steam and diesel locomotive that can go around a 18 radius turn?
Thanks for any help.
Can is one thing. Look good is another.
I know Big Boys can do 18s, and I’m not sure about diesels.
My Dash 8 40CW goes around 18" curves fine but it doesn’t look good. You would run into more problems on smaller turnouts like #4’s or snap switches with larger locos than you would on 18" curves. If your stuck with 18’s,try and stay with shorter 8 wheel desiels and shorter steam. Maybe 0 8 0’s or 2 6 2’s.
I’m running a 6-axle Proto 1000 RS-3 and a 4-6-4 BLI Hudson on 18-inch curves. Sure, I think they’d look good on bigger curves, but then, they wouldn’t be on my layout. I’m willing to make that tradeoff to get them on my tracks. (FYI, the long-term plan is to dual-era the layout, so you won’t see these two at the same time.)
You’ll note that I put the manufacturers’ names in the description. Although the general rule of “4-axle diesels and short steam” works pretty well, there will be differences between the same model built by different companies.
The PCM Big boy is suposed to go around those curves. That is one large and heavy engine.
Magnus
Lillen, I’ve seen one doing those curves… they look HORRIBLE!! (When going around the curves, other than that they’re sepctacular)
Kobi, Can’t you try to find a different spot for you’re layout, in another room or moving it around, because 4’x6’ isn’t enough…
It seems almost anything can fit around most curves, of course a lot of it is going to go fluing off at any kind of speed. The leader of course is O-27 scale which is tighter than HO curves but built so everything can negotiate it. And of course it doesn’t look too good.
BLI Class J 4-8-4 is a pretty long steamer at 9" and my will take a 18" turn. Same with my PK2 E-6’s and E-7, they are 12 wheel drive and 9.5" long. All so my SPD-40 will handel them as well. Only larger engine I have that will not take the 18" are my FP-45’s. Seems the trucks hit the ladders in the tight turn.
Cuda Ken
The big issue is not if the engine will get around the curve, but will it also pull a train aroundthe curve without pulling the cars off the track. I was talking with a KATO rep at a train show. He told me about a guy wanting to take legal action because his N scale Kato SD90MAC would not go around his Unitrack curves without derailing the cars! I guess he figured that the biggest engine should go around the sharpest curve since the engine and track were made by the same manufacturer.
Jim
I have a P2K E8 that won’t go around a 18" radius curve alone. Don’t even think about putting a train behind it. I my SD9 however will go around these, but it really doesn’t look all that good.
Legal action? Puh-leeze! Its up to individuals to decide what goes on their layout. As I said earlier most stuff will fit on these curves but ther’s no guarantee of the cars staying on, especially at speed.
Depends on how athearn or who ever makes it designs it , will depends on how sharp of a curve it will take.
Your OP never said what scale. What if he’s talking about something other then HO? Like, say, G scale? Doesn’t that change things a bit?
Just a thought…
Yeah I know. I have one of those but I use 30+ curves. But I have tried it on 18" and as you say, it’s horrible to look at.
Magnus
I think 18" radius pretty much gives “what scale” away. The smallest G scale I found was 4’.