trailrider
Well-Known Member
Regardless of how you create the curves, they must be of consistant curvature throughout the bend. I personally prefer sectional track for anything tighter than 24-inches. The other thing is that you should use flex track at the beginning and end of each curve in a transition.
So far as what locos and rolling stock to use, I will grant that the longer (and most of the modern locos are longer) equipment will have a tougher time of negotiating tight radius curves and turnouts. As I model the '50's and '60's era, I only have one diesel that needs to take the tight curves. It appears to do it okay. With earlier six-axle diesels, most of which are older Athearn products, I removed the wheels from the center axles, but left the axles and gears within the truck sets. You can't really tell unless you get right down to track level and have a light behind the engine. Similarly, I have kitbashed 2-10-2's, 2-10-4's and a 4-8-2 that negotiate 18-inch radius curves and #4 turnouts with ease. These were made from Mantua/Tycho 2-8-2's. A 4-8-4 was kitbashed from Mantua Pacific 4-6-2's. The trick is to use blind drivers (which came with the original kits or r-t-r locos) on all but the end drivers. You also need to shim the end axle bushings between the frame and the bushings with a .015" shim, and shim under the blind driver axles, between the axles and the cover plate with the same thickness shim. The connecting rods are jointed at each wheel, so they will compensate for the difference in the height of the drivers. What this does is lift the blind drivers off the rails so they don't catch on the outside rail coming out of the curve. Lead and trailing trucks may need to be modified and/or the inside of cylinders, frame, etc, may need to be cut away slightly to allow the trucks enough movement.
The other thing is to compromise on some of your equipment length. While I have no trouble running full-length 85-foot passenger cars, I make considerable use of 72-foot Athearn and Con-Cor "shorties", and stick pretty much to 40-50 ft. freight cars. The shorter cars take up much less room, so in a train, I can get the illusion of running farther.
Green board all the way!
So far as what locos and rolling stock to use, I will grant that the longer (and most of the modern locos are longer) equipment will have a tougher time of negotiating tight radius curves and turnouts. As I model the '50's and '60's era, I only have one diesel that needs to take the tight curves. It appears to do it okay. With earlier six-axle diesels, most of which are older Athearn products, I removed the wheels from the center axles, but left the axles and gears within the truck sets. You can't really tell unless you get right down to track level and have a light behind the engine. Similarly, I have kitbashed 2-10-2's, 2-10-4's and a 4-8-2 that negotiate 18-inch radius curves and #4 turnouts with ease. These were made from Mantua/Tycho 2-8-2's. A 4-8-4 was kitbashed from Mantua Pacific 4-6-2's. The trick is to use blind drivers (which came with the original kits or r-t-r locos) on all but the end drivers. You also need to shim the end axle bushings between the frame and the bushings with a .015" shim, and shim under the blind driver axles, between the axles and the cover plate with the same thickness shim. The connecting rods are jointed at each wheel, so they will compensate for the difference in the height of the drivers. What this does is lift the blind drivers off the rails so they don't catch on the outside rail coming out of the curve. Lead and trailing trucks may need to be modified and/or the inside of cylinders, frame, etc, may need to be cut away slightly to allow the trucks enough movement.
The other thing is to compromise on some of your equipment length. While I have no trouble running full-length 85-foot passenger cars, I make considerable use of 72-foot Athearn and Con-Cor "shorties", and stick pretty much to 40-50 ft. freight cars. The shorter cars take up much less room, so in a train, I can get the illusion of running farther.
Green board all the way!
