Engines ?

[treasures]

Looking for a heavy loco that will run on 48 radius in dc mode with sound, Need to be able to pull 20 cars
Thanks

[Doneldon]

treas-

You can run any locomotive you want on 48" radius track, even huge older brass steamers. But I wonder of you really have 48" radius track, or at least if you have it everywhere.

Forty-eight inch radius curves on a mainline are outstanding but turnouts and crossovers would be so long as to be prohibitive for even large club layouts. So I wonder ... do you have 48" radius everywhere or just on your broadest curves? And, do you have 48" radius or diameter? Radius is measured from the center of a curve to the track center; diameter is the full width of the track from centerline to opposite centerline. I don't mean to be insulting with these questions but 48" radius is so large as to be extremely rare. And what will run on your tracks is limited by the tightest radius, not the largest. Even enormous club layouts with slick looking broad curves have far shorter radii in urban areas, yards and other accessory tracks.

So please measure your curves, including the tightest ones, and we'll be netter able to help you here. I apologize if I have offended you but that 48" just can't be your ruling (tightest) curvature.

                                                                                                                                                                                               -- D

[treasures]

Your right I was thinking about my O gauge which the smallest is 48 and the largest 96 diameter,  The HO gauge is 34" .  I have a spectrum steam 0-6-4 that will not run on it  without removing the front 4. But it is to light for what I am pulling.  I have an old Hershey's (Bachman) with engine  number 1993 that runs fine and pulled 20 cars for years, at 8  per week that needs a new motor now. Wanted to get a few more heavy engines that would pull the load, with sound.  Their is only 4 curves in the layout and no turnouts as this is just to show the size in our store. I am a Lionel O gauge guy (and dealer) and HO is just a second thought to me. Know next to nothing about it.  Have some NZ up on a standalone rail just to show the difference in gauges.   Just looking for a good HO engine that is dependable and as the 1993 was a great engine for a ready to run set, I am going to stick to Bachman.

[Doneldon]

treas-

I'm not familiar with a Bachmann 0-6-4, but I would think that anything less than truly big old brass steam
would make it around 34" HO curves with no other curves or turnouts. Try a ten-coupled loco like a decapod
or Santa Fe or go huge with a 12- or 16-driver articulated. Or go more prototypical. Get yourself a heavy
Mike, weight it to the max and watch it drag 20 freight cars up any hill you have. Above all, have fun.
                                                                                                                                                      -- D

[ebtnut]

May I suggest that someone is confusing radius and diameter?  Issues with 24" RADIUS curves and smaller will definitily cause issues with big engines and those with 4-wheel pilot trucks.

[Doneldon]

May I suggest that someone is confusing radius and diameter?  Issues with 24" RADIUS curves and smaller will definitily cause issues with big engines and those with 4-wheel pilot trucks.

nut-

I suspected the same thing which is why I explained the difference but the OP's most recent post makes it clear that he understands the difference.

                                                                                                                                                                             -- D

[jward]

from my experience, most diesels will pull at least 20 cars on level track. and if they don't add another one. diesels usually run in multiple.

[rbryce1]

May I suggest that someone is confusing radius and diameter?  Issues with 24" RADIUS curves and smaller will definitily cause issues with big engines and those with 4-wheel pilot trucks.

Doesn't Bachmann only recommend needing a 22" radius track for their largest steam engine, the Big Boy Steam Engine (2-8-8-4)?

[ryeguyisme]

Doesn't Bachmann only recommend needing a 22" radius track for their largest steam engine, the Big Boy Steam Engine (2-8-8-4)?

The yellowstone type you mean, 22 inches is the recommended minimum, although I cannot say it would operate the nicest on that, or look good doing so. I had an AHM 2-8-8-2 which is a tad smaller from the yellowstone that could do 18 inch radius curves and it really looked strange doing it...

Then again I am in the market for a 2-8-8-2 USRA or Y3 that can do 18, but I only need it to do 22".

[ebtnut]

With the Bachmann EM-1 2-8-8-4 both engines pivot, which cuts down on the overhang problem and allows it to use 22 inch curves.  I once had an Akane brass EM-1 where only the front engine pivoted (as per prototype) and you needed about about 3 1/2" track center spacing on curves to clear the front overhang.  I think the Akane would do 22" curves, but it certainly didn't look good doing it. 

[Doneldon]

ebt-

I have the same Akane Yellowstone. It taught me a lot about the difference between the ability to stay on the track through sharp curves and the ability to look like an actual train while doing so. There's a BIG difference. Many of today's locos will even get around 18" curves -- I think the Athearn Challenger is one -- but look like what comes out of a northbound horse going south while doing so.
                   -- D