Smaller engines


M

Marlin39

Well-Known Member
Since we're discussing the "why are they", I'm just going to continue my Boomer "yelling at the clouds" rant... 😁

Why are companies like BLI, Scale Trains, etc producing these giant locomotives that need a minimum 22" radius? How many of us have a basement or a FULL room for a layout? How many are planning on buying that giant BLI 4 truck shay or Big Boy, to actually run on their layout and not sit on a shelf? Don't get me wrong they all produce beautiful engines, but I want stuff that I can actually run.

Rapido, although expensive because they're a Canadian import, Walthers, Bowser, etc have or are producing smaller 4 axle engines that can operate on 15" radius. Yes, BLI did do an NW2/SW7, Plymouth Switcher and a SW1200, but those were apparently all one and done.

Ok, done yelling at the clouds.;)
 
Marlin39 said:
Since we're discussing the "why are they", I'm just going to continue my Boomer "yelling at the clouds" rant... 😁

Why are companies like BLI, Scale Trains, etc producing these giant locomotives that need a minimum 22" radius? How many of us have a basement or a FULL room for a layout? How many are planning on buying that giant BLI 4 truck shay or Big Boy, to actually run on their layout and not sit on a shelf? Don't get me wrong they all produce beautiful engines, but I want stuff that I can actually run.

Rapido, although expensive because they're a Canadian import, Walthers, Bowser, etc have or are producing smaller 4 axle engines that can operate on 15" radius. Yes, BLI did do an NW2/SW7, Plymouth Switcher and a SW1200, but those were apparently all one and done.

Ok, done yelling at the clouds.;)
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For every one of us that wants a smaller engine, there are ten that want the biggest, baddest engine on the rails. Then, they get it, bring it home, or have it shipped to them, and they find out it won't make it around the curves on their 4x8 Plywood Pacific.

This is so far away from what was originally asked, we should probably start a separate thread about it, and leave this one alone.
 
Marlin39 said:
Why are companies like BLI, Scale Trains, etc producing these giant locomotives that need a minimum 22" radius?
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Probably a couple of reasons:

Some of the smaller locos were already done by manufactures already, (I know not all have been done or some are outdated tooling and not up to today's standards) but bringing a newly tooled loco to market is a time consuming and expensive gamble.

And the biggest reason: They sell very well!
 
Marlin, Rapido isn’t just expensive because it’s an import, it’s Uber pricey here in the great white north as well!
Nice looking locos, just wish they ran better.
I’m lucky enough to have 30” radius curves but prefer to run smaller locos anyway.
 
Rico said:
Marlin, Rapido isn’t just expensive because it’s an import, it’s Uber pricey here in the great white north as well!
Nice looking locos, just wish they ran better.
I’m lucky enough to have 30” radius curves but prefer to run smaller locos anyway.
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The 2 Rapido's I have run flawlessly. Luck I guess. On the other hand I have had to send BLI products back for warranty work. One was sent twice, but in fairness to them they made it right and turnaround was fast.
 
Marlin39 said:
The 2 Rapido's I have run flawlessly. Luck I guess. On the other hand I have had to send BLI products back for warranty work. One was sent twice, but in fairness to them they made it right and turnaround was fast.
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Rapido no longer sell North American Locos in the UK, I'd like one at least.
There are no OO scale as yet either, everything is pre-order with no idea when any will arrive
 
Marlin39 said:
Since we're discussing the "why are they", I'm just going to continue my Boomer "yelling at the clouds" rant... 😁

Why are companies like BLI, Scale Trains, etc producing these giant locomotives that need a minimum 22" radius? How many of us have a basement or a FULL room for a layout? How many are planning on buying that giant BLI 4 truck shay or Big Boy, to actually run on their layout and not sit on a shelf? Don't get me wrong they all produce beautiful engines, but I want stuff that I can actually run.

Rapido, although expensive because they're a Canadian import, Walthers, Bowser, etc have or are producing smaller 4 axle engines that can operate on 15" radius. Yes, BLI did do an NW2/SW7, Plymouth Switcher and a SW1200, but those were apparently all one and done.

Ok, done yelling at the clouds.;)
Click to expand...
I have no problem with companies producing giant articulated locomotives and other massive behemoths that need fairly large minimum radius curves in order to be able to run them.
I just don't buy them. No problem. :)👍

(And I have a whole 1,500+ sqr. ft. basement darned near all to myself, my trains, and my layouts with their super-generous curves! :p;))
 
I'm fairly new at this but Loco mfg sites seem to mention 18" minimum radius and my plans are to have tighter curves in staging area. Can the majority of everyday locos handle 15" even tho the mfg recommends 18" minimums? I'll be using a 4 x 8 HO layout so wasn't planning on any 6 axle diesels or steam-era power units.
 
Toolbelt said:
I'm fairly new at this but Loco mfg sites seem to mention 18" minimum radius and my plans are to have tighter curves in staging area. Can the majority of everyday locos handle 15" even tho the mfg recommends 18" minimums? I'll be using a 4 x 8 HO layout so wasn't planning on any 6 axle diesels or steam-era power units.
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Actully it is the opposite. If the say 18, It really runs better on wider radius. There are a hand full of locos that can run on tighter than 18 radius.
 
NVSrr1500 said:
If the say 18, It really runs better on wider radius.
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Yes I assumed that, but you're also saying that running any random loco on 15" is a No Go, or will it work but just not smoothly? I was looking at the MP15AC which is a fairly short 4 axle switcher, but I guess the length of the attached freight cars might influence performance as well.
 
I use small 4 axle engines (44 tonner, SW7, SW1200, NW2, etc) and a maximum freight car length of 40', without any issues on 15" radius.
 
Marlin39 said:
I use small 4 axle engines (44 tonner, SW7, SW1200, NW2, etc) and a maximum freight car length of 40', without any issues on 15" radius.
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Ok, so it's important to select the proper engine and car length when using 15" radius, but 18" or greater can be handled by most off-the-shelf locos/cars with a few exceptions then?
 
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