Being limited to tight space for my railroad, I have had to install a few 15" radius turns and I was wondering if anyone could tell me a good Steam Locomotive that would operate on the 15" radius turns.
I would think an old Mantua 0-4-0 would run OK. About anything without leading or trailing trucks would be OK especially if you can find them with the center driver(s) blind.
Hello All,
On my HO pike I have asymmetrical curves made from 15- and 18-inch sectional track- -half the curve is one radii while the other half is the other radii.
For my "Olde Tyme" excursion train I run a USRA 0-6-0 with a Vanderbilt tender. This loco pulls a combi car, a low sided gondola with seating, two passenger cars and a bobber caboose. The cars are 48-feet and the gon is 30-feet.
This train not only negotiates the 15-inch curves but also passes through an unavoidable S curve in the trackwork.
I also have a 3% grade made with 18- and 22-inch radii sectional track. A 0-4-0 Side Tank Porter is used as a helper up this grade.
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
In the prototypeworld. Such sharp curves do exist. Look up philadelphia pa. Canal street. Reading RR used to run 0-4-0(one still exists at strasburg rr. 1123). Pulling 40 and 50 foot cars on curves that can almost be described as 90 degree right angles more than a curve. In a series of reverse s curves to boot. Just for refference of real world senerios. Early diesels like box cabs and industrial type existed as early as the late 1920's. And would quickly find a home there. Just in case you cannt find a steam engine that cannt negotiates tje track you have
0-4-0. 0-4-0t. And the 6 wheel counter part where found in such tight radious senerios
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel
An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space
I have run a Bachmann 4-4-0 on 15" Atlas track - the 1900's version which I think is not currently being produced, but is probably available used.
Paul
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As stated above, the 0-6-0 is your safe bet. A later Bachmann is probably the best option. Try to avoid early Bachmann "train set" quality models.
Have fun!
-Kevin
Living the dream.
NVSRREarly diesels like box cabs and industrial type existed as early as the late 1920's.
I also have several box cabs and they do run well on the tight curves of my pike.
Two of these box cabs are the track cleaner variant.
I have converted all of them from DC to DCC without much trouble.
The only problem with the ones I own is that the original gearing is SO low that they aren't practical for more than maybe one or two cars, and the 3% grade is definitely out of the question.
There was an article on the NMRA website about rebuilding these box cabs with the Northwest Shortline Stanton Drives with a DCC upgrade.
This upgrade, which I have not done yet, looks promising.