Radius info

J

joe b

New Member
Aug 28, 2005
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I am planning a coffee table layout and would like to know how small of a radius some of you have ran.? I don't have much room for turns. It will be in 'N' scale and running 0-4-0s or 4-4-0s With cars of on more then 40' Thanks Much
Joe B
 
You won't find many 0-4-0's in N-scale, but you can get 4-4-0's. Minimum 'normal' track radius is 9 3/4 inches, and just about everything will work on that except the extremely long stuff. Down to about 7 inches you'll be absolutely fine with most smaller stuff. Below that is possible, but you'll want to check with the actual engines you plan to use. I've seen 5.5" and apparently some have successfully used less. Try it and see before you glue it down! Many smaller engines have deliberately under-gauge wheelsets which will allow you to cheat on your curves, but may make tight switches a problem...

Charles

P.S. of course it will look bonkers, but I'm supposing you're not so worried about that :)
 
Thanks Charles and will'
This is what I needed to know, Some of my turns will have to be 7", but will be in the woods .Ha Ha.My Layout will be mid 1800 so small will work.
Thanks Much
God Bless

Joe B
 
It's amazing how small you can go when you try... I've just been bending some track... The Kato chassis (B-B trucks) will go down to 2.75" radius quite happily, but jumps off at about 2.6" radius because the trucks won't pivot enough. Presumably the two-axled version would go smaller still. At that size, you can do a double-track loop with a single piece of flextrack :-) I'm referring to track centre radius there...

It might be time for another silly track planning session...

Charles
 
For reference the Bachmann 0-6-0 Switcher works fine on a 6" radius. Same holds true for a Bachmann F7 and LifeLike SW8. I have also ran a Rivarossi 4-6-2 Pacific on the 6" radius with no problems.

More information and picutres of the layout I am working on in this thread post - http://the-gauge.com/showpost.php?p=158258&postcount=12

I have run the 0-6-0 with 6 - 33' hoppers + caboose behind it for over an hour straight with no derailments or problems. I have been doing endurance testing on it because it is being built as a display to fit in a glass case at the shop I work at and could be left running un attended for hours at a time. Trying to keep the total layout under $300 in retail cost. At this point it is under $100 and is a working layout minus landscaping.

I have more recent pics in my camera but need to unload them. I am starting to rough in the landscaping this weekend.
 
I believe the siding that runs around the outside ended up at a 4% grade. The little 0-6-0 with traction tires can manage 3 Atlas Fishbelly Hoppers backing up the grade. It can handle 5 Micro Trains 2 bay hoppers since they are considerably lighter than the Atlas cars. Some of the other engines that can manage the curve can only take 2 of the atlas cars up the grade but considering each leg of the siding can only hold 2 cars, that is fine. I haven't tried enough cars to bog down the F7 yet.

The total elevation change is 2.5"
 
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