running 18" passenger cars on 036 curves

I have run them successfully on a 90 degree o36 curve

An MTH "18 inch" and a Lionel "18 inch" cars are not the same length. You decide how much overhang and inside sweep looks good to you.  Longer cars look good on larger radius curves.  This is an instance of  'beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder' If you think it looks good, go ahead.  Check clearances of under body details.

Track switches and S curves may give you trouble.  One sign of good track is you can run trains backwards at the same speed as forward.  If you want to meet that criteria scale length passenger cars need larger radius curves.  When Jerry Williams saw the market for "18 inch" passenger cars it was layouts with large radius curves.  

John in Lansing, ILL

Gerry,

   My personal choice for 036 curves would be 15” cars (60 ft). I have two Kline US Army passenger cars that I run on my military train. Although our club (BDSME, Bethlehem Pa) has 072 curves the two 15” cars on the back of the train following about 15 scale 40 ft and 50 ft flatcars look fine. Many railroads ran 60 ft passenger cars.

JohnB

In the past Lionel produced some 18 inch aluminum passenger cars with 'swing skirts' that enables them to run on 036 curves. For example, L's on line catalog for the 18 inch DRG 'California Zephyr' 4 car set (6-25722) specifically states this; although as has been already indicated it's up to the operator to determine whether 18 inch cars look good aesthetically going around tight curves.

I successfully run K-Line 18" cars on a 90 degree O36 Fastrack curve. It is hidden in a mountain so I don't have to view the painful looking kinking required to get through that sharp curve.  Remember that Lionel measures Fastrack diameter as center-rail to center-rail so a significantly broader curve than O36 tubular.

That is an O72 curve. The O36 curve is buried in that tunnel. I really like these K-Line cars. Although not full scale length they are close enough that my suspension of disbelief is triggered and they look real.

Gerry, I have a O36 turnaround loop on my layout.  I just shot this layout of 18" MTH passenger cars.

For what it is worth.  About three years ago I was selling my K-Line 18" heavyweight passenger cars off.  So anticipating the question took these pictures of cars on 36" FasTrack.  One thing to remember K-Line cars were designed and made with steps that would "swing" away allowing for use on tighter curves.

Ron

"Track switches and S curves may give you trouble" Yes they will I had to redesign my layout to remove an S curve when running my MTH 18" cars. (036) Switches are fine as long as your not flying through the switch. 

If you can live with the overhang, go for it!  ☺

If you have room for 042, or 054, better choices, 036 is not realistic, however, it’s your call. Even 072 diameter cures are somewhat tight for Lionel 18 inch aluminum passenger cars. The 16 in aluminum cars were designed for 031/036 circles. Great Question, lots of considerations. I have the Lionel Congressional Set, Sante Fe El Capitan Set, complete sets, and run the Sante Fe occasionally and it looks great on 096. The Congressional Set is boxed new. Hopefully you’ll have enough room for a bit larger circle. Good luck, Happy Railroading.

Thanks everyone for taking the time to answer and post pictures. Very much appreciated! I have a friend favoring scale length diesels and he is deciding on which passenger cars to buy that would fit on his 036 layout. Don't think the overhang will bother him.

Happy RRing and stay safe!