Can anybody tell me the minimum radius that you can run Rail Chief passenger cars on? I believe the recommended minimum is O-72 but was wondering if I could get away with a tighter turn.
Thanks,
John.
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The latest information from MTH/LCT indicates an 0-72 minimum curve for the tinplate Hiawatha set, which is identical to the Rail Chief. If I get time I'll see if I can remember where I put my Rail Chief and try it out on the 0-63 loop on my layout, but I am not optimistic.
My O-gauge Hiawatha will not run on 054 track. The engine was fine the cars bound up and could not make the turns.
My belief was O-72 also.
072 is the "Minimum". The cars are arguably tight going around that turn. So bigger is better, but they will run well on 072. Nothing less.
Nothing smaller than 072 or you might regret it. Whenever you have a need to know...just ask, ron m. It would seem that he's our resident "know it all" that prefers to slap the jaws of others.
The Flying Yankee didn't arrive until 1935 and was designed to run on standard radius (0-31) '0-gauge' track. The 1934 streamliner was the U.P.'s City of Salinas (a full 17/64" scale model) that required the new Model Builders track of 72" diameter.
BTW These same car bodies were used in subsequent years for the Hiawatha and Railchief outfits.
Ron M
