broadway limited 2-8-2 question

[CrossTrack Trains]

Could I get a broadway limited 2-8-2 to work on a 15" Radius track?
Anyone out there have this work for them?

[Anonymous]

Nah.

15 is just too tight.

[tstage]

cactusjawas,

An 18" radius is tight for a 2-8-2, but it does navigate it successfully. Running it on a 15", however, may be pushing the envelope a bit too much. Even in it does, it's NOT going to look very good doing it.

Keep curved track mininums on your mainline to 18" radii, tops! Remember, trains and cars on a larger radii will both look and operate better on your layout. Shorter locomotives (e.g. yard swtichers) and 40' and under cars should work okay on a 15" radius curve.

Tom

[grayfox1119]

See why you need a 4 foot wide layout....24 and 30" wide are just too narrow for nice natural curves for large locomotives.

[jrbernier]

I have a pair of the BLI USRA 2-8-2 engines. They will take a 22" radius curve with no problem(and close coupled on the drawbar). They will not go through a 18" radius curve! I have(had) a curved 22"/18" radius turnout on the yard lead - Cound not get to the roundhouse, so I was forced to relay the yard to fix the problem. The GP9's and SD7's had no problem with that curve! I still have one of these curved turnouts on the branch line - Now there is a 'restriction' limiting L-3 class engines from using the wye.

Jim Bernier

[tstage]

Jim,

Where'd you get a 22"/18" radius curved turnout? I have NEVER been able to find a 22" radius curved turnout ANYWHERE...nor knew one existed. (Actually, it's sorta bewildered me why there isn't one available.) Is this turnout a number of years old?

Tom

[BRVRR]

Jim,
I have a BLI 2-8-2 Mike. It runs through the 18" radius curves on the BRVRR without problems, just wouldn't back through them. I extended the 'draw bar' about 1/8" and now have no problem in either direction. Try it. Its better than relaying a lot of track.

[jrbernier]

Tom,
The curved turnout was a Cassidio(sp?) that was imported by Atlas at least 25 years ago. I think it may have be part of the old 'Customline Supreme' line of turnouts, While this turnout is not available , code 100 curved turnouts are available in a number of sizes from Shinohara and Peco(look in the Walthers catalog).

Allen,
Both of my BLI USRA 'Heavy' 2-8-2 'mikes' bind up trying to take an 18" radius curve. There was no way I was going to extend the drawbar(looks). The layout was built to handle 4 axle GP9's and 40' freight cars, Then some nice steam with sound became available and I now have 5 steamers. That engine lead off of the yard lead is now at least 22" and I have no problems. That old curved turnout will be 're-used' as a spur to a bulk oil distributor(industry) in the near future.

Jim Bernier

[tstage]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jrbernier

Tom,

...code 100 curved turnouts are available in a number of sizes from Shinohara and Peco(look in the Walthers catalog).

Jim Bernier

Jim,

Yeah, but none with a 22" curved radii. The Walthers/Shinohara closest fit is a 24"/18" curved turnout. I have a 4 x 8 layout and the largest diameter that I can run on it is a 22" curve.

It would be very handy to be able to have a turnout going into my A/D track so that it could be longer. (At present, I'm stuck having to back into my yard off the main.) You'd think they'd manufacture one. [%-)]

Tom