Building a '50s Ho layout, and I’d like to include a steam freight engine; my minimum radius is 18", and every loco I look at asks for at least 24" – not practical in my space. Any suggestions?
hm–
An 18" radius is going to limit the size of the steamer you can run. My suggestion would be to take a look at the Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0 which is a nice, smooth running steamer that you could use for either freight or short passenger trains (yes, 2-8-0’s did on occasion pull passenger trains on some railroads) and also for switching. It’s a good “all purpose” little steamer. It will take an 18" curve comfortably and is a pretty darned good hauler for its size. Also, it’s extremely well detailed for a RTR plastic loco.
Generally speaking, even in RTR plastic, an 18" radius is going to limit you to wheel arrangements such as 0-6-0, 0-8-0, 2-8-0 or 4-6-0. However there are good models available out there of these wheel arrangements from P2K and Spectrum.
Tom
I would think that a 2-6-0 or 2-6-2 would work pretty well. My feeling is that anything smaller than that will not fit your era.
Check these out:
hmc:
It’s hard to go wrong with a 2-8-0 or a 4-6-0, when you need smallish steam. (“Smallish” because, when you think about it, it’s hard to call a brute like an H9 “small”).
If you lean towards heavy stuff, I’d go for the Consolidation. If you like a more rustic atmosphere, like the Rutland or some CP branch, I’d go for the Ten Wheeler. Both were everywhere. To me, nothing says “steam short line” like a 4-6-0.
After those, I’d recommend a 2-6-0, then a 4-4-0.
Any locos you are particularly looking at? What prototype or region is your favorite?
If you like to build things, don’t forget Bowser, who sell a lot of midsize steam. Their “Old Lady” is a very typical-looking small 4-6-0, based on SP, but which could easily be adapted to any number of railroads.
The very real danger with steam is that as you find out more about it, you will become addicted, and soon you will be backdating to the 1930s so you can see what it was like before the diseasels pushed it to the margins. 
In 1950 there was more steam than diesel running. By 1959 steam was pretty much retired. So a '50’s layout can plausibly have as much steam as you like.
Speaking from personal experience, the IHC 2-6-0 Mogul , the Bachmann 2-8-0 Consolidation, the Bachmann Shay, and the Mantua 4-6-2 Pacific handle 18 inch curves, no sweat.
You can’t go wrong with the Consolidation.
I second the motion for a Spectrum 2-8-0. Hard to beat it as far as I am concerned as I LOVE mine. And you can do a little digging around online and still find it for around $150 with dcc and Soundtraxx sound!
Your statement that:
means that you are looking at the wrong loco. Those 18" radius curves are going to put a damper on what locomotive you are going to be able to fit into your design limitations.
By the 1950s steam engines were rapidly fading from the railroad scene; by that era the 4-4-0s and 2-6-0s, the standard engines of the 19th Century, were pretty much a thing of the past and 4-6-0s were becoming extremely rare and were being used most frequently in commuter operations where their larger drivers allowed for faster operation than could be provided by 2-8-0 Consolidations. There were still quite a few of those around, however, and that wheel arrangement would be an excellent choice for one who wanted only a token number of steam engines on their motive power roster. Looking through the tables accompanying Kalmbach’s Guide to North American Steam Locomotives one can see that in many cases those lowly Consolidations outlived the Berkshires, Northerns, and big articulateds; this was because railroads found their lower axle weight essential for continued service on lightly built branch lines.
Pacifics–4-6-2s–and Mikados–2-8-2s–are only marginally larger–and heavier–than 2-8-0s. If you could squeeze out three or four more inches on your minimum radius one of those would make a good selection for a token locomotive. Often the railroads had invested major overhauls on their Pacifics and Mikados as rail traffic began picking up in the late-'30s and early-40s and ten or fifteen years later they still had servicable miles left before requiring another major overhaul; as diesels proliferated they bumped these steamers off the mainline and into branchline or, as was the case with Grand Trunk Western which was operating the last Class 1 passenger operations in the United States in 1960, into commuter operation.
