I’m trying to decide what minimum radius I’m going to use so I have a question for you all. What’s the minimum radius you use on your HO layout and why?
Anything under 24" you should consider a layout based in a early-mid 1900’s theme with smaller switchers and short cars. I have gotten away with 22, 24 and 26" - You can hear those double-stacks grinding around those curves.
I’m using 22" on my layout.
Only becasue 24" wouldn’t fit inoto the space I have.
I haven’t had a problem with any of the stack cars or Walthers 85’ passenger cars even at speed.
Gordon
I’ve got one 18" that I put in before I really new what I was doing, but I think that it will be ok, I don’t plan on any cars over 60’ and nothing but four axle diesels.
bill
I personally perfer 30"
24", want 26", and there is a spot where it is 22", but we can’t help that…
I would prefer 24 or larger, but space limitations mandate 22 for my HO scale layout. I’m modeling the 1940’s early 50’s Erie, and the steam locos I’m intending to use will handle 22" radius curves just fine. 22" curves look tight on an unseniced layout, but once scenry is in, they don’t look that bad. Optical illusions ya know!!! Merry Christmas, Ken
30", more reliable running, plus it was what was in the plan I used from a book “101 track plans” It does look better on you larger locomotives, at the bogies aren’t hanging out the sides.
Does On30 count?? Mine is about 12". Why? Cause it’s real prototypical on a logging line.
Your minimum radius should depend on your era and your equipment and how realistic you want everything to look. Obviously the farther back in history you go, the shorter the equipment, the shorter the equipment the better it looks on a small radius. You can pretty much say the average frieght car length was 40 foot or smaller 1955 and earlier. Around 1955 car lengths started getting longer and longer to where today’s standard is 60 foot. These cars need wider curves to look right.
All this being said… if you don’t care how your cars look going around a corner or how far apart you have to have you passenger cars then just find the biggest engine or car you plan to have on the railroad, see what the manufactor’s suggested minimum radius is and go from there.
As for industrial sidings, 18" would be ok but just remember to limit what kind of engines you take in there. Real railroads often do not allow 6 axles to switch industries becuase of curves and track conditions.
I used to have 18 on just my HO before I did N. Pretty much like everyone said it can take 4 axle diesels and 4 axle freight cars with nothing over 60’. Even then with the one long box car I had there was some pretty ugly overhang.
Most of my curves on my layout are 18" radius, restricted by the room size my layout squeezes into. There is one curve that is 15" radius, but only the smallest of locos with fixed axles negotiates it. The Genesis Challenger goes around 18" curves but looks hideous, and anything over 60’ cars doesn’t manage any of the curves. Two 65’ gondolas came to greif on their first outing - they’re now restricted to MRclub running nights only.
Ian
My two mains are 28 and 33. In the industrial sidings I’m down to 12 on some turns, limiting that area switching to small B-B swtichers (ie. 44 oe 70 ton GE’s, or and S-2.
On Mainline track I think the tightest curve I have is around 20". Luckily that area is double track so the other side of the curve is around 24". Most are 24" or larger. Now the logging operation is a different story. It goes down to 15" on one curve or less, but that is prototypical in logging roads. All new curves will be no less than 24" radius.
I have a lot of 18" but I am only running 1800’s steam.
The biggest factor is really room size and the shape of the layout you are planning. If you need to loop around in 4 feet, then you’re kind of stuck with 22-inch curves, allowing a little room on the edges. I personally have 18-inch curves, because my space is limited. I’m modelling the 60’s, so 40-foot cars are fine, with a few “long” cars of 50 feet. The big passenger cars have non-prototypical truck-mounted couplers, but it’s really the only solution given the space requirements. My 6-axle RS-3 handles the curves with ease.
Mine isnt built yet but I am doing 34" minimum
I really wanted to do 48" but I just dont have the room
Mine is 30" on an around the room layout. Most of my radii are 36" or bigger. I also use easements in and out of the turns. You can get by with tighter curves and most equipment will handle it but full length passenger cars and large locos don’t look good on tight curves. A 4X8 layout mandates a max of 22" but if you are going around the room, the bigger the better. I think there is nothing that looks better than a string of full sized passenger trains on a sweeping curve of 36" or more.
I strongly recommend you get John Armstrong’s classic, Track Planning for Realistic Operation if you don’t already have it. It has long been considered the bible of track planning. It is must reading for anyone designing a large layout. In it he discusses standards and also the use of squares. He explains it a lot better than I could.
22". If I had had access to larger radii, they would have been larger. My next radii will be 30" as a strong preference, but I may go as low as 26" to shoehorn the ends together.
Electro, try hard for a 24" minimum, and then you can run some big steam with impunity, like the 2-10-4’s.
-Crandell
30" min, except on one passing siding that drops down to 28… The reason is clearance… If I had more space and could have larger aisles with it, I would have a larger radius as a minimum…
Jeff