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009 minimum radius


dave cook
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There are other things to consider than just the number of wheels the loco has. It's wheelbase and overall length are factors. While a short wheelbase 0-4-0 (like a Minitrains loco) may be able to negotiate 3" radius curves on its own, a train will have difficulties. The shorter the stock, the tighter the radius can be. Another limiting factor will be the track itself, you might find that bending it into a small curve will affect the gauge in a negative way. The only real way to find out is to experiment.

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With care you can lay very tight curves, this is 5.5" radius:

 

IMG_6199.jpg

 

You do need to make sure the curve is even and consistent without kinks or tight spots:

- Mark it out first with a compass

- Remove the rails from the sleepers and pre-bend it carefully with your fingers (or a rail bender) to approx the desired radius, ensuring the bend is only in the horizontal plane

- Re-thread the sleepers

- Cut the webbing between sleepers under the outside rail - it stops the sleepers twisting and causing kinks or gauge narrowing

 

Of course a tight radius like this does limit you to short wheelbase locos - a Roco 060 will get round, but mainly it's 4-wheel stuff - and you have to watch coupling overhangs. But stick to short stock and it will work like this...

 

44881262404_d55603e1dd_c.jpgIMG_6131 by Michael Campbell, on Flickr

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My Dad built a rabbit warren layout with 5". Was designed for Egger, Jouef and Minitrains 0-4-0s, but my Roco 0-6-0 steam and diesel would get around it. The Egger steam railcar would't though.

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On 03/08/2019 at 18:13, JZ said:

My Dad built a rabbit warren layout with 5". Was designed for Egger, Jouef and Minitrains 0-4-0s, but my Roco 0-6-0 steam and diesel would get around it. The Egger steam railcar would't though.

 

I have just ordered the Roco HOe Logging Train Set with a view to creating a fun micro layout. Not sure if I will use the set-track which comes with the set or use flexitrack with the sleepers adjusted. Apart from my cousin’s Hornby 0 Gauge tinplate clockwork train and my brother’s Triang set on the basic 6ft x 4ft board, my earliest memory of railway modelling was an Alpine layout at an exhibition in the early 1960s, and the design I was later to discover was a version of the  ‘rabbit warren’!

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  • 4 weeks later...

I've got down to 4 1/2" radius with a shortened Kato 11-103 / scratchbuilt body pulling Roco 4 wheel wagons and a coach / brake / works van of unknown origin, all held up by a flowerpot :) 

A Roco 0-6-0 won't run on it. 

 

46591853405_ece0b22601_c.jpgUntitled by lesmond2009, on Flickr

 

30270879867_3409ef410d_c.jpg20181009_204137 by lesmond2009, on Flickr

 

I'd not want to go any tighter and expect to run a coupled train, unless you were to use chains or rooster bars.

 

Les

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  • 3 months later...

All,

 

As my fictitious Welsh 009 layout "Llongwaith" will feature the Bachmann Baldwin (on heritage/preserved/tourist passenger trains) and the EuroNG Coferna kit on Roco 0-6-0 chassis (as double headers on long loaded freight trains, and single on long empty freight trains, or on the occasional passenger train as substitute traction), I'd also like to know what the minimum radius for either two types of loco's/chassis.

 

-----------------

 

The track is quite likely to be flat only, maybe a slight gradient.

 

Some track sections (both scenic and FY) will be dedicated freight only and some (FY) will be dedicated Passenger only.

 

Passenger stock will Peco GVT 4-wheel, maximum load 5.

 

Freight stock will be Peco 4-wheel, maximum load not determined yet, probable be 10 to 15 empty, with one loco and 10 to 15 loaded, with double headers.

 

Timber/Lumber (Peco Bolster wagons) going one way loaded, empty return.

Slate (Bachmann Slate wagons) going the other way loaded, empty return.

 

General purpose freight (Peco 2 axle wagons) going both ways, 5 to 7 wagons, single loco.

 

Layout size is 6' x 3' on 2 boards.

 

 

Regards, Michel

 

Edited by 59004 ( was Shedcombe....)
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Cheers for that.

 

For the Baldwin, I intend to honour 9" curves.

