Running trains on SuperStreets

I think that the only thing you need to look at is that there is quite a bit of height difference between the two. Do an online search for S/S Transition piece and you will see the difference.

Sounds interesting. The elevation of SuperStreets is noticeably lower than FastTrack (and other track options). But you will need two SuperStreet transition pieces.

I'm curious as to what you'll be running on it.  Will you be running trolleys parallel with SuperStreet vehicles, or will there be Big Boys barreling down the road terrifying and intimidating the fine little people of Lionelville or Plasticville?

Use the D21 curves. You will have a lot more luck with trolleys should you decide to run them.

The OP has me thinking he plans running a rail line through town, parallel and adjacent to a city street.

Note: He plans to use the SuperStreets in place of a “long” section of straight track. (If I am correct)

Ahitpy:

Even though you are apparently planning on using only straight Superstreets track sections so the tight curve radius won’t be a problem, there is another issue of which you need to be aware: the grooves on the running rails of the Superstreets sections are very shallow (less than 1/8”) and some locomotives with large driving wheel flanges may sit up too high so that their center rail pickup rollers will not reach the center rail on the Superstreets track.  I only run trolleys on my superstreets so I haven’t experienced this problem but I believe someone else on this Forum has and had posted about it.  I don’t remember who posted it or what engines had that problem but you should check the archives for that thread before proceeding. 

Bill

I run mostly O-27 power and rolling stock so a Big Boy on Main won't happen.....but I do have a Railking Allegheny I may just have to run just to get my amusement😁.  But really, I see pics of rail lines running in congested city areas and I thought it might be a fun redo.  The line is a dead end spur that services a few industries and a small commuter stop.

An interesting idea to duplicate areas where a rail line runs down the middle of a town/city street.  Terre Haute, Indiana has a street with this, the tracks serving a couple industries in the area, on West side if town close to the Wabash River.  Pacific Electric Interurban Line has shared it's trackage with local small freights for years ( before the PEIL went out of service).  Yes, an interesting aspect to model and add to your layouts.

Jesse   TCA 

Perhaps I should post a picture of the area I want to re-do and have the folks comment.  By the way, since I will take the pic of my layout in my house, do I conform to board policy regarding pictures?

Ahitpy posted:

Perhaps I should post a picture of the area I want to re-do and have the folks comment.  By the way, since I will take the pic of my layout in my house, do I conform to board policy regarding pictures?

Yes.

Ahitpy posted:

I have a relatively long straight section that runs parallel to a street on the layout.  I am pondering replacing the track with Superstreets as well as the street section.  Any pointers?  I'll be going from tubular to the SuperStreets section.

Thanks

Did that for a friend with Gargraves track, it worked fine and really opened up a new avenue for scenery. 

Ahitpy posted:

Perhaps I should post a picture of the area I want to re-do and have the folks comment.  By the way, since I will take the pic of my layout in my house, do I conform to board policy regarding pictures?

That sure would add a lot of context.

Plus I am very interested in the direction you are hoping to accomplish with SuperStreets. A spur line seems appropriate for a rather small town scene. I have traveled through a few towns in Georgia where rails and streets shared space.

https://www.google.com/maps/@3...A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Terre Haute - First Street (aka Penn Central RR St), the north bound street view still shows the tracks between the lanes of traffic (they are gone on the south bound street view).  I remember one time driving down the street and there were two tank cars 'parked' on the track as the rest of the train was being delivered to local industry.  Apparently they brakes weren't fully set and the cars not fully empty as they were moving back and forth a few feet up and down the track -- I assume as the liquid in them kept sloshing back and forth from one end to the other.  I fully expected to hear about "running away" tank cars on the news that night, but I guess they got back to them before they made a get away.

In Lafayette, IN the tracks did go down the middle of a street (have been moved).  I remember riding Amtrak to Chicago though downtown.  Scroll down on the link to the last picture.

http://www.trainweb.org/usarail/lafayettein.htm

FYI - I lived in rural Vigo county (Terre Haute, IN) from 1975 to 1985, so crossed those tracks more times than I care to count.

I used them for my intermodal terminal, worked great.

I use the K-Line Superstreets for an operating Christmas display at the office every Christmas. The tight radius fits nicely on top of a file cabinet. Small engines like Docksiders and A-5's can handle the tight curves. I've never had a problem with the rolling stock. See attached pic.

Here is the area where I am thinking about using Superstreets....the line that is in the center of the pictures. The siding with the MOPAC GP-7 is purely an industrial siding.  The grade on the left circles back and reverses...you can see th eelevated section on the black trusses in the background.

your layout is great!  super streets back there would work. don't crowd the foreground with more (too much) trackage. JohnA