I run 20-inch (Shinohara Code 100 sectional track) and 18-inch radius curves on my layout. In the case of older Athearn Blue Box SD-7's and PA diesels, I removed the wheels from the center axles (outside bearing trucks). However, I haven't had any problems with my Life Like E-units running with all six wheels on the trucks. Unless you have problems with derailments on #4 turnouts, I wouldn't worry about wear on the wheels of you 3-axle locomotives.
Restrictions on running certain pieces of rolling stock due to tight radii, weight restrictions, etc., is certainly prototypical. Pennsylvania could only run their T-1 4-4-4-4 non-articulated steam locomotives on the run between N.Y. and Chicago for just that reason. Some diesel road switchers were prohibited from positioning freight cars between buildings due to the sharp curves.
Just picked up some Walther's Budd passenger cars and they look funny but run. I think I'll need to do some fine tuning to get them to run well. Wasn't going to pick them up but my kids keep pretending that the caboose's are passenger trains.
You mean to say that your kids put passenger cars on the end of freight trains? Honestly I do this too sometimesI have 1 Well container car that I cannot run on an 18" radius so it has been sidelined for the current layout.
, I like to think the railroads are shipping a private car. !!!!!!!!CAUTION RIVET COUNTERS!!!!!!!! I also run my Kato p42 on the front of freight trains. I have a fictional Northern Mid-West short line railroad and I have made up that the railroad bought an aging Amtrak P42 because of their fast acceleration and in hopes to modernize their fleet. I have a proper Amtrak train for it, but I hardly use it. Personally I really enjoy seeing a P42 in freight service.
One of them even told me to put a buffer car in front of my tank cars after watching one of @djstrains videos.
Running cabooses as a passenger train is something the IRM does. Quite fun actually riding up in the cupola!@HO Scale MILW Actually they would run an engine and three cabooses for passenger service.
There's a prototype for everything. Back in the Olden Days of Yore, Amtrak would rent out their F40s for freight service when not being used on passenger trains. They were used on local-ish freights, since their small fuel tanks restricted their range.You mean to say that your kids put passenger cars on the end of freight trains? Honestly I do this too sometimes
I have a few Athearn RTR Sd40-2s that claim they can run on 18" Radius but, alas, they slow down and start derailing.I bought a Dash-9 once (forget the manufacturer - Athearn RTR, maybe?) and had to return it because it could not handle the 18r curves of my layout. For a while I restricted myself to 4 axel locos unless they were specifically advertised as being able to handle 18's. I do have some 85' passengers cars that I run behind my 4-6-4 Hudson on the 18's. they do look a little funny, but I don't mind.
Even thought the end car has an observation platform, my youngest son almost always insists I add a caboose.
I would say it depends on how silly it looks. I am pretty certain shorter wheel base 6-axel diesels will do fine and look fine (thinking of Athearn SD9 and Atlas SD24). On the other hand the longer wheel based more modern, SD70 and -8 & -9 plus, locomotives might have trucks that really turn and hang out from the side of the chassis and just look ridiculous.
Thank you for the input, and I do wish I could put an N scale layout in the location that I want but I already have an existing one and I desperately need a new HO Layout. N Scale is pretty fun but I only like just running trains, not really doing switching, I always seem to derail cars
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