First: when a manufacturer says an item will navigate X minimum radius curves, that probably mans it will do so at 5 scale mph. 30mph or more and you hit the floor.
Second: please use punctuation. Does not have to be grammatically correct, just write like people talk. Pauses… maybe some stops. Get it? I fired a client because he refused to use punctuation. In the real world “let’s eat, Grandma” and ”let’s eat Grandma” can cost a lot of money.
I returned the 22-inch track and replaced it for 28” inch track. it is the nickel silver alloy grey road bed ez track it says it will work just different color one, that is all
I mentioned the extended draft gear with the assumption you were using Walthers Proto passenger cars, probably their most popular line in HO.
The model number, which I finally figured out as 910-30361 (the number you provided, 910-3036, came up as a grain elevator) is actually a Walthers Mainline series which probably already has extended couplers since Walthers claims the 18" radius for.
So, my point is, the longer draft gear (coupler boxes) may not fit a Mainline car (Or, more likely, they are already used on that car). I am only familiar with their Proto line. I only provided that link to show you what they looked like. Sorry if I messed you up.
When I began to use the Walthers Heavyweight passengers cars with diaphragms, the accompanying literature said they’d work on 24" minimum. That was optimistic. On perfect curves, trailed behind a locomotive, with the cars and trucks and their couplers all perfectly assembled, that was indeed the case…they’d work slowly on 24" curves. Then, I tried to back them…
Long story short, I found through trial and error that the longer Walthers cars do a lot better with more ‘generous’ radii. I found that 28", the way I was prepared to lay them, worked both trailing and shoving the Heavyweights. That’s about 17% broader a curve than Walthers claimed. Nothing to sneeze at, especially after going to all the trouble to lay nice 24" curves. And then finding out that Walthers’ #7.5 curved Shinohara turnouts in HO, in Code 83, were considerably undercut in their stated two radii.
I will agree with those who suggest that you’ll have much greater success on 23-24" curves. If you can find the room, shoehorn another two inches on top of that.
Drumguy makes a good point. I see some (many?) people feel they have to run their trains at warp speed. Model trains will operate much better at slower, “scale” speeds, especially when you are running close to tolerance limits (as is the case here). They look better as well, less toy-like. Easement curves might help in your case. Certainly wouldn’t hurt.
You didn’t mention any details about how they were derailing, or how fast you were going, or if it was any car or just a certain one, so it could be one or a combination of several causes. Another poster mentioned it’s a hands-on hobby, and you often have to do some fiddling to get things right. I find that’s quite true, and to a certain extent part of the fun of the hobby.
The Walther Mainline 85ft. cars are the same cars as the Walthers Proto. The Proto series comes with grabs installed, lighting installed, Metal trucks with extended body mount couplers, which are Protomax, a very good copy of a Kadee, looks exactly like it. The Mainline has plastic trucks with couplers attached to them. Light compared to the Proto. They have a kit that comes with Metal trucks/wheels in the light kit, along with the extended coupler arrangement. Also sell a kit with the body mounted couplers and grabs to install on the Mainlines. No drilling or filing nesscessary, because like I said…the cars are the same/ under body and holes are already there.
I have ten of the Mainlines and converted all of them so they are just like the Protos…but I use 1/4 shank Kadee couplers for a closer fit for the diaphragms which both the Mainline/Proto come with. Money wise…I saved about ten $$ adding all the items myself…but also improved some of their engineering especially any light bleed through on the body and how the light pick-up works.
I run broad curves though…not a problem. Looking at the OP’s board…He’s asking the impossible…He could add longer shank couplers into the talgo style trucks that come with them…but would really look weird. Big dreams in little space, don’t work with long passenger cars.
I have to say after reading the Walthers description that it is very misleading for Walthers to state on its website that these cars will operate on 18" radius curves.
I’ve had two sets of the Walthers passenger cars for some time. Even with my minimum radius of 26 inches (with easements), I had some trouble with about 1/4 of the cars. As I recall, coupler/diaghram/truck interference were the basic problems.
The first thing I did was replace the couplers with long shank KDs, and that solved most of the problems. Then I had to do some careful trimming of the under carraige of a couple cars, and unjam a couple of non flexible diaghrams.
These are great cars, but they need work (oil axles) right out of the box. Sometimes I really missed my old Athearn cars, which were flawless in operation.
Today is January 19, 2018 it has been a while, so I will up date you what has gone on, I have one side all most done a mixture of 26” and 28” curves, I’m waiting on more of my 26” track and 1/3 18”.
I found out that 28” would be to wide so I tried to mix in some 26” because my table is only 47 7/8” wide I need some 1/3 18” to join the missing small joints. And added 2 feet to my table length to 10 with a total expansion to 18 feet. I plan to try the second side only in 26” track to se how it works sill may need 1/3 18” to join it though.
Did get all my returns done some track a passenger car and the extended couplers that wouldn’t work.
Is there any way you can post a track diagram of your layout - including where the different radii curves fit in your track plan? What you are describing is somewhat unclear and confusing - at least to me. It almost sounds like a hodge-podge of track pieces with various radii snapped together to fit the space.
If you are want to run long (85’) passenger cars, any R18" pieces of track will have to be eliminated. If you can widen your layout by even 1’ (e.g. from 48" to 60") that would allow you to use the R26" and R28" curves exclusively.
I have seen explonations of track plans that come into and out of curves at broad gauge. Bit have a sharp curve apex. Never seen it in
practice on a layout. Nor in reality. Althought the prototype for everything clause exists.
i do have 85 and 89 foot cars run through 20 curves. But. I hand lay. My visible track allowing gauge tweeks that make that possible. The hidden track is all 25 inch. They cars are excursion trains Normally the biggest is the 64 foot trinity reefers A full amtrak train will successfully negotiate the Mainline at a reasonble passenger service speed
On the other hand, some of my other Walthers cars won’t even take 30" curves without either trimming off truck details, or cutting away skirting, neither of which I’m willing to do. But I really like these cars, so I redesigned the layout with 42" min. mainline radius to accomodate these cars.
Well thanks for all your feedback so this evening I have been working hard I have made it 3.5 inches wider, and 24 inches longer so now it is 10’ x 43.5” that’s length and width I will continue this with ongoing expansion. second, I found out on the back of my track is a number saying what it is, so I put all the 28” on one end and 26” on the other here it is as of now I think I need 2 ,28” and one 26” piece there is 7 of the 9-inch straight track on each side this what it look like before I widen the track notice the road next to the track this is where it ended Now I may not be the best builder, but I do the best I can.
I assume from the posted photos and the use of the larger radii track that your layout increased to 51" rather than decreased to 43.5". I believe your layout table is going to need to be a least 3-4" wider in order to incorporate the R26" curved track comfortably…
Yes! now I do think something off I had 5 26” not 7 and ten 28” after dinner I will check this out and yes it was 48” + 3.5 equals 51.5 I have never been good at math.
So, I added one more board to make it wider it worked I need 3 more get them tomorrow but here it is the 28” done it just needs the 3 boards to help it out good night.
Thank you all for this project help. With out your expert help this day wouldn’t have come true for me so let begin. The lay out was 4x8 using 9ich straight and 18” radius curves, then I tried to put it on my old table still no luck, then you said make it wider, I did but if you first don’t succeed try again.
So, I made it longer and even wider it worked no issues because of the dips on the extensions I run 2 locomotives my steam and diesel, this way I can run it very slow or fast.
So, my table is 10 feet, but 56 inches have just ordered my station for the passenger service.
Tanks to you for your help to this train beginner.
In this video you can see it leave the station get up to speed and come back, it moves so smooth this a dusk run.