HO minium radius question


D

Dameon

Member
I wasn't sure if this should go in layout planning or the HO section...

I'm playing around with some track plans for my upcoming HO layout. I have found that, much to my dismay, to work in one of my druthers I may need to add a siding on the inside of a curve. The curve is already 18" radius, the minimum I wanted to go to. If I added the siding, the siding would need to be 15" to 16" radius through nearly 120 degrees. I am worried that this may be just too tight a curve for too long a stretch? The only traffic the curve would see is a 2-8-0 with 40'-50' cars. I am also afraid that such a tight curve will simply look too "toy train" like. Expanding the outer 18" radius curve isn't an option.

Ideas?
 
15 inches is the smallest radius the HO scale is designed to be able to run, however most of the locomotive and rolling stock are designed for a minimum radius of 18 inch, you should check out the loco spec first, but 90% of the time, the only loco who can turn that tight are 4 axle switchers.
 
Knowing in advance that I'm going to be really pressed for layout space, I'm designing a layout which uses mostly 15 inch curves and am making a point of acquiring only small short wheelbase engines and rolling stock no longer than 36feet maximum so as to remain in scale with the small curve radius.
 
On the 15" radius the 2-8-0 can't run - it's too small. For this lokomotive (she's not so long how BigBoy :) ) minimal is a radius 18" - 22".
 
Frisco's_Iantha_Branch said:
While a 2-8-0 couldn't work there, a smaller 0-6-0 or 2-6-0 probably could.
Click to expand...

Yes... an 0-6-0 with short wheelbase rolling stock has no 15" radius issues, and could likely handle even smaller flex track radii.

IMG_3488.png



Greg
 
Dameon
The Los Angeles Junction Ry (1922-present) has some # 3 switches and some curves smaller than 12" in HO scale so your RR is that unprototypical. The J is an all industrial type switching RR so no high speed running much less passenger trains. They used to have 0-6-0s, ALCO S-2s & S-4s, ex ATSF CF7s & now MK 1200s.
 
Yikes. Okay, so no 15" curves! I'm just going to have to find another way to do it or simply forget it.
 
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