Appears as though my full scale track planing is NOT infallible.
I had taken this corner section of my track plan out to my 'workbench in the carport', so I could accurately lay out the plan. I was seeking to assure that the radi of those 2 tracks to the rear and the front of the Santa Fe station were as large of a radius as I might hope to get. I thought I had it all worked out that they would both be 27". I even soldered all the tracks together in this form before relocating back into the layout room.
A few days ago when it came time to finish up with joining them to the other tracks running down the length of the room then tacking that all down permanently, I ran into a problem. Perhaps it was just my perception, but I thought I detected a slight kink in the track where the curve met the double curved Peco turnout,..
Since this track is going to see LOTS of traffic from all the different trains I do NOT want to run thru the passenger loading tracks on the other side of the station, it must be perfect,...NO KINKS.
So I proceeded to smooth this out, BUT what I ended up with was a smaller radius curve overall. It was now a very solid good 24" curve. I even got out a few of my larger steamers to test their acceptance of this new curve, and that they did not interfere with the shed's wall surface either.
I thought about this situation for several days now, and I have decided that I can live with this smaller curve for now. If it ever gives me any problems I have a a very broad Shinohara double-curved turnout I could work into this area, and end up with something like a 26" curve at its most restrictive point.
I think I recall that almost all of our HO trains can utilize a minimum 24" curve?
I had taken this corner section of my track plan out to my 'workbench in the carport', so I could accurately lay out the plan. I was seeking to assure that the radi of those 2 tracks to the rear and the front of the Santa Fe station were as large of a radius as I might hope to get. I thought I had it all worked out that they would both be 27". I even soldered all the tracks together in this form before relocating back into the layout room.
A few days ago when it came time to finish up with joining them to the other tracks running down the length of the room then tacking that all down permanently, I ran into a problem. Perhaps it was just my perception, but I thought I detected a slight kink in the track where the curve met the double curved Peco turnout,..
Since this track is going to see LOTS of traffic from all the different trains I do NOT want to run thru the passenger loading tracks on the other side of the station, it must be perfect,...NO KINKS.
So I proceeded to smooth this out, BUT what I ended up with was a smaller radius curve overall. It was now a very solid good 24" curve. I even got out a few of my larger steamers to test their acceptance of this new curve, and that they did not interfere with the shed's wall surface either.
I thought about this situation for several days now, and I have decided that I can live with this smaller curve for now. If it ever gives me any problems I have a a very broad Shinohara double-curved turnout I could work into this area, and end up with something like a 26" curve at its most restrictive point.
I think I recall that almost all of our HO trains can utilize a minimum 24" curve?
Last edited: