Minumum Radius , Inside frame 4-4-0

[brasshat98]

Will the On30 Bachmann Spectrum inside frame 4-4-0 operate on code 83 15 inch radius curves?

[Skarloey Railway]

Probably not, and even if it does it will look ridiculous doing it.

There is no single "right" radius. It depends on the equipment you plan to run, what type of layout you are building and how much space you have. And most importantly, what you like the look of.

The recommended by Bachmann minimum radius for most Bachmann On30 stuff is 18 inches, but a few, e.g. the 2-8-0 and the 2-4-4 Forney have recommended minimums of 22 inches. However some people report successful running with less than the recommended minimum. The Porters and Davenports will run well on quite tight curves. Some models of large Colorado etc. prototypes by other manufactures require minimums of 26 inches or so.

Type of layout? narrow gauge "main line" (e.g. major Colorado narrow gauge routes), small "backwoods" operations, industrial (e.g. mining or logging), or something else? For main line type operations many people would say the largest you have space for - even in narrow gauge most real life lines had curves that scale to larger than most modellers use. On the other hand some "backwoods" and industrial lines did have very tight curves, so the minimum for your equipment can look good.


http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php?action=printpage;topic=12428.0

If you want 15" radius use the shay, heisler or any or the Porters. They were designed for lightly laid track with sharp curves.

[brasshat98]

Thanks!

[hminky]

The small 4-4-0 has no problem on a 15" radius.

Harold

[railtwister]

There's a difference between a loco running on a given radius curve, and operating on it. The loco in question might run on such a sharp curve, but likely wouldn't operate on it due to the amount of front overhang on curves. The Forneys have similar overhang issues on curves as well.

Bill in FtL

[hminky]

The small 4-4-0 has no problem on a 15" radius.

Harold

I have one, I have a 15" radius:



Engineer Bill agrees, "Yup,  you gotta walk the walk, not talk some talk."

Best On30 locomotive made, bar none.

Harold

[BIG BEAR]

Hey Guys,

   I have a couple of these Beautiful little engines and they do just fine around the one 15" Curve on my layout without looking ridiculous or stupid.
   I must agree with the ever wise Harold "Best On30 locomotive made, bar none."
P.s. Thanks for the Pic Harold and all you do for this forum and gauge of the Hobby.

Enjoy,
  Barry

[Skarloey Railway]

I just don't understand how people can praise the loco as a great model and then run it on toy-train-set curves.

[hminky]

I just don't understand how people can praise the loco as a great model and then run it on toy-train-set curves.

You just don't know anything about real narrow gauge do you?

That is what narrow gauge is really about, sharp curves, lightly built right of way, etc. just like model railroads.

http://books.google.com/books?id=nJUpAAAAYAAJ&dq=narrow%20gauge&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q&f=true

Harold

[charon]

Dear Mr. Scarloey,
Please stay on your side of the big pond.
Thank you.
Charon

[Skarloey Railway]

I just don't understand how people can praise the loco as a great model and then run it on toy-train-set curves.

You just don't know anything about real narrow gauge do you?

That is what narrow gauge is really about, sharp curves, lightly built right of way, etc. just like model railroads.

http://books.google.com/books?id=nJUpAAAAYAAJ&dq=narrow%20gauge&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q&f=true

Harold

Actually, I know a good deal about narrow gauge. A 15" radius curve in 1:48 scale is more severe than anything found even on the Uintah. The severest curve on the Uintah was 66 degrees which scales at 88' radius. At 1:48 88' radius = 1'10" or thereabouts. Therefore this 15" radius is much more severe than even the severest curve on a railroad notorious for its severe curves.

I get that in a model compromises are necessary, but often people are trying to squeeze the maximum amount of track into the smallest area and it ends up looking like a train set.

Incidentally, sharpest curved on the Mt Gretna Railway whose 4-4-0s are the prototype for Bachmann's model were 120' radius. (http://www.steamlocomotive.com/american/?page=mg) which at 1:48 scale is roughly 2'6"

[Skarloey Railway]

Dear Mr. Scarloey,
Please stay on your side of the big pond.
Thank you.
Charon

Too late.
June 82 Landed at Colorado Springs, took the Pike's Peak Cog next morning, slept on some guy's floor, next day headed south by Big Red, saw the old mixed gauge tracks at Alamosa(?) then onto Durango. Rode the train, then hitch-hiked south and east toward Chama. Night fell, camped overnight in a park in Dulce, hitched with an Indian family into Chama but missed the one and only departure by twenty-minutes. Hung out in Chama for three days staying with a guy who worked on the RR in his and his wife's cabin in the hills, rode the train all the way to Antonito and hitch-hiked back. Then onto Silverton for three days, rode the train again and walked some of the old railroad grades north of Silverton, then  hitched to Montrose and saw the Black Canyon, hitched to Grand Junction and rode the RG Zephyr to Denver, Big Red in the night out of Denver to Silver Plume and spent the night on a seat in a passenger cars on the Georgetown Loop. Next day rode the train (No Devil's Gate back then) then hitched north for three days at Granby near the Rocky Mt Nat Park, then hitched to Denver and flight home.

That was when I was young.
So, already been your side of the pond