Bachmann Colorado Rail full dome

[JNXT 7707]

Hello folks, been away for awhile.

Does anyone here own one of the new 89' Colorado Rail full domes? Was wondering about it being able to negotiate smaller than 22R curves. Bachmann recommends a 22R minimum, but wondering if that could be pushed to 18R?

And just curious, does it use the same coupler mechanism as the old full dome, that turned with the trucks?

Thanks in advance 

[HoModeler]

I would stay with bachmannn's suggestion of 22R turns I would not go any lower.

[JNXT 7707]

I would stay with bachmannn's suggestion of 22R turns I would not go any lower.

Thanks...

I assume they would look odd or "Lionel-like" on anything less than 22, just wondered if it was possible. I have some Walthers cars that they suggest not be run on anything under 24, but they will.

[richiy]

Searched for a while but have not found anything except someone in the model railroader forums asked the same question and it was suggested to give it a try with some extra track. Make up a test track. Part of model railroading.
I remember years ago having issues with S curves on a layout.

richiy

[ACY]

I assume they would look odd or "Lionel-like" on anything less than 22, just wondered if it was possible.

The Bachmann 89' passenger cars will not reliably negotiate 18" radius, and would have a large overhang. On 18" radius expect a derailment or issue almost non-stop.
The only way I can see this working is by making several modifications but at that point you may as well just buy shorter passenger cars or accommodate 22" radius.

[ZeldaTheSwordsman]

I assume they would look odd or "Lionel-like" on anything less than 22, just wondered if it was possible.

The Bachmann 89' passenger cars will not reliably negotiate 18" radius, and would have a large overhang. On 18" radius expect a derailment or issue almost non-stop.
The only way I can see this working is by making several modifications but at that point you may as well just buy shorter passenger cars or accommodate 22" radius.

I don't think it would take that much modification considering that the Budd full-domes (which are only 4' shorter) and the tri-level autoracks can reliably negotiate 18" radius.
That is, if it would take modification at all; your wording implies you don't own one of the cars to test with yourself.

[JNXT 7707]

Searched for a while but have not found anything except someone in the model railroader forums asked the same question and it was suggested to give it a try with some extra track. Make up a test track. Part of model railroading.
I remember years ago having issues with S curves on a layout.

richiy

Yeah, I would if the layout wasn't in a storage container at the moment, along with my extra track....and I owned the car in question.  Being a Bachmann forum I thought there may be a chance someone here had one.

[ACY]

I don't think it would take that much modification considering that the Budd full-domes (which are only 4' shorter) and the tri-level autoracks can reliably negotiate 18" radius.
That is, if it would take modification at all; your wording implies you don't own one of the cars to test with yourself.

I own some 89' Bachmann passenger cars just don't have a layout set up at home at the moment, I have all of my track in storage, and at the local club they don't have anything below about 36" radius except for maybe one industrial siding but even that isn't 18" radius.

Regardless of if you could modify the cars or not, that doesn't make them look any better.
If you only have space for 18" radius, there is plenty of stuff out there that is 50' and shorter that would not look out of place. Typically  model railroads generally try to replicate everything as close as possible to real life but I guess if you feel like running a big boy or challenger on 15" radius with Schnabel transformer cars and articulated cars and all 89'+ cars... well it is your railroad and you can do what you want even if most of us on here think it would look silly.

I theoretically can grab some track from out of storage to test it out but it really isn't worth the trouble in my opinion for the above reasons.

Regardless, OP good luck with your query hopefully you get a more definite response.