Generally I agree with the above, but if you are careful and meticulous in laying your track, and remember to bevel the ends of each rail very slightly with a metal file, you can run other engines successfullly. For example, my first layout had 18" curves until I knew I’d want bigger steam, but while they were in place I ran my BLI 4-6-4 Hudson on it. I had some derailments, but my skills in laying the track were poor…can’t really blame the engine. However, I have a Trix 2-8-2 Mikado that does very nicely on 18" curves. I believe, recalling some earlier posters’ experiences, that the Athearn Mikado also does well on 18" curves, so I would guess pretty much all of them do. They came in Light and Heavy versions, with the latter being heavy and powerful engines with superheaters. Thousands of them populated the rails across N. America.
We might also find a place for the surprisingly small 2-10-0 Decapod, of which the one made by Bachmann Spectrum is an example. It is supposedly a fine model engine. It will handle your 18" curves nicely.
Just a parting thought…before you truly commit yourself to the 18" curves, if you can shoehorn 22" curves into your trackplan space, you will have better running and looks, not a lot better in looks, but some. However, you will open yourself to a wider choice of engines. You will be able to run a 4-8-4 Niagara, for example, and for sure you’ll get the N&W Class J 4-8-4 to whizz around your layout. You could even reach into the hallowed hallways of the articulated giants, such as the Challengers and some Mallets like the N&W Y6b and the Class A (not a Mallet type).
-Crandell
I’m not sure if you are looking for a specific roadname, but Pennsy has two engines that were used for freight. The I1 is a 2-10-0 and the recommended min radius by BLI is 18’'. Also the M1a or M1b is a 4-8-2 with min recommended radius of 18"
As the others have said look for a smallerish locomotive (below is a non-comprehensive list and some of the manufactures listed don’t make them currently):
0-4-0 switcher made by Bowser
0-6-0 switcher made by Proto-2000 (Llifelike or Walther’s), Bowser
2-6-0 Mogle made by IHC, Roundhouse
2-6-2 Prairie made by IHC, Roundhouse
0-8-0 switcher made by Proto-2000
2-8-0 Consolidated made by Bachmann Spectrum, Roundhouse, Bowser
4-4-0 American made by Bachman Spectrum
4-6-0 Ten Wheeler made by IHC, Bachman Spectrum, Bowser, Roundhouse
2-8-2 Mikado Made by Athearn Genesis (some front pilot derailment issues), Bowser, IHC
If you want to consider passenger loco’s also (they sometimes got to pull freight)
4-4-2 Atlantic made by Bowser, Bachman Spectrum
4-6-2 Pacific made by Athearn Genesis, IHC, Bachmann Spectrum, Bowser
Maybe, maybe, a 4-6-4 Hudson made by BLI Dispite the 6 driving wheels a Hudson is a large locomotive.
Unlike some of the other folks while I agree the Bachman Spectrum 2-10-0 Russian Decapod is very small for its wheel arrangement I would avoid 18" curves with it. I’ve got a friend with one that struggle not only on 22" curves but on the associated #4 turnouts. On the sharp curve he can only pull 4 cars with it. Likewise I don’t care that the manufactures’ state that their 4-6-6-4, 2-8-4, or 4-8-4, or 2-10-x can go around 18" curves. It ain’t natural. Think of it like Jurassic Park, “Just because you can make a dinosaur doesn’t mean you SHOULD make a dinosaur”. These locomotives look lousy and operate so-so on 18" curves. &nb
I will 2nd Crandell’s recommendation about the Trix 2-8-2 Mike. However, it may be difficult to find one other than ebay. The Proto 2000 0-8-0 would be an excellent choice and is a VERY good runner.
Tom
Yup I missed that recommendation, and can definitely agree with it. That would be the Cadillac of the suggestions.
