Bachmann On30 Shay

What is the safe minimum radius these can run on without derailings?

-- The Conductor Digital Railroader LLC snipped-for-privacy@wi.rr.com

Reply to
Digital Railroader
Loading thread data ...

My guess is that there are differing opinions because there are fractional differences in length of the external drive shafts.

The prototypes often ran on very tight radii, possibly even tighter than a scale 15".

Regards, Greg.P.

Reply to
Gregory Procter

We have an 18-20" curve that goes into a return loop, and it always seems to derail at the narrowest point of the curve.

We modified the trucks by removing the front brake beams in order to install On3 couplers, but trucks do not seem to rub the coupler boxes when it derails...

The Conductor Digital Railroader LLC snipped-for-privacy@wi.rr.com

Reply to
Digital Railroader

The one at Roaring Camp in Felton, CA runs around a ~75 foot radius, which'd be about 18.75" in O, or 10.34" in HO. I have no reason to believe that it's at its limits.

- ken

Reply to
Ken Rose

I've only played with three samples - they all ran fine until the inner and outer shafts separated while on the outside of the curve. That fault is relatively obvious because the shafts separate and hang down. A possibility is that your external shaft, if it's on the inside of the curve, could be shortened to its limit and thereby stopping the truck from turning enough.

Greg.P.

Reply to
Gregory Procter

The model should be able to do at least as well, but it's minimum seems to be around 14-15" with the shafts on the outside of the curve. I never thought to check them the other way around!

Reply to
Gregory Procter

Thanks for the suggestion, but I really hate to do something like this if it only applies to my layout. I'm sure other modelers would use larger radius curves, and I'm getting back into HO scale now and may want to sell this loco...

Reply to
Digital Railroader

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.