Porter Minimum Radius

[tomgschilling]

Can anyone tell me what the minimum turn radius of the new 0-4-2 Porter is?  Thanks.                   ....Tom

[Dusten Barefoot]

I don't think there is a min radi for the porters. Them little buggers can go just about anywhere, around anything. I may be wrong though.....most likely I am haha.

Rock On!
Dusten

[dutchbuilder]

I removed the restriction pin on the chassis near the back wheel of my old edition porter , and it will do a 15cm radius without any problems.

[DWU]

Try this,I took an old peice of HO flex track and just kept bending it into a tighter circle,I also removed the limit pin,I didnt take measurements but it was a really tight circle and the Porter just chugged along,made me goofy watching it go,no maybe that was the beverage!

[tomgschilling]

Thanks, Guys.  That's what I'm talking bout.                ....Tom

[NarrowMinded]

Here's a 0-4-2 un-modified running around a 11 inch radius, this runs everyday under my glass coffee table and never has an issue. (in case you noticed and were worried about the engineer, there is now a trestle bridge  in place)

The second is a 0-4-2 running on my Christmas layout with 5-1/2 inch radius, I had to bend the trailing truck tabs inward slightly, any tighter radius and it causes some issues, with the stock coupler length due to tail swing.

the inside track on the Christmas layout is 3-1/2 inch radius which I have run a 0-4-0 on without problems but normally it is just a 0n30 Christmas trolley that does the route.


NM-Jeff

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

So, it's safe to conclude from the preceding posts that the Porter 0-4-0 will run on a 15"-radius EZ-track curve?

[NarrowMinded]

Yep Jeff it will run on 15" radius like it is going down a straight track.

NM-Jeff

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

Yep Jeff it will run on 15" radius like it is going down a straight track.

NM-Jeff

Thanks! I'm looking at a couple of them now. I'm finding them cute little things! 

[NarrowMinded]

They are cute, their down fall is grades, they can barley get themselves up anything over 2%

NM-Jeff

[Anubis]

Hi there Jeff,

Not trying to take anything away from your previous statement, but I have four Porters, and they all manage the 4.5% grades on my DC layout with ease.

Mind you, they are the Old Generation (Non DCC, non sound) so that may be the difference.

I have no way of knowing how the newer ones will run, as I don't have the funds to outlay on one of them.


John

[NarrowMinded]

Hi Anubis,
How many cars are you pulling up that 4.5%?
Did you add any weight?
All the porters I own are the Original DC.

NM-Jeff

Maybe I just have some slippery footed porters.

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

Maybe I just have some slippery footed porters.

Maybe the engine crew needs to sand the rails on those grades. 

I bought an "analog" Porter yesterday (OK, I won it in an eBay auction). It will be running on an oval of track on a flat table surface, so grades won't be an issue for me.

[railtwister]

The newer Bachmann Porters are heavier than the earlier run units, so they should be able to pull more cars. Real 1:1 Porters weren't able to pull many cars up a grade either, especially if those cars were heavily loaded.

Bill in FL

[Anubis]

How many cars are you pulling up that 4.5%?
Did you add any weight?
All the porters I own are the Original DC.

Hi Jeff,

Usually, I run two or three 'loaded' Peco slate wagons. They are not very heavy, as the 'load' is cast from 'milky bar' resin. The wagons are from white metal.

Porters are the best!!!



John