**The problem:**I’m an HO kinda guy, but I’ll be going to college next year, and I won’t be able to fit my 70 sq. ft. layout in a dorm room.
The question: : Can I successfully run an SD40-2 with a freight train on a 2 foot wide board? That would probably leave me with about 11 inches of radius I’d think.
Is Kato the way to go for a good little loco? Or would I be better off with something else. It’ll be covered, so I won’t want something that has much chance of derailing.
Thanks y’all
Greg
Can’t answer the SD-40 but I’ll tell you I was skeptical when I had to go “N” because of space, but no more. Kato or Atlas are both very reliable runners. You can get a lot on 2’ wide/ My current layout is 10’ x 10’ L 24" wide, but a 30" dogbone at the ends for the curves. If you don’t get alot of replies here, go to the Atlas “N” board, great bunch of very active “N” scalers there. Dave
I made the transition from HO to N about 5 years ago. When looking for a particular flavor of locomotive (I model the 1950s), I first look to see if Kato ever made it. Then Atlas. I like Intermountain, too, but their list is fairly brief. SD40T-2s are on that list. I’ve had good luck with those brands, and Kato and IM are both drop-in decoders for DCC conversions. Some Atlas are, some are not. Kato is releasing some new SD40-2s this spring sometime.
Figure a 2’ wide board is roughly the equivalent of a 4’ wide HO layout. It is actually more like 44" in HO. I think you are going to be looking at something around 10" radius, which is very close to 18" in HO. Whether or not the above-mentioned SD-40s would do well on those curves is something I don’t know, and couldn’t find on the Kato or IM sites.
i,ve ran N on 24" width with no problems go for it it@s a great scale to work with.
actually i built a test oval on 18" width and put a gp 30 and 50 around it no probs
If Kato makes the model you are looking for, it’s a good choice. They are very reliable.
You can squeeze 11’ radius in a 2’ wide space, and yes, SD’s will go around 11"radius curves with no problems. You can probably get them around 9-3/4" curves, but the trackwork needs to be almost perfect.
Regards
Ed
Easements will help too.
Bachmann Spectrum makes an SD40 that should negotiate the 9 3/4" radii fine.
I have a 8" radius on my N scale layout[sigh], and I can run a SD-9 without problems. Hope that helps[:)]
You will much better off with one of the new Atlas MP-15’s on such a small RR.
While I do like an SD40-2 and have a couple, I prefer to run GP-38’s to switch my yard and one of the new MP-15’s for my short line.
Never in my 50+ years of model RRing have I ever seen an engine come right out of the box and run as good as these little MP-15’s! And it looks as great as it runs too!
You would be wise to stay as far away as you can from anything from botchman, no matter what radius curves you have.
When you have a small RR to start with, anything you can do to make it look larger will help. And using small cars and engines go a long way to making it look larger than it is.
Good luck,
gtirr
The SD-40 will work with the 11" radius, but you will be better of with a long shank coupler either on the loco or the first car behind. I speak from experience. Atlas 6 axle locos seem to work better on the 11 inch than the Katos. Again just my experience. If you use a 4 axle diesel, you will have no problems at all. Hope this helps.
well i modeled in Ho scale but decidecd 2 switch over 2 N scale. the railroad is in construction right now. I love it!!![:D] my layout is a bit bigger it is a 4x8 with a 36x80 backwards L extension. are SD-40-2s 4 axle?? if they are they should be just fine on 11 radi. Kato and Atlas make nice locos. Athearn has just started coming out with n stuff recently. Not sure on any Proto series locos but i will be getting one for X-Mas (i hope) For Freight cars Micro-trains are like the BLI of n scale. Tim
SD=6 axle
GP=4axle
[:D]
Jeff
Glad to see another N scaler being born…
When I lived in my apartment in town. my layout was only 2 X 3 foot, and I had no problem running GP-40s and alike.
Tracklayer
All GP’s and the smaller SD’s will run fine on 11 in. radius curves.However I don’t know if my SD60’s and 90’s would though.I know my DD40AX does but looks terrible doing so.This is a point to consider…a loco may be able to handle a very tight curve but you may not be pleased by how it looks not to say that your layout will seem much smaller in return.
Greg
Go to the Katousa web site and click on “Unitrack” and follow the links.
They have a number of two foot and smaller layout plans. Also specs on their tightest curves… which they recommend for those modeling with small engines or trolley cars.
Rob
Jeesh…There is nothing wrong with Bachmann. Sure, the quality of their products may be ‘hit or miss’ sometimes, but they have great customer service that will handle any problem you may have. And their Spectrum line is excellent, I have only had one problem with a Spectrum locomotive, and I was sent a whole new one for no charge. And I would think that a Bachmann Spectrum SD40 would be great for a dorm room layout.
yes perfect trackwork, as well as wagons that aren’t too long, with differences being between body and truck mounted couplers! my SD40 did the 11 no trouble, except with the longer cars behind it. Also, don’t put a turnout right after the curve! also, what I found out, you put the SD40 first, then a GP afterward! that way you run 2 locos, and don’t have probs. You’ll run into trouble when you get to AC4400 size though! DD
ps, aren’t we N guys happy when another one 'sees the light!"?(joke of course!)
I’ve always figured N scale is about 60% of HO, so my 14 and 1/2 and 16 inch curves are like 24 and 26 1/4 in HO. That means I can fit double track end curves into a 3 foot wide table, while my HO friends need 5 feet. N also lets the mountain scenery look pretty spectacular. Figure 3/4 of an inch equals 10 N scale feet, so a mountain only one foot high is more than 100 feet tall! Not bad for a small table. The trains look really cool running along cliffs like that. And everybody else is right. Kato and Atlas run really great. You will enjoy N scale even with your 11 inch radius end curves. They look great unless you use long passenger cars. Even 9 and 3/4 inch radius will make freights look fine. After all, it’s a dorm room table, and not a basement empire! Welcome to N scale. You are going to have mooocho fun!
Thanks guys, I’ll have to do some comparing among Atlas and Kato now. I prefer Atlas on my HO layout, but I run a couple Katos too, and there’s nothing to complain about with them. Does anybody make a GP9M in N scale? I just had an idea…
Greg
I think Atlas makes a gp9 in N scale you might want to check the walthers website though www.walthers.com