I have a 4’X8’ layout with LifeLike EZ track. I want to buy some ATW 72’ Centerbeam Flatcar from Walthers. Can these long cars work on my layout without constantly derailing? Thanks and have a good day.
No indication of minimum radius on the product paperwork?
I have found that the 72 ft cars do not work well on any radius below 20" unless the center sill frame is notched to clear the wheels.
It took me a while to figure this out as one time the cars worked great and the next time they derailed.
I found that if I just pushed the car slowly through the curve I could feel the car begin dragging as the wheels began to touch the frame.
I notched the frame a little at a time and kept checking the car for free rolling through the curve.
This way I did not remove any more frame material than needed!
It is easy enough to check - so just purchase one to try!
BOB H - Clarion, PA
What Bob said. You could also get hung up on the couplers. Installing a longer shank Kadee might help. I think you’ll find that 50ft scale equipment will be what you are limited to on 18" in HO. Even if you get the 72ft car to work, it will never look right as the equipment will hang way over the curve in an unnatural manner,
EDIT: Nathan, we are talking about HO? right?
Regards Derek
Hello Nathan,
If we are talking about HO scale then I would say that the 72’ Walther’s Center beam flat is going to be a bit to big for the curve radius. Prior posts have shown that you can modify the cars to get them around the curve but keeping the car on the track behind a locomotive and not pulling any other cars off the track with it’s large coupler overhang will always be quite challenging.
If 18" radius is what you have to work with then I second the motion to keep your body mounted coupler fleet at 50’. A talgo mounted coupler car like an Athearn Passenger car is about 72’ and will work fine on 18"
The Walthers 72’ Centerbeams with the swinging draft gear box may work down to an 18" radius curve.
18" is rather tight for these long cars and the overhang will probably derail any cars coupled to them.
I wouldn’t suggest it. The longest car I run on mine (it stays parked most of the time) is a TTX well car that’s about 78 scale feet end to end. My curves are all 18" radius Bachmann EZ Track with mostly #4 turnouts. The car will go around the layout without a problem but I had to do some major cutting and trimming on it to make it do it. That included cutting out out part of the cars bottom and grinding notches in the sides of the coupler boxes to clear the wheels. It’s saving grace is it doesn’t have much end throw. If it had the end throw like some of the longer cars do it wouldn’t be any good at all.