Large radius HO prefab/sectional curve track?

[PRR8259]

In HO the superelevated track is available in individual SINGLE TRACK sections.

[Overmod]

PRR8259

With the Kato track, the nominally 31"+ radius can also be purchased in superelevated sections, with or without concrete ties.

Here is an example of what he's talking about; this is the somewhat extreme example of an integrated double-track section of Unitrack CT in N scale (not to advocate any particular source for purchase):

http://www.hobbylinc.com/kato-ct-double-track-superelevated-curve-n-scale-nickel-silver-model-train-track-20181

it is available in HO but I couldn't find a good example quickly as an illustration.

I have always been prone to appreciate superelevated appearance, usually too much, so this is a welcome thing for people who want to rely on the Unitrack  sort of snap track.

[PRR8259]

Rio Grande--

With the Kato track, the nominally 31"+ radius can also be purchased in superelevated sections, complete with easement sections to transition from flat no cross slope up into superelevated, also with or without concrete ties.  It's awesome and I did use it on recent alterations to my layout!  I even have some of the superelevated concrete tie track leftover that I don't need, including extra transition pieces.  I might be willing to send it to you if you want to check it out (most is new still on the card).

Unfortunately, the 34"+ Kato radius, which comes in 10-degree sections (to match the turnouts) does not yet come in superelevated track--and YES, I DID use as many of the 10-degree sections as needed to place that radius outside the superelevated inner curves.

One thing you must NOT do:  To fix my layout, to allow bigger steam power, I do actually have a short 34"+ radius reverse curve (with no tangent at all between the curves).  The gorgeous Tangent 86' Autoparts boxcars have limited coupler swing, and the sway at this curve is enough to make the following (2nd) car lurch and derail if the speed is much at all.  The solution is to put any other car in between.  However, the NYC 86' car has extended draft gear and is pickier about what it is coupled to.

The Intermountain and Atlas Autoracks have plenty of lateral coupler motion, and they work very well when coupled to the Tangent 86' hi cube autoparts boxcars.

You CANNOT back up the Intermountain racks without the corner ladders hitting each other on a curve at 31" or lesser radius.  The force is just enough to break the ladders loose from the carbody at the bottom (the tab is easily reglued).  My solution was to intermix Atlas autoracks with the Intermountain ones--then there is enough distance between cars and enough lateral coupler motion that they will not hit each other.

John Mock

[Overmod]

I swear I had at least three complete circles of 35" nominal, by one of the famous makers although darned if I remember who ... probably EZ-track; it was used for putting HO trains around the living room (to go with the 0-84 or whatever Lionel FasTrack curves of the bigger trains.)  This came in relatively long sections, as I recall, but it still took a bunch of them to make a circle.  As I recall they used a kind of lock-on terminal arrangement with a half-life about equivalent to technetium-99m.

I would note that there are Tracksetta gauges (as seen in the Peco how-to videos) in 30" (white) and 35" (green) which greatly simplify 'centerless' curve laying and track fixing.  They also come in larger radio up to 48" and 60", and they implicitly let you do 'default' transition "spirals" at the ends when working with flex track, as described in other threads here on transition-spiral approximation that works at HO scale.  That, rather than sectional, is the approach I would use if I were laying a reliable curve of low to mid 30s radius.

[SeeYou190]

Is it OK to ask what you are using them for?

I use Kato Unitrack for my hidden trackage, and I love it.

-Kevin

[RR_Mel]

Not finding any would you consider making them with flex track?  You could make a template/roadbed from thin material such as bulletin board.  Attach the ties to the sections with caulk or glue.

I use thick poster board from a craft store for such purposes.  I bought a 36”x 48”x1/16” sheet of black on one side and white on the other side for my scratch building projects.  I think I bought it at Michael’s.


Mel



 
My Model Railroad   
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

[SeeYou190]

Shinohara used to make them in code 100, but they are probably impossible to find now.

The Kato 34 inch ten degree curve matches their #6 turnout to bring the diverging track back to parallel.

Kato makes a ~31 inch curve in 22.5 degree sections. It will still take 16 pieces to make a circle. This might be the best you can do right now.

-Kevin

[rrebell]

True Scale used to make them but even the person who owned them originally and made them told me perrsonally about his track "they are garbage". Of course I am sure he was talking about compaired to stuff that came out later and that was a long time ago.

[riogrande5761]

I may need some large radius (as close to 34"R as possible) curved sectional track.

I am not real familiar with the sectional track world but am wondering what is available in HO.  Who makes curved sectional track that is ~34 inches radius?  It can have a base or not.

I do see Kato Uni track makes a 34 1/8th radius curve, but it's a 10 degree piece and it would take a lot to make a circle - maybe 36 pieces?  So I'm looking for bigger sections of curved sectional track if possible.