The Lionel website lists the minimum curve of Lionel 6-11116 Greyhound FEF as O72 but the box has O54 on it. Can anyone confirm that this engine does in fact run on O54?
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I'd be very surprised if it runs on O54 curves. The centipede tender looks the same as the Big Boy, and that tender won't make it around an O60 Fastrack curve without jumping the tracks.
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@ArtsModelTrains posted:The Lionel website lists the minimum curve of Lionel 6-11116 Greyhound FEF as O72 but the box has O54 on it. Can anyone confirm that this engine does in fact run on O54?
I can check when I get home but I believe it does.
Well my bad, the curves I have are FasTrack O60 which it runs on just fine. I'm pretty sure though I have operated it on O54 in the past when I used tubular. Unfortunately I don't have any O54 to confirm.
Sorry I can't be more positive. I am looking through some old videos to see if I can confirm.
@MartyE posted:Well my bad, the curves I have are FasTrack O60 which it runs on just fine. I'm pretty sure though I have operated it on O54 in the past when I used tubular. Unfortunately I don't have any O54 to confirm.
Sorry I can't be more positive. I am looking through some old videos to see if I can confirm.
Thanks @MartyE for taking the time to look at it, I did go back through your youtube videos too looking for evidence, there are some great videos in there! I do think it is positive that it works on O60, John didn't seem to think the tender would given it is similar to the Big Boy one. Does the tender have any wheels without flanges?
I also reached out to Lionel so we'll see if they respond with any info.
@ArtsModelTrains posted:Thanks @MartyE for taking the time to look at it, I did go back through your youtube videos too looking for evidence, there are some great videos in there! I do think it is positive that it works on O60, John didn't seem to think the tender would given it is similar to the Big Boy one. Does the tender have any wheels without flanges?
I also reached out to Lionel so we'll see if they respond with any info.
Here’s the video I shot last evening. I believe the interior wheels are blind from the looks of it. I can again confirm tonight. I grabbed a freeze and you can see the rear wheel set is definitively not tracking the curve so I suspect they are blind.
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For what is worth Lionel responded and said the minimum curve is O72, but from the video above it will clearly operate on at least O60.
One problem with running stuff on smaller curves that it's really rated for is you can accelerate the wear of the flanges on the wheels it it's just barely making it around the curves.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:One problem with running stuff on smaller curves that it's really rated for is you can accelerate the wear of the flanges on the wheels it it's just barely making it around the curves.
And then they wonder why they have all kinds of damage, IR transmitter interference, & the works, ….if ain’t meant for less than O72, then why push it??.
Pat
Yeah not trying to push it or cause any premature damage, just trying to get to the right answer since the box says O54 but the site says O72.
Guessing there was either misprint or change to the minimum curve after the box was made.
@ArtsModelTrains posted:Yeah not trying to push it or cause any premature damage, just trying to get to the right answer since the box says O54 but the site says O72.
Guessing there was either misprint or change to the minimum curve after the box was made.
This ain’t the first time they’ve done that. …..I know of several that are mis-labeled……for whatever reason, the stateside folks ain’t communicating with the overseas folks……
Pat
@harmonyards posted:if ain’t meant for less than O72, then why push it??.
Pat
So how do we determine what it was meant for? I've got stuff rated for O-31 that squeal going through curves larger than O-31. OTOH I've seen stuff rated for O-72, O-54 and even O-42 that operated without any apparent issues on tighter curves than they were rated for.
@Bill N posted:So how do we determine what it was meant for? I've got stuff rated for O-31 that squeal going through curves larger than O-31. OTOH I've seen stuff rated for O-72, O-54 and even O-42 that operated without any apparent issues on tighter curves than they were rated for.
Common sense applies here,….
Pat
Well I was wrong again Batman. Not a blind wheel on this tender.
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These types of tenders are sometimes a sore spot with folks that have tighter curves than O72. It’s the luck of the draw if you get one that will do tighter curves like in Marty’s case,….these locomotives aren’t built these days with exacting tolerances. So you might get one that does O-60 just beautifully, then another identical model that won’t think about it. They can be altered to do tighter curves, and some of us have changed axle float, or re-gauged some of the fixed axles to ride tighter curves. Doing so on a new locomotive obviously would be a warranty voiding offense, so be forewarned……I’d only alter the tender if it’s a last resort…
Pat
Well I could be wrong in my O54 memory. It certainly has been a while. I also thing some of the reason for higher radius is the switch machines on the older tubular switcher. While may items will take the curve fine, the overhang becomes the problem. I agree with the other while it may actually run on O54 ok, it's probably straining to do so. The O60 seemed like it was ok. I didn't notice and strain on the engine or the tender.
@MartyE posted:Well I could be wrong in my O54 memory. It certainly has been a while. I also thing some of the reason for higher radius is the switch machines on the older tubular switcher. While may items will take the curve fine, the overhang becomes the problem. I agree with the other while it may actually run on O54 ok, it's probably straining to do so. The O60 seemed like it was ok. I didn't notice and strain on the engine or the tender.
And you won’t notice the strain because the cruise feature is doing its job to mask it. The tell tale Marty, would be to put the tender itself on a straight track, and roll it by hand, then push it into a curve observing the “drag” . Obviously, the more gentle the curve, the less drag you’ll feel.
Pat
@harmonyards posted:And you won’t notice the strain because the cruise feature is doing its job to mask it. The tell tale Marty, would be to put the tender itself on a straight track, and roll it by hand, then push it into a curve observing the “drag” . Obviously, the more gentle the curve, the less drag you’ll feel.
Pat
Which is why I did say the tender didn't seem to strain either as I rolled it onto the curve. I'm sure there is a bit but it was hardly noticeable on my tender.
@MartyE posted:Which is why I did say the tender didn't seem to strain either as I rolled it onto the curve. I'm sure there is a bit but it was hardly noticeable on my tender.
Yep, you’ve got that one lucky model that’ll do it and perform beautifully,…….the way this stuff is built anymore, you could get another exact same model, and the tender might jam up in that same curve,…..also, you’re comment about specific switches and these tenders being able to traverse them is correct too, …..that might be more of a sticking point then the actual curve designation,……it always seems they have these typo errors on these types of locomotives, which makes ya wonder…….no??
Pat
