steam enginez

[Anonymous]

hello, im finishing up my track work on my 3x4 layout and the whole layout is basically one main line thats a rounded off rectangle, but i find that my 280 consolidation just wont take the turns, there at a 9 3/4 radius but i have to admit the turns are tight, but on my old layout i had the 11 in radius in a complete turn and i had minimal problems, does anyone know why this would happen, or are steam engines just not meant for small layouts, im kinda depressed now considering spent the money on the consolidation, but i guess ill have to stick to diesel power, okay well l will be watchng the topic, hope i can get some help.

[cacole]

Yes, your curves may be too small for a steam engine. Look at the drive wheels on the locomotive. On the HO scale version, all 8 wheels have flanges, and it cannot go around a too tight radius. Since you're talking about N scale, I don't know what the minimum recommended radius for the 2-8-0 is, but in HO it is 18" but the locomotive has difficulty on that tight a curve. If you're using sectional track, check the rail joints and make sure you don't have kinks in the rail or a rail not properly joined.

[ndbprr]

I assume from your name you are in N scale. 9.75" radius equates to 19.5" in HO and should be minimally acceptable. I would check what is happening where the engine derails. Is it always the same spot? You are correct in thinking steam engines need larger radii than diesels because of the long rigid wheelbase. Offhand I suspect your problem might track misallignment allowing it to derail but you need to observe what is happening so you know what might be causing it. Don't know much about N scale but ifyou are using flex track you might have an area that is well below 9.75" causing you problem also in which case you will need to realy that section.

[egmurphy]

I agree with ndbprr that it's likely a track problem.

There are two consolidations in common use in N scale these days, the one by MDC/Roundhouse and the Bachmann Spectrum. The MDC 2-8-0 has blind drivers on the 2nd and 3rd axle (i.e. no flanges on these drivers) so it has no problems going around sharp curves. I'm therefore guessing that you have a Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0.

On the major N scale forums, where there was a lot of discussion about these locos (almost unanimously positive) after they came out, one thing that was universally agreed on was that they would operate on 9-3/4"curves. I have one myself, and have 9-3/4"curves, and the loco seems to get around with no major problems.

However it will be, like almost all N scale steam, very sensitive to any rough trackwork, especially joints. Mine even bounce a lot, and occasionally derail, going through my Atlas switches. I second the suggestion that you recheck all your trackwork very carefully, especially as ndbprr said, at any locations where the loco seems to show repeated problems.

Don't give up on this situation. Your loco and your track are not incompatible.

Regards

Ed