MTH Niagara 4-8-4 minimum radius

The PT tender means O72. That's the primary reason why I don't own one.

Peter

I do not have either the Lionel or the MTH Niagara but I have a Williams Niagara and that Centipede tender is not a forgiving tender. I would say even on 0-72 there is not much play in the wheels going into a curve..........Paul

Too bad. I would have thought MTH design crew would have modified the tender with a "split" in the larger truck to give it some flexibility for a tighter radius.  Seems some sales may have been lost because of the 72" radius requirement.

I have a few of these. They all (MTH, Lionel, 3rd Rail, Williams) appear to flanges on all wheels. I suspect you could start machining off the flanges on the middle wheelset and work outward until it negotiates whatever your tightest curves are. They all have a lot of sideplay which is why they do 072. Eliminate the sideplay and you would probably 120 or greater.

Pete

Good idea Pete!  You can purchase "blank" wheel sets...get two or three sets and move them around as you suggested. 

I have a couple Kline E-8's that use a blank wheel set as the third set, in a three set EMD diesel truck.

BUT, normally flange-less wheel are cut slightly smaller diameters so they will NOT get hung up when they pass over the rails then pass back on to them!

PLUS it is more than the track diameter that the "car" will ride on.  It is also what happens to the motion of the rear end of the tender.  On tighter diameters then the MFG states the tender coupler may throw the car behind it off the track.

It is the whole geometry. 

I would be going from the mfg suggested 72" radius to a 54" radius ( with the installed blank wheel sets). I doubt (guess) the end of the tender will not be that greatly affected. If I were attempting a 45" radius I could imagine the tender swing being an issue.

per Rockyroad "mfg suggested 72" radius to a 54" radius". 

I think you meant diameter?

Sorry...MTH box end description indicates 72" curves.

I'm got my start in a different gauge where curves were measured by radius vs diameter.

(senior moment)

ROCKYROAD, this may be a shot in the dark but if you put blind wheels on you may be able to negotiate the smaller curve but you may have trouble with the swing of the tender and the coupler may not want to go that tight..........Paul

The MTH Niagara is a great locomotive.  I would love to see Lionel do a Legacy version with all the toys.

FYI, it turns out the 3rd Rail PT tenders have blind wheels on the 2nd and 3rd axles. It negotiates 042 by itself. I doubt the Hudson its coupled to would do the same though.

Thanks Pete...that will work for me!

Rockyroad posted:

Thanks Pete...that will work for me!

The next question is whether the engine will do 054. I can't help here.

Pete