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Minimum Radius - Early Rail

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  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: California - moved to North Carolina 2018
  • 4,422 posts
Posted by DSchmitt on Saturday, March 23, 2019 7:45 AM

Years ago I built and scenicked an oval for the DeWitt Clinton in 2.0 ft x 3.0 ft.  

It ran fine and looked good 

I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.

I don't have a leg to stand on.

A90
  • Member since
    July 2018
  • 4 posts
Posted by A90 on Wednesday, March 20, 2019 7:53 PM

Thanks all, aiming for the widest radius possible, of course. Space restictions (using flex track) but if they are rather poor runners in Ho, my hopes are not too high in N.

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Wednesday, March 20, 2019 9:20 AM

A90
say 6 - 10 inch radius?

I didn't think that tight of a radius was availiable.  I don't think it would work, maybe if each car had only 2 axles, might have a chance.

Why do you want something that small?  Space?  Go down a couple of scales, or even to N scale.

The young kid gives a nice review, except as all You Tubers do, to much useless info, I don't need to see it in the box, how it's packed, or how to remove it from the box, how he bought it, where he bought it, what it's value is, etc., etc.

Put the loco on the tracks and run it, hook up the cars and run it.  That's all I need to see.  I don't make it through to many "how-to" or "review" videos.

Mike.

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Mpls/St.Paul
  • 13,892 posts
Posted by wjstix on Wednesday, March 20, 2019 9:11 AM

You might be able to go a little tighter - a couple of companies make HO track down to about 14" radius for example - but I doubt you could do much tighter than that. If nothing else, you might have trouble with keeping the cars coupled at streetcar/lightrail type curves.

Stix
  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Wednesday, March 20, 2019 9:04 AM

I don't think it would look good on radii that small

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

A90
  • Member since
    July 2018
  • 4 posts
Minimum Radius - Early Rail
Posted by A90 on Tuesday, March 19, 2019 6:44 PM

Just wondering, what would be the minimum radius for an HO Bachmann John Bull or DeWitt Clinton set? Apparently it can handle 18in and 15in radii (being from such an early era and size), but would it be possible to handle something even smaller, say 6 - 10 inch radius?

 

Thanks

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