4-8-8-4 Big Boy

[Anonymous]

I have an 4-8-8-4 Big Boy in N scale.  It does good on a strightaway, but has a bad habit of jumping the curves.  Anybody got any ideas on what is the mimimum radias track should be for it?  The maker Atlas could not tell me.

[oleirish]

I'am running an 2-6-6-2 and an 2-8-8-2 both on my  "N" scale layout,and had to inlarge some of my curves out to about 16 degrees, they run fine now.I started with an GP 40-2(six wheel) then my large steam engines,I'am useing code 80 flex-track.just kept moving it tell thay all ran OK!It came out at about 16 degrees .Hope this helps?

JIM

[GraniteRailroader]

Oleirish - What radius are you using, in inches?

16* of 9 inch radius is different then 16* of 12 inch radius...

[R. T. POTEET]

I have an 4-8-8-4 Big Boy in N scale.  It does good on a strightaway, but has a bad habit of jumping the curves.  Anybody got any ideas on what is the mimimum radias track should be for it?  The maker Atlas could not tell me.

Firstly, unless someone can inform me differently, Atlas never made a Big Boy. There have been a few brass models imported by various importers but the only plastic one I recall was the Rivarossi one imported by Con-Cor.

Whatever, this is a pretty big engine; the boiler is six inches long or more; multiply the length of the boiler by 3 and you come up with 18 inches or more and that's what this beast needs as a minimum radius.

[Anonymous]

You could be right on the maker.  I have it in a box somewhere.  Getting ready to build a new layout.

[Anonymous]

I will try your idea.  Thanks