Raised on the Erie Lackawanna Mainline- Supt. of the Black River Transfer & Terminal R.R.
If you look at their website they advertise the minimum radius as 22 inch, so you should be good to go.
http://www.broadway-limited.com/5163bluelinespac4cab-forward4-8-8-24108bluelinesounddccreadyho.aspx
Springfield PA
Unfortunately, I bought one last Fall and only ran it a couple-three times on my unfinished layout and I seem to recall it running fine through my 24" drill track but after being back in the drawer for a few months it's derailing. I can't find any other cause and can't remember if I had issues before-but pretty certain I'd have remembered that!
Between this and the chuff sensor that "died" I'm gonna just leave my locos out and run 'em as far as I can until more track is laid. That way I can remember any issues-for sure.
That's why I'm hoping to hear from people who DO run theirs with no problems through 24" radius.
I'm going to see if I can get a broader radi but I doubt it.
Hence my concern. Something's changed?
Captain:
Though my minimum radius is 34", I do have some #5 turnouts in my engine yard, and for those short segments, I've had no problem with my AC-5 on the drill track. Is it the drivers themselves derailing, or perhaps just the lead truck? If so, it might be an adjustment problem with the truck, rather than the radius.
I know that BLI lists just about all of their articulateds to negotiate a 22" minimum radius. So far--and I've had my AC for about five years--I've had no problem.
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
Jim, sounds like the turnou may be the culprit, eh? It wouldn't hurt to (power off, eh?) go over every inch with a mirror and a track guage as there could be a mini kink that could be opened up a little by filing the inside edge of the rails. I have done a few and even the best flex track can end up with some narrowing. By the way I always put the free rail to the outside of the curve as geometry will show that opens up the guage just a tad. Putting it on the inside will tighten the guage. John in Sooke, BC
It slipped out when the locomotive was picked up and was hitting against things under the boiler sides.
It seems that SOMETIMES when one picks up the loco to set it on a track, the pin ends up where it belongs but other times gets held against something and hangs up.
It would be nice if there were a retaining ring or something to hold it in the hole, but now that I know it's there I'll be more careful.
I looked with a lighted opti-visor and everything but must have had the pin "fall" into the hole when the loco was upside down by pure luck.
Thank you everyone for the usual good advice and responses.
Hopefully my coming back to fill you in (as promised) will keep some other poor soul sane should they have a mysterious-disappearing-reappearing derailment issue.
No diss on Blueline's AC4/5. Itls a beautifully modeled locomotive and they're very helpful folks.
I had a similar problem with my Y6B. A plastic part out of place.