 

For the Coferna/Roco 0-6-0, I'd like to get my curves as tight as reliably possible.

 

For couplings, I might design something 3D printed myself, with a clickable bar that can swivel between 2 fixed heads that themselves click in to the NEM pockets of the wagons.

 

I don't like the Peco coupling offering and the Greenwich coupling I'm not sure about either.

 

Want as close coupled stock as possible.

 

I will only run fixed rakes.

 

Remote uncoupling by between loco and train will be by a (by me) altered version of the N gauge SD-Modell coupling.

Edited by 59004 ( was Shedcombe....)
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  • 7 months later...

Set track is always a good basis for tight radius corners as it is set up on a jig.

 

The next option is track setting templates and you can obtain these laser cut to your desired radius as the normal route N-gauge Tracksetta goes down to about 9" radius.

 

Various laser cutting companies may be able to slice up some mdf or perspex to give you a tighter radius, you should get down to about 6" radius before the strength of the template material is compromised. (Bespoke radius templates are not always a wallet worrying option.)

 

You might use a 90 degree arc of 3mm MDF cut at your desired radius and push the sleepers against the arc to set out the curve which may be problematic on elevated sections or tight against structures etc.

 

Personally I would endeavour to keep the seriously tight corners out of the public eye, use lavish curves of 9" on the scenic developed areas.

 

Have at least one long and one short 'infinity curve' to hand whilst the MK1 eyeball and mirror trick is fairly reliable an infinity curve is useful to lay out baseboard joints on portable layouts...

Edited by Sturminster_Newton
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On 15/12/2019 at 22:31, 59004 ( was Shedcombe....) said:

Want as close coupled stock as possible.

 

Bit of a contradiction in terms if you are after sharp curves!!

 

The main issues with sharp curves, assuming the stock will go round them, is overhang (especially with the Bachmann Baldwin), couplings and running. Best advice is to avoid if possible, but make the curve as large as possible if you can't.

 

 

The 17.5" board width - how about an extra bit of board tacked on where the curve is to allow a 9" curve, just a couple of inches will do!

 

I've used 6" in the past but wouldn't bother now, my minimum curve is Roco's setrack 10.5".

Edited by Hobby
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On 12/08/2020 at 09:17, Sturminster_Newton said:

Various laser cutting companies may be able to slice up some mdf or perspex to give you a tighter radius, you should get down to about 6" radius before the strength of the template material is compromised. (Bespoke radius templates are not always a wallet worrying option.)

 

If you're after a bespoke option, then Osborn's Models do custom templates for N gauge - https://www.osbornsmodels.com/ray-dee-eye-create-your-own-radius-36687-p.asp

 

I've not used these, just aware of their existence, but they seem a reasonable price for a custom product.

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On 16/08/2020 at 15:52, Robin2 said:

Isn't that a 5 minute job with a jigsaw?

 

...R

 Can be, how accurate doe it need to be? 

 

Having read a description of how to get 009 to perform you do see why building small lines on anything other than polished granite foundations is favoured.

 

The writers thoughts were that tracklaying needs to be more than perfect and accurate.

 

OO9 has such tiny current collectors it will give trouble.

 

Whilst laid by eye may well work and never give a moments trouble there are many who slap something down and then lose heart when it all goes wrong.

 

Which is why I am looking closely at O-16,5...

 

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009 is like any small scales, including 16.5mm, the more care you take, the better it will run. I've seen smaller pickups on scratch built OO locos though, again properly adjusted they work fine. 

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Did a couple of cakeboxes, in 09 got down to 2" radius in testing but opened that out to 2.5" for the cakebox. It has run just shy of 100 hours at various little shows with no issues. This is using the tomytec chassis. Again in testing I found the Kato would just about run arouind 2.5" but seemed OK around 3". In passing in GN15 (i.e.16.5mm gauge) I did just under 3" (73mm) but after 100 hours or so flange wear is becoming noticeable. As to curve gauges I just used home made ones cut from scap sheet metal using a nibbler then "filed" to line using a bench sander. Track gauges were standard "N" ones.

 

IMG_20180516_091839.jpg

Edited by riscosuser
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