turn radius

[dassps]

Hello  I have a HO Niagara 4-8-4 w/smoke HD Light & Tender-Steam Locomotive model No. 11306. I was wondering if anyone knows the shortest turn radius it requires ie. 15, 18, 22, 24 deg turns.Please can someone help as I can not find any information on this engine as it was a gift and the paperwork has been misplaced.

Thank you

[ABC]

22 inch radius is the safest bet, the bigger the better

[dassps]

Thank you very much for the help

[TrainArts]

In my opinion, while the locomotive *might* run on tighter radius, what's also important is the stress it puts on the cars coupled to it.

For example, I have an explorer set where the locomotive can run on 18" curves.

But the three very long passenger cars that came with it have great difficulty on these curves and really need to run on 22" or bigger radius.

Make sure you're not stressing out the couplers, over time they will wear out. If you don't have tiny hands it's not easy to repair HO scale trains.

Hope that helps.

[lilman316]

I have a UP 4-8-4 and it runs ok on 18' if I run half throttle. If you run 22' curves you won't have much problem, and is also more reliable for pulling without couplers coming loose.  I run e-z track,and use 22' and 18' curves in the same turn to make it seem more realistic and i've had no issues. on 18' the driver trucks seem to derail at high speeds.

[ABC]

The NYC Niagra has a longer tender than the UP Overland though, so that is like comparing apples to oranges, and therefore does not dictate how his Niagra will run on 18". But at least now, we know how the UP will run on 18s.

[TrainArts]

Good point, at the same time I was just making a "for example" general point that even if it appears to run on the tight curves over time it may wear out the couplers. This issue with the UP is the length of the passenger cars and the way the couplers are body-mounted but turn with the trucks.

But in general, if something derails at high speeds on tight curves, over time it will wear out the drivers.

Just like a real railroad, the Virginia and Truckee, with a 2-8-0 running around one 22 degree curve. They have to use flange oilers to make it work, and the track gauge is set extra wide in that curve.

Too bad there's no flange oilers for model railroads