I just made a test loop on my modules making ONE 12 inch radius. I bought a redbird set a few years ago, its all DC, I doubt I will DCCize it, as I am doing Chicago railroads, including CTA, North Shore.
The redbirds took the 12 inch just fine, even coupled up. It might even take sharper radius, but I doubt it would go as far as 6 inch, maybe 10 inch.
I am making decisions how to build my “L” so the test track I needed. I may yet work a sharper radius into it for testing.
For CTA I feel its being left out, tho I’m happy the NY subway is being popularly modeled with models, CTA has still been left high and dry, there used to be an MTS kit, but now theres only brass support, expensive, but the above link shows promise, by all means if your interested in CTA, hit those guys.
They already made a few series so now they have a reserved price setup for unmade models but might make them, theirr current versions look outstanding and use the Bowser trolley power truck, which is a superb power truck.
Just got my maroon R17’s today. They look great. Nice running too. But I need to add DCC decoders. (I presume I will need one for each car to make the lights work properly?). I am also considering a sound system. The QSI Revolution is the only one with electric sound although it’s a GG1. Any suggestions or warnings? Thanks.
I have yet to install a decoder. As a matter of fact i don’t even have a power supply yet. I have been focusing on building my bridges for the elevated track. I do like the idea of a sound decoder. If anyone has luck with that please let me know. http://www.millersvillerr.blogspot.com/ Tell me what you think. Thanks
The lighting on the R17s is done with a single light at each end and those silly plastic “light pipes.” As such, it is very dim. The cars have white headlights only, no red tail lights. (These are painted on.) Down in the dark tunnels, you can see the headlights, but above ground in the daytime they wouldn’t be noticed.
I have a small video camera mounted in the front car of one of my subways. The power unit is at the back of the train, and it usually runs in “push” mode. I added extra LEDs to the camera car, because I needed the light for the camera. They are 5mm whites, and are un-prototypically large, but I had to make the sacrifice for the video.
You could equip the front car with brighter white LEDs and the back car with small red ones. I put small red LEDs in the back of one of my trolleys (a Bowser PCC) and I like the effect a lot.
The Digitrax traction sound project is for trolleys. I installed it in my Bachmann Peter Witt. It sounds nice, but the volume from the downloadable Digitrax decoders is disappointing. It’s about right for a home layout in a quiet room, but that’s cranked up full, and I would like a little more sound for when it’s got to compete with other engines, even idling ones. The bell and whistle are OK, but the running sounds are almost inaudible. For a subway, you would want to get a PR3 programmer unit and change a number of the sounds.
Somewhere on my long-range to-do list is a static sound system for brake squeal. I would install detectors at each end of the station, and then have a brake squeal sound play from speakers at each end when the train crosses the detectors. This would be automatic, so I wouldn’t have to “play” the sound manually the way I would with on-board sound.
Actually I was referring to the directional headlights which obviously won’t work without a decoder. On the other hand the middle 2 cars will not need headlights. Maybe I could wire the tail car headlights to run from the head car (powered) decoder. Just need a few mini connectors to run a “train line” through the cars and connect the last car headlights. I’m also thinking about using Sergent scale couplers, since it’s not likely that I’ll be doing any switching.