I was thinking of upgrading to some larger locomotives and rolling stock on my HO layout within the next few years. However, I would like to know what you think before I commit to anything that is too long. Here are some of the longer items I am looking at:
SD40-2
Dash 9 / C44-9W
F59PHI & Bombardier Coaches OR P42 & Amfleet Coaches
My current minimum radius is about 17", but I am planning in an expansion to allow around a 22" raduis soon.
Thanks! Acela
22" radius is a step in the right direction. Walthers usually suggests at least 24" radius for their full length passenger cars, and from experience at the club - 28" radius is really a better minimum. We have 30-33" radius mainline curves and the long passenger trains run with no problems. One of the members ran a 12 car Walthers ‘20th Century’ passenger train on the layout today. We do have a 28" radius curve on one of the coach tracks and sometimes the diaphragms get hung up.
The SD40-2 and the GE Dash-9’s will go around 22" radius, but may derail trailing cars due to the long overhang on the engines. The F59PHI should have no problems on 22" radius curves, but again you want to run full length coaches behind them - be careful!
Jim
Acela,
22" will work. I have Walthers passenger cars using KD 5’s on them. Never had a problem on my last layout with them on the one 22" radius curve I had. Mind you, I cheated & used Atlas Snap Track for this curve as it was in a tunnel. Have a video someplace that has my P2K PA pulling 3 passenger cars around that one curve, at speed.
AC4400’s, Stewart C630, no problems!!
Now if you’re using brass, that’s a different story.
BIGGER is BETTER though when it comes to curves. My current layout has much broader curves. Much better results.
Gordon
22 inch radius should be ok for those locomotives. It’s the longer cars you need to worry about. The full length passenger cars and auto racks will derail on 22 inch radii.
I have ran Dash 9 and my SD40-2 on 18 inch turns with no problems. IMHO the main reason people have problems with 6 wheel trucks and tight turns is there track laying skills are not up to par yet. Center wheel acts as a pivot point, hits a bad spot and the front wheels climbs the rail. All so look out for high spots in the track.
Cuda Ken
Not too long ago someone posted a formula for figuring what the minimum radius for a curve was. Could someone repost that formula? I forgot to write it down and it seemed like it was really handy
This isn’t what I was looking for, but is equally helpful without having to do the algebra of the formula. Thank you very much.
I have some 250 engines and all run on 22in just fine. Some would look better on the larger radius. The Kato SD90Mac , Bachmann DD40AX , Athearn Turbine, and SD70ACe are some.
If you use a long shank coupler on the first car of the train or the rear locomotive it will hlep with tight curves.
Bob
Hi!
Pretty good advice so far, and hopefully I’ll add to it…
Your proposed 22 inch radius will work for most of what you propose running, but those that do may look awkward and “toy like”. I went from 18 inch to 22 inch Atlas track back in the '60s, and it sure was a nice improvement - but - I was running Athearn 40-50 foot freight cars and GP & F unit locos.
In the early '70s I took that big jump to flex track, and of course that allowed for much larger radius curves - and with that larger locos.
As others indicated, you will probably have more trouble with the full length passenger cars. I agree.
Good luck!
Thanks for the great advice! I don’t think I want to risk having problems with a $200 trainset so I think, from what I’ve heard, that the F59PHI and Bombradier coaches are out of the question. I am still pondering over the SD and C44. But in the next year I think I might go with a GP38-2. Any opinions of the best manufacturer? Right now I am thinking Athearn.
Also, I wish I had more room to accomodate larger radius curves but for a few years I think I will be limited to a 4X8 board, which means that 22-23" would be the max radius.
Acela
My self, I am a fan of Proto rather it be 1000’s or 2000’s. Far as Athearn, hum, I was a fan of there’s before I went DCC. There ready to run draw a lot of power, well the ones I have and they ate there fair share of decoders. I have all so read a lot about there Genesis line having problems with wrapped trucks. I was going to get a Mac and was scarred off by the post I did when I asked about them.
Cuda Ken
How about a GP40 Atlas has nice ones
And what about a B unit for the 44
I’m currently in N scale but I have done a bunch of HO so here is my 2 scents worth.
Think of MAINLINE minimum radius for your long locos, full-length passenger cars, and 80-something foot TOFCs…but have some sharper radius curves somewhere on industrial spurs used only and a switcher and one or two 40 and 50 foot freight cars. The sharp spurs will add variety and make your mainline curves look broader by comparison.
Just my two scents worth. And to show how little my two scents are worth, I might mention that if you are speaking of more than one radius, shouldn’t the plural be “radii.”
I agree with jrbernier regarding the 22" radius and have been using KATO UniTrack on my shelf layout and of course at 7’ off the floor you can’t see the loco clothe slining across the track. All my locos seem to run fine other than a BLI 2-10-4 and I believe that is caused by the center or 3rd driver.
I’ve run a set of AHM passenger cars (6) with no problems once I corrected the diaphram hanging on one of the cars but did have to go to the Long Shaft McHenry coupler since I added the diaphrams.
Again, mayh sure all track joints are level.
Mr. Acela, not radiusess, say Radii.
jimmy
I’ll second the suggestion of the GP40-2’s. The GP38’s and GP15’s are similar and run the same.
They’ll look great on 22 inch curves.
Coincidentally, I’m installing sound in an Atlas GP40-2 this weekend
22 inch radius would be the bare minimum for that type of equipment. In my experience, a minimum of 30 inch radius would be required for trouble free operation.
Rich
Better yet, create easements.
Rich