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A  Big Boy on a 14" curve looks somewhat awkward - to say the best! But Marklin, and their DC affiliate Trix, mainly cater for their large European clientele. European layouts are usually much smaller and sharp curves are a must. Marklin would have been ill-advised  to build the loco in such a way, that it is not able to negotiate those sharp curves. The Big Boy was an excellent seller - not only to collectors. For many a European model railroad enthusiast, it is simply the epitome of US steam - high up on the "me wants" list. The Marklin Big Boy is a well-engineered, well built and highly detailed loco, whose DC Trix counterpart with RP 25 wheels certainly looks good on any US layout with UP prototype.Other big steamers, like the UP 9000, the UP TTT´s, UP Challenger, SP´s Cab Forwards, or even PRR I class with long-haul tender, are not that widely known in Europe and it is most unlikely that they will be ever manufactured by Marklin/Trix. If they would, they´d be able to negotiate that 14" radius - and, again, look strange doing that. The ability to safely round sharp curves is, IMHO, not a quality aspect, but a marketing necessity. It does not necessarily stamp the loco as a "toy". As US manufacturers/importers are not really catering for the European market, it is perfectly OK for them not to consider these [banghead] sharp curves we have to live with in Europe. But I do not understand, why all those 6-axle Diesels often have a hard time to negotiate that 18" radius, which seems to be the HO scale "standard" minimum radius on US layouts.
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