GE-44 tonners

[boatwrench]

Who has experience with how well an HO GE 44T model operates through the insulated frogs of DCC compatiable turnouts? or even Atlas snap switches?

Will 4-4-0 Americans operate on 18" radius curves?



Since my land grab in the new house is still not complete my layout will need to start small with tight 18" radiuses & #4 turnouts. Going through my boxes as I pull stuff out of storage I found two undecorated Bachman Spectrum HO GE-44 tonners and one Keystone HO GE-44 tonner painted in SOU. These locomotives were originally purchased for a Southern Branch line when I was active in the hobby last century.

Now I am considering modeling the NWP in the Petaluma area as most of the tracks are still in place and easy to map. NWP had leased a few GE 44 tonners from SP for use in the 1940-1950 time frame when 40' boxcars and reefers were in wide spread use.

 

[NH Mike]

I have 2 Spectrum HO 44 tonners and a 70 tonner. They all run fine at any speed through Atlas and Peco turnouts from #4 to #6 types. I run only DC. I also have a brass NWSL 16 ton Dunkirk geared logging loco that is about 2/3 the overall wheelbase of the 44 tonners and weighs about as much as a large ball of dust and it runs through no problem as well. Over the years I concluded that all wheel pick up and clean wheels and track are the key to smooth uninterrupted running.