Re the Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0 DCC/Soundtrax you favor - I do not have DCC but am curious about this loco, it gets good reviews - - what, if any, of the DCC/Soundtrax functions can be activated on a DC layout??
Thanks
Tanked
Good question. I’d have to look at the documentation that came with it. I’m running all dcc and it’s never been on a dc only layout. Maybe someone else here has the answer?
Bachmann makes a 4-4-2? Where can I buy one?
David B
4-4-2 Atlantic made by Bowser, Bachman Spectrum
4-6-2 Pacific made by Athearn Genesis, IHC, Bachmann Spectrum, Bowser
Maybe, maybe, a 4-6-4 Hudson made by BLI Dispite the 6 driving wheels a Hudson is a large locomotive.
I too would like to buy an Atlantic as well.
I did not know that the Genesis Pacific was being made again.
I have reading the replies to the original post. With 18" radius curves(probably sectional track), one is going to be limited. And yes, it is possible to get a BLI Hudson around them with the drawbar in the last notch. But for reliability/looks, most anything with a trailing truck is going to have very pronounced cab overhang on curves. I have the Spectrum Baldwin 2-8-0, “High Boiler’ 4-6-0, ‘Russian’ 2-10-0, a P2K USRA 0-6-0 and BLI USRA Heavy 2-8-2. in operation on my 22” radius curves. The 2-10-0 is very small, as is the 4-6-0. The 2-8-0 is a nice sized engine and was my 1st Spectrum engine. I now have a pair of them with Sound/DCC and they are my favorite engine for doing ‘local’ work on the branch. Why not the 0-6-0? It is a switcher, and rarely would be out on the main line with a road freight or passenger train. I have seen pictures of them doing ‘local’ industry switching outside of yard limits, but that may be somewhat rare. For the price/performance/detail - that Spectrum 2-8-0 is pretty hard to beat. One of the local teen modelers in the area wanted to buy a ‘steamer’. He has a typical 4x8 layout using sectional track. We ran one of my Spectrum 2-8-0’s around his layout to verify it would track around his curves. The next day we went to a train show and he bought a Rock Island 2-8-0 - he still runs it! It is his favorite engine.
The first sound equipped ones had the Soundtraxx B280LC sound decoder which is ‘DCC Only’, but the current versions have a Soundtraxx Tsnami sound decoder which will work on DC and DCC. I would consult the Soundtraxx web site to see what ‘sound features’ are available in DC mode.
Jim Bernier
Brodway Limitedd Imports claim that their Blue Line locos will handle an 18" radius cu.rve, but I have yet to see their 4-8-4, 2-8-8-2 cab ford and the 2-10-4 do just that.
I haven’t checked out the other engines’ specs, but what you say, BNSF, didn’t ring true to me about the J1 2-10-4 from the PRR. I have their Paragon version and it was advertised to be good down to 24". I found, and so did the staff at MR, that it would actually do small “o” okay on 22" curves. Now I see the Blueline specs state it is good for 22". My feeling is that it will not work at all, not even at a walking speed, on anything less than 21". If so, their C&O T1 will also be so limited, and the AT&SF version, if they release it, will be the same.
-Crandell
I have the Roundhouse 2-8-0 DCC ready. I installed a Tsunami and had to “enable” the DC function before using it on DC. I run NCE DCC and only did this as a test. Some people have said the DCC loco works out of the box on DC. I have 20 inch radius so it runs fine. Not as good looking as the Spectrum 2-8-0 though.
I had to “enable” a Spectrum 4-4-0 and 4-6-0 with Tsunami to run on DC.
Here is a link to the Bachmann DCC manual which comes from SoundTraxx. The manual says the DC function has to be “enabled”. This woud require a DCC contoller as far as I know. The document is dated 2006 so maybe things have changed by now. You can also inquire at the Bachmann site. Make sure the person who answers has actually done the DC thing with a DCC on board loco.
http://www.soundtraxx.com/documents/manuals/Bachmann%20Quick%20Start%20Guide.pdf
Your mileage may vary.
Rich