Minimum radius thoughts

Peter L · Post by **Peter L** » Mon Dec 03, 2012 4:04 pm

So I've been thinking about how to build my balcony line (tentitivly deemed the High Tower Light Railway). The space I have is about 6x8 feet, ~52 square feet. The middle of the area has to be kept train free.

My plan right now is to hug the edges of the balcony using as tight a radius as I can get. I'm thinking of going with Mamod premade track since it has the tightest radius I can find for premade track - I'm not up to bending my own yet - at ~2'9".

This is very tight and I'm wondering about what I can run on the line. Certainly most 4 wheel battery locos (like the IP plate simplex I'm building) but what kinds of live steam could I run? Is anything 6-coupled right out? What about bogie cars?

tom_tom_go · Post by **tom_tom_go** » Mon Dec 03, 2012 4:18 pm

Hi Peter,

Peco do both a 2ft 6" and a 3ft set track curve.

Cheers,

Tom

steamie1 · Post by **steamie1** » Mon Dec 03, 2012 4:23 pm

I have the dreaded 2ft 6 and a lawley went round my roundhouse Charles erm I had to move the wheels of my accucraft 2 wheel coaches to 100mm and check out the back to back gauge..Tom rolt the pony truck was moved forward. Most small locos go round just slow a little. Check out how they slow.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rwX6ioJqK8

MDLR · Post by **MDLR** » Mon Dec 03, 2012 4:33 pm

You could look at this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Coffret-FA ... 19d7182753 which is from France - faller e-train track can generally be found on eBay in Germany. It IS smaller than 2' 6" and will take small steam locos - Mamods and Regners come to mind.

sstjc · Post by **sstjc** » Mon Dec 03, 2012 5:16 pm

Or this one nearer to home for Peter

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... SS:GB:1123

steamie1 · Post by **steamie1** » Mon Dec 03, 2012 5:26 pm

on my garden railway two of the bens are easy in. In other words the bend gets tighter as it goes. These work and I still wish for less. Steam likes an even work load.Peco 2ft 6 is still a pain so go as big as you can for live steam

Peter L · Post by **Peter L** » Mon Dec 03, 2012 8:11 pm

MDLR:77398 wrote:You could look at this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Coffret-FA ... 19d7182753 which is from France - faller e-train track can generally be found on eBay in Germany. It IS smaller than 2' 6" and will take small steam locos - Mamods and Regners come to mind.

Are the Fallers 32mm? Do you guys think a Mortimer would be able to tackle that tight a curve?

steamie1 · Post by **steamie1** » Mon Dec 03, 2012 8:24 pm

2ft 6 yes for Mortimer. The latest has bigger cylinders and is better than the old version

MDLR · Post by **MDLR** » Mon Dec 03, 2012 8:36 pm

Peter L:77403 wrote:Are the Fallers 32mm?

Yes...............

Do you guys think a Mortimer would be able to tackle that tight a curve?

Possibly not - my new Andel Avonside goes around, but looks slightly ridiculous!

laurence703 · Post by **laurence703** » Mon Dec 03, 2012 9:44 pm

I've had a lady anne go round my mamod track without any problems whatsoever but some of my slightly longer wheelbase IP coaches go round but they don't like it!

Gremlin · Post by **Gremlin** » Mon Dec 03, 2012 11:06 pm

I've got 2'6" and run the Accucraft 040's just fine, Leader likes it and Lady Anne is fine too. Regner Vincent & Willi don't notice it but Superior wont go round.

Dr. Bond of the DVLR · Post by **Dr. Bond of the DVLR** » Mon Dec 03, 2012 11:44 pm

I've got very tight corner which my roundhouse millie doesn't like. Millies have quite large wheelbases. Everything else is fine though!

Andrew · Post by **Andrew** » Tue Dec 04, 2012 4:09 pm

Hello!

I admire anyone who's so determined to build a garden line! 6 x 8's pretty small - is there any scope for just a little more width? That way you could use the new Peco 38" curves for the "mainline", with a passing loop using their tighter curves at one end, because you're going to struggle to get one along the length, although you could run a siding off the loop. Guess you'd need 6'8"-ish to use the bigger curves to allow for clearances.

Otherwise, you could use Mamod track as you suggest, perhaps with removeable sidings in the centre to meet the requirement to keep the middle clear.

I had Mamod track into and through the station of my old line and that worked OK - my RH Bertie would slow as it rounded the bend, and as Gremlin said, my Regner didn't mind at all. Personally I think I'd be inclined to go down the Regner route for this line. They'll run beautifully slowly to make the run seem longer and are very controllable.

Good luck with your line,

Andrew.

Peter L · Post by **Peter L** » Tue Dec 04, 2012 5:55 pm

Andrew:77444 wrote:Hello!

I admire anyone who's so determined to build a garden line! 6 x 8's pretty small - is there any scope for just a little more width? That way you could use the new Peco 38" curves for the "mainline", with a passing loop using their tighter curves at one end, because you're going to struggle to get one along the length, although you could run a siding off the loop. Guess you'd need 6'8"-ish to use the bigger curves to allow for clearances.

Otherwise, you could use Mamod track as you suggest, perhaps with removeable sidings in the centre to meet the requirement to keep the middle clear.

I had Mamod track into and through the station of my old line and that worked OK - my RH Bertie would slow as it rounded the bend, and as Gremlin said, my Regner didn't mind at all. Personally I think I'd be inclined to go down the Regner route for this line. They'll run beautifully slowly to make the run seem longer and are very controllable.

Good luck with your line,

Andrew.

It's not so easy to go outside my 6x8 area seeing as we are on the 15th floor of the building!

I've got plenty of time to think about how to do this - the earliest I'd be building the line would be in the spring.[/list]

Catweasel · Post by **Catweasel** » Tue Dec 04, 2012 6:42 pm

http://carendt.us/microplans/index.html
Hi there, Are you aware of this web site? Should give you some ideas.

Peter L · Post by **Peter L** » Tue Dec 04, 2012 6:54 pm

Catweasel:77449 wrote:http://carendt.us/microplans/index.html
Hi there, Are you aware of this web site? Should give you some ideas.

I am very aware of Carl's site. He was an internet friend of mine before his passing. I've been building little layouts for a while - it's why I feel confident in tackling such a large gauge in such a small area.

Gremlin · Post by **Gremlin** » Tue Dec 04, 2012 7:30 pm

After looking at the proposed site I'd go with a Regner as a steam loco. I could just see a mad Mamod leaping through the railings. Steam locos aren't well suited for flight

Andrew · Post by **Andrew** » Tue Dec 04, 2012 8:19 pm

Wow, what a site! That's extreme garden railwaying... Open days are going to be fun...

See what you mean about the difficulty of busting out of 8x6...

And yep, I definitely reckon a Regner's the way to go if you want a steam engine.

Sidings etc are going to be very tricky, but a Konrad or Vincent would look very at home in a rustic shed on a short spur in one corner...

Good luck with it, looking forward to seeing progress...

Andrew.

MDLR · Post by **MDLR** » Tue Dec 04, 2012 8:23 pm

Having seen the picture, I would strongly suggest you set the track at least a foot below the top of the railings - you wouldn't want to lose anything "overboard" because there wouldn't be much left of it by the time it'd hit the ground!

Peter L · Post by **Peter L** » Tue Dec 04, 2012 8:26 pm

I intend to line the lower ~foot of the balcony with something solid (massonite?) to prevent overboard situations - it's 170 feet straight down!

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