Point radius?

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pandsrowe
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Point radius?

Post by pandsrowe » Fri Aug 16, 2019 10:04 am

With all the discussions that have been taking place recently on track gauges and the like, it has brought to my attention that a lot of people refer to radii as R1, R2 etc. Excuse my ignorance but can anyone tell me what these radii actually are?
Phil

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Re: Point radius?

Post by GTB » Fri Aug 16, 2019 11:29 am

pandsrowe wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2019 10:04 am With all the discussions that have been taking place recently on track gauges and the like, it has brought to my attention that a lot of people refer to radii as R1, R2 etc. Excuse my ignorance but can anyone tell me what these radii actually are?
The use of R1, R2, R3 and R5 to describe the curvature of set track originated with LGB and is now used by other G scale manufacturers to describe their set track curves. To confuse english speakers, the catalog quotes the diameter of the curves in mm, which is quoted as centre to centre and also outer rail to outer rail for some reason.......

https://www.lgb.com/fileadmin/media/lgb ... m-Info.pdf

R1 is a radius of 600mm
R2 is a radius of 780mm
R3 is a radius of 1195mm
R5 is a radius of 2320mm

For the non-metricated they are roughly equivalent to 2’, 2’6”, 4’ and 7’6” radius curves.

I own exactly four pieces of LGB track. Two double straights and two R3 curves, that I use on the workbench to test that new models will negotiate a minimum 4’ radius reverse curve, which is my design standard.

Regards,
Graeme

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idlemarvel
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Re: Point radius?

Post by idlemarvel » Fri Aug 16, 2019 12:42 pm

Graeme is correct as far as LGB is concerned, however other manufacturers of code 332 track use the same names for different radii.
R1 tends to be universal (600mm) but for example PIKO R3 is 922mm not 1195mm. The other manufacturers (Train-Line 45, Aristo-Craft, there may be others) have their own differences. Someone on gscalecentral attempted to produce a table of all these set track curves, I'll see if I can find a link.
Dave Miller
currently building the 5" gauge Circle Line

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Re: Point radius?

Post by DonW » Fri Aug 16, 2019 1:08 pm

THe Peco G scale turnout is advertised as medium radius 1219mm

Don

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Re: Point radius?

Post by FWLR » Sat Aug 17, 2019 8:33 am

Point and radius have been a bug bare of mine since I started building layouts in N Gauge and it hasn't improved with 16mm..... :lol:

Since generally most people use Peco track, I know there are others. I have just been on Peco's website and this is what their information is on their points..

Medium...

https://peco-uk.com/collections/sm-32-3 ... 4231325730

Small...

https://peco-uk.com/collections/sm-32-3 ... 4231325730

Has they only provide information on R1 and R2 curves, this is all you will find on the site.

R1...

https://peco-uk.com/collections/sm-32-3 ... 5690868770

R2...

https://peco-uk.com/collections/sm-32-3 ... 4231325730

This is of course ready made track, I wouldn't have the foggiest on where to get and buy other radius points and curves. There is of course Flexitrack, but that's a different art in its self. It is for me anyway.... :lol: :lol: :lol:

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Re: Point radius?

Post by FWLR » Sat Aug 17, 2019 8:47 am

Sorry, I didn't do 45mm. So here are the links.

Small radius point....Their description is not correct, but you will soon realise that it's the smaller radius....

https://peco-uk.com/products/turnout-me ... 4231325730

This is the Medium...

https://peco-uk.com/products/turnout-me ... 5750932514

They only do one curve.... :scratch:

https://peco-uk.com/products/standard-c ... 5745361954

One thing though and it's has I thought, there is a vast difference in price for 45mm, compared to 32mm. I also know it's on Peco's own website, but I assume there is a difference where ever you buy from.

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pandsrowe
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Re: Point radius?

Post by pandsrowe » Tue Aug 20, 2019 8:05 am

Apologies for the delay in responding but thanks to you all for the explanations. I think from my perspective I will continue to describe radii as "x", there seems to be too many variables in using the "Rx" system.
Phil

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