PCC streetcar on 117 mm?

[Mouse D]

Has anyone ever run an N scale PCC trolley on 117mm radius Unitrack curves?

[James in FL]

Don't own one.
So, I thought I'd go see what the Spook had to say.
http://www.spookshow.net/locolist.php?traction=2&nonbrass=3&sortby=4&Submit=Submit

Unfortunately, he does not comment on curve radius.
My calculator says that 117mm is 4.6 in.
Why so tight?

B'mann says:
Performs best on 11.25" radius curves or greater
from here;
https://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=265_668_387&products_id=2619&zenid=ufjaujk1kvlu0notmjvskjj7o4

[Mouse D]

Thank you. We're in a South Philly rowhome, so space is always an issue. I'm thinking about making a micro layout, so I'm trying to determine just how micro it can feasibly be and work from there.
I've seen someone online using the 150 mm radius track. I suppose I could buy myself some of the 117 mm curve track and satisfy my curiosity that way, but I figured I'd ask if anyone had tried.

[bbmiroku]

What you can do is buy some N-Gauge FlexTrack and see for yourself just how tight of a radius your trains can take reliably.

[Mouse D]

Thanks. I wasn't sure how much flex track flexes, but I might as well go find out.
The boy and I just got started this year, so we've been learning a lot.

[Maletrain]

For a micro layout, the 0-4-0 steam engines are probably the best bet for really tight curve.  The prototypes were designed to do switching in tight street areas in Baltimore.  The real locomotives could run on curves that scale as small as 5½" in N scale.  These are Saddle tank engines, with no tenders.  There were tenders made for 2 of them, and their saddle tanks were removed, making an 0-4-0 "Little Joe" switcher with a slope-backed tender.

The model Docksider has very limited electrical contact with the rails, so track work, especially switches, need to be done well to avoid, or at least minimize stalls.  The Little Joe version with the tender can have electrical pick-up through the tender wheels as well as the locomotive wheels.  I don't think Bachmann makes a "Little Joe" version; their closest thing is their similar-looking 0-6-0 with a slope-back tender.  Some modelers have converted other manufacturers 0-4-0 "Little Joe" switchers to use the slope-back tenders that Bachmann used to sell separately (not the ones that come with their train set 0-6-0s).  Those "Spectrum" tenders have all-wheel pick-up and can really improve performance.  Bachmann has stopped selling tenders separately, but they can still be found at some on-line hobby shops and on eBay.

[spookshow]

I'm not sure about the Bachmann PCC streetcar, but I've been told that their (newer and better) Peter Witt car can handle curves as sharp as 4.75" radius.



-Mark

[plas man]

are Bachmann still fitting crap gears that split - to their trams/street cars ?

Bachmann (UK) still fit them to the old Graham Farish (UK) locos now made in China by Bachmann as did Graham Farish of old .

[spookshow]

The old white plastic (nylon?) gears that were prone to shrinking and cracking were jettisoned back in the early 2000s. They have black plastic gears now.

-Mark

[Mouse D]

Oh, thank you. We're really into the PTC trolley, since here in Philly we actually see them still running on Girard Ave (and I think they used to run by our house back in the day).