What size curves do the 3rd rail passenger cars take specifically these: http://www.publicdeliverytrack...ger-coach-4-car-set/ Also how about the 54' reefers, can those do 0-36 curves?
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You're going to need O72 for those cars. I doubt the reefers do O36. My guess would be 54 is the smallest.
Trainlover9943 posted:What size curves do the 3rd rail passenger cars take specifically these: http://www.publicdeliverytrack...ger-coach-4-car-set/
Since those are 21" long, i.e. scale length passenger cars, I personally would not recommend any curves under 072 in 3-Rail.
Also how about the 54' reefers, can those do 0-36 curves?
Again, in my opinion, Sunset/3rd Rail/Golden Gate Depot does not offer anything that will take such sharp curves.
Matt, Please consider which couplers are on the cars. Cars whose Lionel compatible couplers are mounted on the trucks will negotiate tighter curves than the same car with Kadees mounted on the frame. John in Lansing, ILL.
As stated,O-72. I have a cutback that is O-63 with easements. This car length can navigate this relatively long "S" curve if pulled slowly.
Of course,there is a good bit of overhang.
Norm
These scale length passenger cars will not work well if at all on less than 72 inch diameter curves but the bigger the better. Also you need ot consider the overhang on these cars will cause collisions in curves when running on parallel tracks. The middle of the car will get so close to the other track that an oncoming train will certainly hit it. I have a few cars with big scratches from being in the wrong place at the wrong time when a steamer came into the curve and wiped out the car and derailed the whole train and made a huge mess.
rattler21 posted:Matt, Please consider which couplers are on the cars. Cars whose Lionel compatible couplers are mounted on the trucks will negotiate tighter curves than the same car with Kadees mounted on the frame. John in Lansing, ILL.
John, it would be 3 rail trucks and couplers.
I just received a Golden Gate Santa Fe streamlined RPO, and the brake cylinder mounted on each truck barely clears a body-mounted stirrup on an O72 curve.
Yes John but that will not change the overhang in curves, the only thing that will do that is a shorter car. I can do an overhead photo comparison of a GGD El Capitan car and an 18 inch Lionel Mikwaukee Raod car but all I have is O72 track at my house. I have O54 at my parents and O36 somewhere but I've never used it as I don't own anything that will run on O36. I do have scale PE cars but I think those are 18 inches too
Top on is GGD El Capitan scale car, the center span of the car overhangs the inside of the curve quite a bit. Second is an Atlas California Zephyr scale car also with the same overhang. Imagine how much that will be on O54. That a good 3/4 to 1 inch over the insidecrail bringing the car that much closer to the outside rail of a parallel track. At the bottom is an 18" Lionel car, overhang not as bad but not that good either. A loco coming into a curve will hit the middle if the car in the curve due to the pilots sticking out. Steamers and articulated locos are the biggest offenders of pilot and boiler overhang but scalecdiesels are guilty as well
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