I know that the minimum curve for this engine is O54, but I was wondering if it is possible to operate on O42? If anybody has tried to run this engine on that curve please let me know if it works.
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
I had the MTH version and could not operate on 054. This is a BIG Engine and suggest 072. If you don't have the room for such sweeping curves then you might want to look into some smaller steamers, The Consolidation 2-8-0's are real nice
It's the 8 drivers that will get you, on a locomotive of ths size. I don't have that one, but have a Lionel scale Berk. It is rated for O54, but just makes it through O48. You can hear the wheels rub the rails, just fitting through the curve.
my problem is the centipede tender on the UP 844. it will not negotiate anything less than 072
O-42, no way.
Even if it could it would look absolutely rediculous as the 2 middle sets of drivers would be hanging in midair nowhere near the rail.
John, take the middle wheels out of the tender
I tested, and my two 3751s will make it through O-48, but they stick out a alot and they make me nervous doing so (it has a drop of about a foot if they run off) so I don't run them on it.
I don't think they would run on O-42.
Considering when Eric Siegel did his review on the VL Big boy he said O-72 then he told everyone it was the minimum. For me any engine I run has to be on the minimum curve or higher so nothing is damaged. Surprisingly my Lion master Big Boy took a O-36 Curve easy but i would not try going under the minimum.
I had the MTH version and could not operate on 054. This is a BIG Engine and suggest 072.
Although MTH and Lionel both model Santa Fe Northerns, they are modeled after two entirely different prototypes. Santa Fe owned four different classes of Northerns. 3751, 3765, 3776, 2900. Each has unique characteristics and there are different tenders involved.
Hello guys and gals....
My sunset 3rd S.F.5011 class 2-10-4 goes on 0-72 but thats doesn't mean i should run it on that. This engine really looks bad doing it so i run it on 0-99 Atlas. There is something
to know that the driver flanges of the lionel engine is pot(zinc)metal with steel tire and the sharper curve you run a large engine such a 4-8-4, the flange wear is greater. The sunset 3rd engines have steel flanges and tires( one piece) so its not much of a problem except it looks bad on smaller curves.
Tiffany
My MTH K4 Torpedo was made for 072 but I retrofitted a Lionel scale K4 pilot truck it clears the streamlined pilot and runs on 054 perfectly.
Originally Posted by Tim Lewis:
Considering when Eric Siegel did his review on the VL Big boy he said O-72 then he told everyone it was the minimum. For me any engine I run has to be on the minimum curve or higher so nothing is damaged. Surprisingly my Lion master Big Boy took a O-36 Curve easy but i would not try going under the minimum.
That's because the VL BB is scale, and the LionMaster is not. The LionMaster is rated for O31 curves, so I'd hope it'd take O36 with ease. As for the VL BB, the locomotive will take O54, if you're careful, but the tender will not. So the tender is the limiting factor with the Big Boy (Just like the prototype.), which has been discussed to death on these forums.
To the OP, if you have the locomotive, try it. If you are asking because you want to buy, then trust Lee in his statement that it won't do it, and look at something smaller like Steve said.
The VL-BB won't even make it around O60 Fastrack, again it's the Tender that is the sticking point. It was an interesting experiment... 
