Minimum radius for full length Walther's Budd passenger cars?

[mikebalcos]

I'd like to know what the minimum curve track radius for Walther's full length streamlined Budd cars. I have one (but only one) that my parents got me from a sale. They turn fine on 18" radius when pulled by an Athearn F7A. Would there be an issue if I make a 3 or 4 car passenger train?

 

[nachoman]

do the couplers pivot with the trucks? If they do, they will be able to go around much sharper radii than those with body-mounted couplers. I have seen IHC full-length cars go around 18", and they work, but look weird. And, you need greater clearances around curves because the ends overhang. Diaphragms petween the cars simply won't work.

Around 24", the cars still look weird going around a curve, but not as weird as on 18". They will probably operate fine around 24", It's just that they may not look right. Diaphragms again may not work well.

I've always figured I would need 30" minimum radius if I wanted to run full-length streamlined passenger cars and have them look okay. If you just want yours to run, they may work on 18" with a little modification.

Kevin

 

[mikebalcos]

Yup, I don't plan to have diaphragms. But I overlooked the overhang. My clearances are a little tight in some spots. I think I should check it with my single full length Walther's coach.

 

[Russ Bellinis]

The other issue that you may encounter is that 2 of the Walthers cars may not like the tight radius. Your f-7 is a very short unit, so it may couple to one Walthers car and go around the tight radius easily; but a second full length car may be a problem. I don't know how to find out without buying a second car to try. My local hobby shop has a large set of tables in the center of the train dept. with circles of n-scale, ho scale, Lionel o-27, and LGB track where locomotives and cars can be test run. I'm not sure how many other hobby shops have that capability.