Orient Express

MTH's website indicates 0-72 curves.

Larry

I put this train together over the summer, these are the nicest MTH premier cars I own.

With a little shopping they can be purchased a good prices (Sidetrack Hobbies has some, as do Just Trains at steep discounts, last I checked).

There are significantly more fine details than other MTH passenger cars, use caution. Also, each space in the foam box is for a specific car, don't attempt to put the wrong car into another cars space -- this can (in my case did) result in broken off roof vent pipes. As noted before lots of fine detail.

My choice was all navy and cream, but either way (I looked at both) they are lovely. I can post some photos if you would like, we are supposed to have some sun tomorrow.

Best,

Jason

CincinnatiWest and SouthwestHiawatha, what size curves do you have on your layout?

These run about the same as the k-line 21" or GGD cars, they will go around O-72 no problem, but there is overhang -- if that is not a huge deal then no problem, if you want no overhang then these like the k-lines need something in the O-144+ range.

I have not tried them on smaller curves, hadn't thought about it.

JW

This page of Orient Express cars lists them for operation on 84" curves.

Larry

Hi everyone, I got an email back from MTH about the diameter of curves for the Orient Express. You were all correct with the O72. They told me that the O54 and O63 that I have on some corners would derail the cars. It's a shame because I would have bought the brown Pacific and cars in a heartbeat! They are beautiful! Thanks again for all your help.

    We know from the MTH website that the "3 rail"[ = TP flange ] Pacific will traverse 042 curves -- so fortunately that leaves just the cars to deal with.

     In my opinion and experience -- and I have or had both the 2 and 3 rail versions of these -- it should be readily possible to slightly modify the cars, especially if automatic couplers are not necessary, to be able to take sharper radii curves.

Such modifications could include

  - adding washers between the truck and mounting disc.

  - removing the springs from the buffers

  - replacement of the existing knuckle couplers with drawbars, perhaps between the mounting points for the Kadees.

  - mounting the énd steps of the cars to the coupler

     and so forth.

Now I admit that I first started modifying Lionel equipment back in the mid 1950's, and you may not wish to change anything from its "out of the box state", but I wouldn't let a little detail like what the maufacturer states to deter me from running these cars on sharper curves -- and, again in my opinion and assuming you really "needed" to run these cars, neither should you.

With best regards, SZ

I have these cars with the Green Chappion Loco and run them on 096 curves,if you put the euro couplers on dont try to back them up.There is a part on the baggage car that makes 072 curves hard to use.The detail on these cars is beautiful.

Mikey