track radius

[valley10]

Hi everyone
Iam new to model railway,I am going to run a Bachmann class 37,a class 47 .I have been told that I will have to use a 3rd radius track too run these trains, is this true or can I use 1st,2nd, radius track aswell.Help would be most greatfully accepted.Any other information about track and loco's would also help with other classes that I could run alongside 37,47.

                      Regards
                       Cookie

[rogertra]

Hi everyone
Iam new to model railway,I am going to run a Bachmann class 37,a class 47 .I have been told that I will have to use a 3rd radius track too run these trains, is this true or can I use 1st,2nd, radius track aswell.Help would be most greatfully accepted.Any other information about track and loco's would also help with other classes that I could run alongside 37,47.

                     Regards
                      Cookie

Most North Americans, including this transplanted Brit, have no idea what 1st, 2nd or 3rd radius track means.  We go by radius - in inches.  

Yes, I could Google the UK's radius terminology but I don't feel like it.  

Ditto, most of us also have no idea what a class 37 or 47 is, though if it was a steam class, I for one could tell you.

Unfortunately for you Brits, this is a North American centred board and I do not think there is a Bachmann UK equivalent

I would suggest you look at UK Yahoo Groups group as there are lots the specialise in UK model railway.  I'm sure you'd get lots of help with one of those.

I'm sorry I can't offer any suggestions as the Yahoo Groups I belong to are either scale model groups, who do not use set track, or prototype groups.

Cheers

Roger T.

[Joe Satnik]

Dear All,

Some British track radii I see in the AnyRail.com HO/OO track libraries are:

371 mm (14.61") 1st radius

438 mm (17.24") 2nd radius

505 mm (19.88") 3rd radius

572 mm (22.52") Fairly certain this is 4th radius.

Class 47 example:

http://www.bachmann.co.uk/image_box.php?image=images1/branchline/31-656DC.jpg&cat_no=31-656DC&info=0&width=650&height=220

Class 37 example:

http://www.bachmann.co.uk/image_box.php?image=images1/branchline/32-370.jpg&cat_no=32-370&info=0&width=650&height=237

Cookie,

Looking at the long length of these locos and their 3 axle trucks, I'd say the larger the radius the better...

I noticed that the Bachmann Branchline on-line catalog did not list minimum radius...

Perhaps you could contact them and ask them to add that info. 

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

[ACY]

I would suggest at least 3rd radius if not 4th due to the length of your locomotives.