I recently purchased a Bachmann EMD GP40 Diesel. This is an all wheel drive locomotive. Has anyone tried to use this diesel with 15" radius track? I e-mailed Bachmann and the response I received was we would reccomend 18". They didn’t really say if it would or wouldn"t work. Due to limited space, I am trying to use a hollow core door 32 x 80 for my next layout. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks and Merry Christmas
The GP40 is a 4-axle diesel, so it might run OK on 15" radius curves, although that is really tight for HO scale. I have run a GP40 on 18" radius without derailments, but I have no experience with 15" radius.
Rich
It will take 15" radius but you’ll be limited to 40’ cars. The car immediately following the loco will likely need a long shank coupler or the loco could drag it off the track. Another option is to go N Scale.
[#welcome] Welcome to the Forums.
What I would do (and have done) is to buy a pack of Atlas 15 inch radius track and some straight track. Put this together temporarily and test the locomotive. I have found that many short four axle diesels will run OK on 15R curves.
I suggest buld a test track. Draw the circle with 15’’ radius, nail some flex track to the center line and run your engines and cars.
IF your done you can pull the nails and reuse the track.
Wolfgang
It might but if Bachmann says18 then the reliability of it will be compromised if you run it at a lower radius. Poor reliability(read derails) sucks and is frustrating and will drive you right out of the hobby. With such a small space have you thought about N scale at all or are you stuck on HO?
I doubt very much Bachmann (or any other train set manufacturer) bothers to test for less than 18" radius, just like 3 rail O manufacturers don’t bother to test for less than their track’s minimum radius (diameter). Bachmann cares about whether it’s locomotives run or don’t run on 18" radius, since that’s what they use/sell in their train sets.
A similar situation occurred with Blackstone in HOn3. They made sure their K-27s could take 18" radius curves and Shinohara #4 turnouts, as that would cover the vast majority of layouts.
Any manufacturer that tries to cite an absolute minimum sets themselves up for a black eye, as the variation within a production run will doom that figure. Walthers proved that with their passenger sets a few years ago.
The only way to know for sure about a 15" radius is to set up a test track and test. Even if the GP35 (I could have the model wrong, but the principle is the same) makes it, that does not mean all Bachmann GP35s will be successful.
Using the LDSIG Rule of Thumb, most locomotives or cars 6" long or less should make 15" curves. There will possibly be a few exceptions that might not work. Longer than 6" is going to be on a case-by-case basis, especially if the locomotive and the car following are significantly different lengths.
When you get the radius below the 2.5 times length ratio, testing becomes more important. Truck mounted couplers help, as does eliminating or simplifying underbody detail to allow trucks to pivot more. Final steps are to raise the floor or frame so that trucks can swing even more freely.
my thoughts, your choices
Fred W
Welcome to the forums.
Two thoughts, first, could you go to a 36" door? You can get used ones at a Restore for just a few dollars. Might have a hole or two, but most can be disguised easily. If you can, then you could use flex track and make the most of the full 36"'s. It would be a little bigger than 15"r not quite 18"r.
Another thought just came to mind and I am assuming you can’t use a full 4’x8’ sheet. Can you get 2" foam? If you can, you could get two pieces 2’x8’, cut one section wide enough to give you about a 40" wide base. Frame it and use the remaining foam to build landforms. (You could also get a 4’x8’ sheet and cut it down.) The foam is quite strong and if you put a small frame around it to protect the edges, with a couple of cross members, it would be plenty strong.
Seem to have run out of thoughts at the moment.
Good luck,
Richard
For rolling stock
Ore cars and 55 ton coal hoppers are small sizes that should be no problem
[#welcome]
Couple of thoughts. 15" radius on a 32" door means your track center line is only 1" from the edge. Depending on the equipment you are using some of it may over hang the edge a little coming off the curve (especially if your track placement isn’t real precise). This will be a problem if that side is tight to a wall. You should try for an 1 1/2" or 33" wide door for 15" radius (2" or 34" wide door would be better and more forgiving of less than perfect track placement on the door)
Second, even if you can’t get all the way to 18" radius, 16" or 17" radius would be better than 15". For example, a 36" door with track center 1 1/2" from the edge would allow a 16 1/2" radius.
Good luck
Paul