front loco #241 is an Athern Genesis Mike 2-8-2. The back loco #279 is the decapod.
The Mike is 1/2" longer (10.5") from front coupler to rear coupler than the 2-10-0 (10"). The 2-10-0’s drive wheel are 1/4" longer than the 4 coupled Mike. Yes the middle driver is blind to help it around curves. I know it can take the slightly smaller than 22" curves on my layout with no trouble and I believe it is rated to 18" curves. Will it look right? I would say No! But then very little looks right on 18" curves (maybe an 0-4-0 docksider). You may think it is OK… ??? It can negotiate #4 Atlas turnouts with no trouble…
As others have mentioned, the russian is a small locomotive and it has a blind driver in the middle. In addition, the drawbar for the tender has two spots, one for tighter curves and a closer one for larger curves.
I’ve run mine on 18" and it looks ok.
I know this thread is 7 years old but I´m gonna reply to it anyway.
To anyone who wants to run a 2-10-4 troublefree but is restricted to 18 inch radius: Take the OLD Bachmann 2-10-4 engines! They have no troubles runnng through 18 inch curves! Actually the old Bachmann 2-10-4 has many more advantages than the new Bachmann 2-10-4:
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It runs through 18 inch radius curves
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It´s featuring 2 traction tires for better pulling power
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It´s featuring smoke
These are all things that the new 2-10-4 doens´t feature. The only disadvantage is, that the old 2-10-4 is not detailed as much and is not offered with DCC and/or sound on board. It´s not even DCC ready. But installing a DCC decoder shouldn´t be a big problem because this engine is huge and has a lot of space inside, so the decoder can also be installed inside the engine and not in the tender, since there are no plug connections anyway. But if you don´t mind installing your own plug connections, you can install a DCC decoder in the huge tender, and especially you have a lot of space there to install some huge speakers, so your 2-10-4 will have a blasting sound system.
I just bought myself an old Bachmann 2-10-4 which I will pimp up by installing a DCC sound-decoder with some nice big speakers, and I will replace the original smoke unit with a Seuthe smoke unit and also install a cab light and a tender back light. Should be a superb engine once finished!
As added info the PRR made all three middle sets blind with wider tires to keep them on the rails. They were also pretty much restricted to slow speed drag service.
I have one. It runs on 18" radius and looks okay there. This is a “husky” locomotive, however. The steps on the side of the tender are relatively wide, so although I can turn the Bachmann Decapod on my 65’ turntable, it will not fit into my roundhouse as those steps are wider than the roundhouse doors. After having seen an actual ten-coupled locomotive in service, I wanted one just for the joy of watching those drivers. It will pull everything in the yard including the yard office.
Bill
Yes, older equipment can be desireable for a lot of reasons, including lower cost. But YMMV on some of these points.
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If you have adequate curves to handle it, the newer loco is porbably built to closer tolerances and more accurately than the older. That may be why it can’t handle the tight curves like the original.
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Traction tires can have issues, especially once they get old, crack and need to be replaced. Yes, they work well. I have a decent little Lilliput narrowgauge diesel that has a pair that are more like a thick band than an O-ring that work well. Generally I prefer to do without them, because when they do fail, they leave behind an oddly shaped driver profile.
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Smoke? Just not healthy stuff and leaves a nasty deposit. No, thanks, for me.
People find different features good or bad for a lot of reasons. Which is not to say you aren’t perfectly happy with all that. In fact, what I wanted to point out is that you can probably find some deals on these locos, just because they have some characteristics that others are not so fond of in comparison to the more recent model.
@ mlehman:
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Yes, I also assume that. I heard from different sources that the new Bachmann 2-10-4 even struggles on 22 inch curves (although it´s stated as it´s minimum radius) and performs trouble free on nothing below 24 inches.
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I never ever had any issues with traction tires. My oldest traction tire equipped engine has it´s traction tires on since 1991, and till now never had any problems with it. Everything´s fine. I love traction tires because they really increase the pulling power A LOT. And I love long and heavy trains!
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A smoking steam engine is essential for me! Without it it just doesn´t look right. There is simply something missing. I especially love the synchronized puffing smoke that the new BLI and MTH steamers have. So much fun to look at. Wish older steamers (from other manufacturers) could be reequipped with it as well. Of course smoking isn´t healthy (I really dislike smoking people). But a smoking steam engine I love! And I´m not standing with my nose and mouth on top of the smoke stack of the engine and following it to breathe in the smoke! There´s absolutely nothing unhealthy about smoking steam engines until you don´t missuse it or never ever open the windows of your room.