gibson2503
New Member
What is the smallest radius curve that an SD60 can run on? What about an SD40-2?
The biggest problems I have are not with the locomotives themselves, but with the car following the locomotive.
The coupler gets out over the rail and pulls the car following the locomotive off track.
My smallest radius is about 20 inches, and I can run full speed though that radius but only if I watch what car follows the locomotive. Otherwise the car gets pulled off to the outside of the track. It can even give me problems on larger radius curves, my largest radius curves are 24 inch or so.
I've run Athearn SD40-2's on 18" radius without a problem. The problem you mention about the car behind the loco is most likely that the car has a short shank coupler. I had this problem with a tank car that was in behind an Athearn SDP40F which is as long if not longer than the SD40-2. The front of the tank car was being pulled off the track when the train went through a #4 turnout. I put a long shank coupler on the front of the tank car and that solved the problem. Now it your car has truck mounted couplers you're out of luck. Get those couplers body mounted.What is the smallest radius curve that an SD60 can run on? What about an SD40-2?
Not necessarily. My track is far from smooth. There are plenty of rises and dips. The tracks is however level laterally.You can do 18" radius with 6 axle diesels but there are a couple caveats--first, your track has to be near flawless (no humps/bumps at the joiners or unlevel elevation laterally)
Superelevating (banking) your curves will effectively reduce your radius somewhat and should improve performance.
Superelevating (banking) your curves will effectively reduce your radius somewhat and should improve performance.