Radii

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philipy
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Re: Radii

Post by philipy » Tue Jan 08, 2019 3:14 pm

Chris, going back to your original query about a curved bridge, I'm not sure that is a good first project, it gives very little room for any error. However, the other point about using settrack curves, of whatever radius, is that you will get better running if you lead in with transition curves, and to do that you would need to use flexible track, so you may as well use it all the way through.
There was recently a fairly lengthy discussion about the need for a rail bender, with various views on the subject. It would be worth taking a look.
https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... ail+bender
Philip

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IrishPeter
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Re: Radii

Post by IrishPeter » Tue Jan 08, 2019 3:33 pm

From Calthrop 'Light Railway Construction'

2' gauge minimum radius open country 150'
In sidings and in difficult country 60'

(So about 8' and 3'1.5" respectively in 16mm)

The 60 foot minimum radius comes from the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, and their longest vehicles are a couple of 32' flat wagons. Where I tend to hit trouble with tight bends is with the coupling geometry. Accucraft Norwegian chopper coupling are relatively long, and can be a pain on tight bends when headstock mounted, so with tight bends I tend to go with some sort of buffer and chain, or bumper and chain arrangement so that the couplings have the maximum amount of yaw.

Peter in VA
Traffic Pattern? What pattern? Spuds out; grain in, but cattle, sheep and passengers are a lot less predictable.

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BorisSpencer
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Re: Radii

Post by BorisSpencer » Tue Jan 08, 2019 3:57 pm

I still stand by the general rule of keep your radii as wide as you can manage.

But to put this into context, on my indoor test track I have a couple of sections of 14" radius curves, albeit by necessity rather than choice.
All my four wheel battery locos negotiate these sections successfully and so far I've tested my Mamod Brunel. I thought I may need to lengthen the coupling chains but all my 4-wheel stock copes well with no binding of the hook and chain centre buffers.
Take a look at the work of Jon Rogers (Pig Sty Hill) and Brian Dominic (google "Slugs Crossing") for inspiration.

This hopefully gives you plenty of scope for creating that shunting puzzle in an otherwise unusable corner.

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Andrew
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Re: Radii

Post by Andrew » Tue Jan 08, 2019 6:13 pm

I'm a flexible track and rail bender kind of chap myself, but a tip I've picked up from set track users is to create a similar effect to a transition curve by using a larger radius curve at each end of a tighter bend. Haven't tried it, but it makes sense...

You definitely need to get outside and play in the garden if you can - compromise in the great outdoors has got to be better than a sprawling empire in a dusty loft...

Good luck with it,

Andrew

PS Rather concerned about this dubious connection between my Russell and your wife!!!'

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Re: Radii

Post by SpudUk » Tue Jan 08, 2019 10:35 pm

Sorry Andrew, had forgotten that was your Russell!

I've done proper measurements of the garden so I'll try and do a scale drawing and see what I can make fit, then run it my the good lady for authorisation
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tom_tom_go
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Re: Radii

Post by tom_tom_go » Tue Jan 08, 2019 11:07 pm

Rather than drawing it by hand you can use the AnyRail software I mentioned very easy to use honest!

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Re: Radii

Post by SpudUk » Wed Jan 09, 2019 7:54 am

tom_tom_go wrote: Tue Jan 08, 2019 11:07 pm Rather than drawing it by hand you can use the AnyRail software I mentioned very easy to use honest!
The difficulty is my only Windows laptop is my work one, and I'm not sure they'd be completely happy with me installing it. I use Mac otherwise which I don't think AnyRail support
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Re: Radii

Post by Dasher » Wed Jan 09, 2019 8:52 pm

You are correct, there is no Mac support and this stopped me using it. I could have had a go, as I have a Mac with Bootcamp running in a partitioned part of the drive and Windows XP sitting on it, but I pulled out pencil and paper instead.

If you want to have a go then the Bootcamp route (together with something like Windows 7) should work. I had mine running for one particular piece of software (a Nikon Scanner Driver) but that was at least 10 years ago. It worked fine though.

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