What can you run on 054 curves?

I ran O-54 in the basement at the old house and Had plenty of equipment.

In general, smaller and older design equipment will run on smaller curves even if they are scale units. Things like articulated Steamers will need a lot bigger curves for Scale items but those are also available in non scale versions.

I have a Big Boy that will run around an O-31 loop but it looks awful doing so.

I also have a Scale one that looks odd on O-72 so pick your poison.

Check the catalog for anything you see and like, they list the Min track each item will run on.  Numerous threads have come and gone about specific engines and track smaller than listed for them. Some work a bit smaller and some don't.

Why would you go smaller? Some makers track is slightly off from others.

Not all O-72 is the same radius. Some measure inside rail, some outside, and some center rail. This means there can be a 2" difference in track loop to track loop of the same rating.

I have an O54 layout.  A Weaver Pennsy M1a will operate at restricted speeds.   Three axle truck diesels have difficulty through some of the O54 switches.  Track/Switches  are Atlas. There is an inner loop, Atlas O45 that is restricted to small units/locomotives.
What works best is smaller engine/locomotives, even in combination.

Jeff:  I think that you're generally right about running most things on 0-54 curves.  On my layout, I have some curves that are only about 60" across and I still operate 21" passenger cars around them.  These exceedingly tight curves are hidden so you don't get the offending look of excessive overhangs when observing the train.  I don't have any articulateds but I do have several 4-8-4's and a couple of rather long 4-6-4's and they have no trouble negotiating 60" curves, and probably would handle curves as tight as 0-54.

One of the problems with running large engines, or long cars for that matter, around tight curves is that factor of overhang.  I recall hearing of one wag who bought a Big Boy, planning on running it on his 0-72 curves.  First time it ran on the layout, the boiler front rammed right into a tunnel portal.  No problem with that with other engines but that clearance factor can determine just what you can run.

So, in consideration of engine vs. curve diameter, in addition to the engine being physically able to negotiate the curve, you have to consider appearance and also clearance alongside the track.

Paul Fischer

With engines and rolling stock there are far more choices to run of 0-54 or less. When the manufacturer recommends a minimum curve I would stay away from the larger scale rolling stock. Example, the new auto racks from Lionel say 0-54 minimum curve but you have to consider the overhang on the curve. I run mine on 0-89 and 0-96 curves I still have a bit of overhang. Unless you are going to go to larger curves which takes away real estate for other things. You have the right idea.......Paul

Great responses, everyone.

Paul made a great point--just because 054 curves are used on a layout doesn't mean that they must be used everywhere, and in fact that large cosmetic curve on a prime viewing location on a smaller layout may only be possible because of compromising on curve radius somewhere else.

Jeff C

My previous layout was O54. I ran a Lionel N&W Class A (2-6-6-4) with ease.

My switches were Ross #6 turnouts

A lot of scale steamers are factory rated for 054 curves, including many if not most scale Northerns and Berkshires. Many 2-6-6-2 and 4-6-6-4 engines will also operate on 054. I have a real nice Lionel 2-6-6-2 that says 054 on the box, and looks plenty massive on the layout. You can pretty much forget scale Big Boys, Cab Forwards, and the 4-12-2, though. The Lionmaster Big Boy and Cab Forward will run fine all the way down to 042 and maybe smaller. They aren't scale, but they are big enough that they don't look badly out of proportion with scale rolling stock, especially since you would be operating them with period 40-50 foot cars rather than the much larger modern ones. 

Brass engines tend to require larger curves, and older ones more so than newer. I've been working on a friend's brass Williams J-class, and I don't think it would be happy on 054. The Williams Dreyfuss Hudson is similar - it says 072 on the box and it would have clearance issues on the leading and trailing trucks on 054. 

A lot of the big Lionel steamers run on O-54, including the ATSF 3751s, The L2a Mohawk, and the Mallet.  

I am restricted to 036 and must check every possible engine purchase for minimum radius and engine length. Overall I have only seen a couple of steam engines that require 072 like the Lionel S2 turbine. Even most of the Sunset models seem to run 054.

