Also, the Walther’s catalog lists Shinohara sectional items at 36-inch and 34-inch radius. But they are code 100 only I recall.
What I’m going to do is go with big wide curves. I’ve got all the space I can use The big engine is not necessarily the focus of the layout, but I’m definitly going to maximize the space I have and give it plenty of track to run with. I’ ve got enough room for most any radius curve necessary, However, I’ve also got a great deal of 18" and 22" radius track for nice curves for the smaller engines (along with running wherever the Challenger can go…I set-up a test track (large oval) and the Challenger will run the 22" curves without a hassle, HOWEVER, as I’ve been advised by several of you—I might not like the way it looks—and you are correct. Much of the enjoyment of model trains is the appearence. I am going to use much wider curves. Not only will it look better, but i won’t have to worry about clipping the scenery on the side of the curved track. A big engine looks awkward and cumbersome in curves that are too small for it, even if the engine can make the curve. I had never even thought of that until I started reading in this forum. It never hurts to get advice from folks who have “been there and done that.”…At this point, I’m going to cut the table down the middle, have two 14ft long by 3.5ft wide pieces. I will very likely add another table onto this. I’ll add extentsions to the ends in-order to have wide curves. The era will me early 40’s to the early 50’s…Next I"m going to put cut the original table in-half and then start putting down some track…Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving,. God Bless and thanks for all the comments.
Atlas makes 24" curves in code 83, should be coming out in code 100 soon. Shinohara makes curved pieces in larger radii, if you can find them. Otherwise, you’ll need to use flextrack. Flextrack will also allow for easements into the turns, instead of going from straight track right into the fixed-radius turn.
I strongly encourage you to get to know how to lay flextrack. It isn’t very hard, but there are things to do to make it look and work well when you power it up. I agree that eased curves work best, especially if you are constrained by circumstances (space, design, confluence of the two) to tighter curves. Wider curves don’t really need the easements on our models, although if you do generate them, they look great!
We could talk you through laying some flextrack if you wish.
-Crandell
If you’re an old wargamer, then laying flextrack is no challenge at all–it is pretty easy, especially compared to handlaying track. I will join the choir in encouraging you to look into an around-the-room layout rather than a tabletop layout. If you want broad curves, your curves can be broader in a table that can be theoretically the size of the entire room. Trains also look better from the inside of the curve than the outside. If you’re a wargamer you may have experienced the devastating casualties that can affect troops near the table edge when reaching in to move a unit near the center of a large table–imagine that happening to your prized locomotive or intricately detailed scenery. Another advantage of shelf layouts is that they are easy to reach into–my preferences is for shelves no more than 1-2 feet deep. I use very sharp curves (12-15" in HO) but my preference is for tiny switching locomotives and electrics that are at home in such territory…but they still look good from the inside of the curve. Just no “Big Boy” operation on my layout!
If you have an existing table, use it to experiment and try out things you like…just don’t get stuck to that table. Do some track planning, see what you like, and you’ll adapt. If you used to paint 25mm minis you already have the skills–I went from modeling HO trains as a kid to 25mm/28mm/15mm minis as a teen and college student, then after a decade or so got back into trains.
this all sounds real good— but laying out a track design first has been recommended multiple times.
also dont forget track bedding, and or sound barrior (like homasote) . these are also great for securing the track onto because of the soft material . .
just further thoughts … good luck