Does anyone have any experience using the small radius (radii?) curved turnouts by companies like Peco or Roco? If I do what I am planning I'd need something where the outer radius is about 18" or so. I know that could be a recipe for disaster, but 99% of the time the inner track wouldn't be used. It would be more for show. And, no, no long cars or engines would be used. Or should I just skip it completely in favor of more reliable operation?
I'd appreciate your thoughts.
Jim S
18" is fine for smaller stuff.
If it won't be used 99% of the time due to the inner track being just for show, why not eliminate any potential problems with a turnout and use a piece of 18" radius curved track? You can install a dummy point and frog, along with turnout length ties and have the satisfaction of operating over an unbroken section of track, versus a 100% of the time, potential derailment in a turnout you will probably use 1% of the time?
If it must be a turnout, I believe Peco makes some small radius curved turnouts. Unfortunately I have no experience with Peco track.
I have thought of that. Or just running the second track into a tunnel and don't even bother with a dummy turnout. I'm just considering different ways to do it. Thanks!
Jim
One is fascinated by the use curved turnouts in the USA. Here in the UK they are frowned on by being unreliable and most modelers stay well away from them.
Here Peco do not make curved turnouts. Their trackwork and turnouts are classed amongst the best.
I will watch with interest.
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
ctyclsscs Does anyone have any experience using the small radius (radii?) curved turnouts by companies like Peco or Roco? If I do what I am planning I'd need something where the outer radius is about 18" or so. I know that could be a recipe for disaster, but 99% of the time the inner track wouldn't be used. It would be more for show. And, no, no long cars or engines would be used. Or should I just skip it completely in favor of more reliable operation?
Rich
Alton Junction
I probably could, but it wouldn't be worth spending that much time on one small thing that isn't that important.
ctyclsscs I probably could, but it wouldn't be worth spending that much time on one small thing that isn't that important. Jim
I have 5 curved turnouts. All really help to solve cramped space problems.
The two newer ones are Code 83 Walthers-Shinohara and are pretty broad. They work fine with careful installation. The older ones are Code 100 short Pecos, about 18/22 radii. Two of these are in the subway tunnels, so performance is critical. They never fail, but they only are used for the subways and trolleys, no finicky rolling stock. The final one is used to enter an engine house, so again, locomotives only.
The Peco turnouts are powered by Peco switch machines, and the WS turnouts by Tortoises. I have a few other standard Peco turnouts, and I've used those preferentially for derailment-free operation on the curved path.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
richhotrain ctyclsscs I probably could, but it wouldn't be worth spending that much time on one small thing that isn't that important. Jim Yeah, that makes sense. Rich
Yeah, that makes sense.
...would it be worth asking someone else to craft it for you? If you send in a pencil-shadowed overlay of the layout, with rails temporarily in place on the centerlines, you may free yourself and do other more appealing things, but still get your piece of the cake. The person who agrees to build you what you need will become an ally, and the turnout will always be a reminder of the assistance a distant fellow modeler provided to you.
Wow. You make it sound so much cooler than just asking a friend to help. It reminds me of when I built our last display layout about fifteen years ago. A couple of friends who helped me have passed away since then, but I have the layout as a reminder of them.
NorthBrit One is fascinated by the use curved turnouts in the USA. Here in the UK they are frowned on by being unreliable and most modelers stay well away from them. Here Peco do not make curved turnouts. Their trackwork and turnouts are classed amongst the best. David
I'm a bit confused by your comment "Here Peco do not make curved turnouts". Does that mean they only make them and send them to the US? Eh?
As for fascination, I don't think that is a proper characterizatoin. It's not fascination that drives most of us to use curved turnouts, it's more because it helps us fit what we need to in a track plan, such as squeezing the most track capacity in a yard, or staging yard.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
riogrande5761As for fascination, I don't think that is a proper characterizatoin. It's not fascination that drives most of us to use curved turnouts, it's more because it helps us fit what we need to in a track plan, such as squeezing the most track capacity in a yard, or staging yard.
Returning to model railroading after 40 years and taking unconscionable liberties with the SP&S, Northern Pacific and Great Northern roads in the '40s and '50s.
Hello All,
When I needed to add a curved turnout to improve the reliability of the run-up to the 3% grade on my HO pike I modified the turnout to fit the curve.
Pelle Søeborg, in the April 2016 issue of Moder Railroader Magazine; pg. 32, described how to modify turnouts to make a crossover with a slight curve in the track work.
I used a similar method to modify a PECO turnout.
This technique is discussed in the thread DIY Flex Track.
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
riogrande5761 I stand corrected now. Here in the UK the only Company I read that we could buy curved turnouts from was Hornby. The turnouts have a bad reputation and most modelers steer away from them.
Now apparently Peco make curved turnouts and sell them here. I have never seen them on sale. I must see my local model railway store and ask him about them.
Now apparently Peco make curved turnouts and sell them here. I have never seen them on sale. I must see my local model railway store and ask him about them. David
There are two type of HO Peco turnouts. The "set track" curved turnouts have sharp curve radii. Then there are the Streamline curved turnouts in both code 83 and code 100. The code 100 have 60 inch outer and 30 inch inner and the code 83 have 60 inch outer and 36 inch inner radius.
At the bottom of his photo is the code 83 Peco curved:
LastspikemikeI think Peco labels them as #7 which seems right.
Yes, Peco labels the code 83 HO curved as a #7.
LastspikemikeBut third person singular, a bit like the "Royal We", meaning me and all the people I know and some I don't know but surely would think the same as I do I if they just thought about it awhile
And then you have the Geordie's up north (Newcastle England) who refer to themselves as "us" or "we" or actually "wi". Remember how Gollum talks in Lord of the Rings.
I just took out a curved turnout very similar to what you describe, because it led to too many derailments. Turns out the problem was not the inner track, that was fine as I only ran smaller trains there. The problem was with some longer trains staying on the outer track, where the turnout itself created some inbalances causing derailment for RP-25 wheels (but not for the old style wheels). Now I have two separate curved tracks, an inner and outer, and I have not had one derailment since I took it out (at least not there). Instead I have straight turnouts before and after the curve, works much better.