Telford Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 (edited) I'm thinking of adding a tramway to a proposed layout. The trams are mainly motorised Corgi Felthams which are bogie cars. No way will these go around prototypical sharp curves, e.g. 90 degree into a side street. Track can be modified by cutting some webbing, but there seems to be no way to make the bogie wheels have the required flexibility. One idea was to have each axle independently sprung horizontally, but that is impossible on these small bogies (The Felthams are motorised with Bachmann PCC chasis, the older motors in circular casing ). One way may be to leave out one axle + its wheels. ( The old 'Tri-ang' Woodhead electric had a dummy, 'flat-tyre' wheel in the centre of its Co-Co bogie, but I'm talking Bo-Bo here ). I haven't tried this yet for fear of breaking something, and I think it would result in the bogie wobbling and tipping onto the track at the no-axle end anyway, plus I think the bogie then may need to be fixed solid for this to work. Non of the model tramway layouts on YT videos show the tightness of curve I require, so I think this is a no-no, unless someone has any, not too difficult, modification ideas ? Thanks. P.S. I have filed out the plastic under frame according to the 'Motorising' method on 'Model Trams and Tramway's' website, but this only allows the bogies a slight increase in swing before the bogie motor inside hits the body sides. Edited January 13, 2019 by Telford Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon A Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 A picture looking at the underside of the tram in question would be useful. Gordon A Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telford Posted January 14, 2019 Author Share Posted January 14, 2019 Sorry Gordon, I'm not good with technology ! However, If you take a look at the 'Model Trams and Tramway' site under 'Motorising die-cast trams', there are such photos of the underneath. What I'm after can be seen from 16:40 on the You Tube video 'Sheffield the Last Trams', where the Robert's car is seen turning at c 90 degrees into the Tinsley sheds. Thanks for replying. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted January 15, 2019 Share Posted January 15, 2019 Fix the bogies and only use the inner axles on the rails, so you've got the shortest possible 4 wheel chassis? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telford Posted January 16, 2019 Author Share Posted January 16, 2019 Looks like the only way, apart from settling for wider radius curves. Thanks fellas. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim.snowdon Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 Looks like the only way, apart from settling for wider radius curves. Thanks fellas.It is not at all unknown for the track to use a larger radius than just following the kerb line, swinging across to the wrong side of the road in some cases, and occasionally interlacing with the opposite direction track. Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
roythebus Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 I'd suggest prototype trams minimum radius is about 36'-40', around 6" radius. the usual turning circle of a bus is around 56'. Bec Feltham trams would manage 6" radius corners but then they used Triang X500 "Rocket" motors. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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