I have run the following locomotives around O-60 Fastrack without any issues.  One caveat is that I have not done any landscaping/ scenic work, and so I did not have any issues with running into obstructions.

JLC PRR GG-1 (though rated for O-72, it ran on O-60 with no issues at all, though I did keep the speed restricted)

JLC N&W Y6b (also rated for O-72, but would run on O-60, with restricted speeds)

Everything else I have owned has been rated for O-60 and smaller (i.e., Berkshire's, Mohawk's, Hudson's, Mallet's, Northern's, Diesel's, Switcher's, and so on).

I have mixed O-72 & O-60 on the same curve just to make the trackage fit within a certain restricted space.  I have also used O-36 half curves coming off switches, however, the bigger steamers (O-54/O-60 rated) definitely did not like the tight curves, and would jump easily.

Hope this helps a bit.

I would avoid any scale articulated locomotives and longer freight and passenger cars.  My MTH scale Hudson runs fine on 0-42 curves but it does have some overhang.  I would look at some of the Railking articulated locomotives because they are still large but can run on smaller radius curves.

The PRR Panhandle has an O54 diameter curve restriction on the mainline.  But I am able to run without problem:

• Lionel PRR M1a
• Williams PRR K4s
• Williams PRR L1s
• Williams B6sb

These are smaller locomotives (except for the M1a), but there are a lot of choices available to you.

George

The really big steam and some of the big turbines will definitely bind, stutter, stall or jump the track on anything less that 0-72; however I have successfully tricked a few, to run on an eased 0-54. In other words, lead and out of an 0-54 curve with an 0-72. This will work for a lot of engines with blind drivers, but anything that's fully flanged (including some larger tenders) will not be happy.

BTW, this will work for some of the more stubborn locos that are finicky on 0-72 loops. Just ease in and out of the loop with 0-84 (Fastrack only, I haven't tried other brands).

r0d

This train is running on a 54" radius. As you can see it is fine-scale

Most of my equipment will not run on this layout. My articulated's jam after the transition.

We're in 3R land right now, Eric, so 054 equals a 27" radius curve, quite a bit tighter than the curve in the picture.

Oddly enough, most big Sunset 2R steam wouldn't run on the curve in your picture, but most 3R guys and gals would do hand stands if they had that sort of space to work with...

Jeff C

My scale WbB GG-1 will......

I have run an MTH PRR T-1 rated for O-72 on O-48 FasTrack. It wasn't pretty, but it worked.

If you avoid S curves, use spiral easements, and numbered turnouts you'd be surprised what will work.

I ran a legacy EM-1 on O-54. worked OK but looked a little weird

My RailKing Imperial, Hiawatha F7 runs fine on O54 and I don't remember making any special allowances for the tunnel portals.

Gilly is right about the bottom line. "Traditional", LionMaster, or RailKing are all going to have no issues on O-54.

Scale stuff as you see can run on it, as long as you avoid the largest ones and are willing to accept the overhang, both inside and outside the curves.

And Yes, Easement is an excellent way to get them down to the minimum curve.

I use them on anything less than O-72 Curves and like to do it even on those.

Flex track is a godsend in these cases but depending on brand can be difficult to work with.

I'm using MTH Scaletrax and compared with others it's a limp noodle. I can easily do a 180° u turn with a single 30" piece. And get this! I can straighten that piece back out and use it as a straight ! with nothing but my hands working the track !

Now ,one other thing I noted in reading down; Tunnel entry is a problem on curves, the tighter the curve, the more width you need.

Optimally you go in and out of tunnels straight for at least the section through the portal. This means with My Imperial Railking Big Boy I can do O-31 inside the tunnel but I need to run at least 20 inches of straight through the portal. Otherwise I end up needing a much wider portal. Ya, the big boy will turn tight but it gets WIDE. On O-31 the Cab overhang is 4 inches outside the outer rail...

As stated all Rail King is designed to work on O-31 easy.....in fact I run it on O-27 under the tree.......so O-54 no issues.

When I aksed Mike Wolf for a RK Shay he said they can't get one to run on O-31 so no go.....all RK must work on O-31.