N gauge 1st radius curves

[gresley76]

Right then. I've downloaded XTraccad or whatever it's called and designed a lovely little trackplan. At this point a thought occurs: are modern N gauge locos (eg Dapol 66 and modern steam locos) as precious as the modern 00 locos which won't go round 1st radius cos they're bad for their swerves?

[Mike W]

The simple answer is that most N gauge locos cope fine with 1st radius curves but you should try to avoid them if at all possible.

 

I use 1st radius curves in places and have tried most modern N gauge locos - the ones that work fine are too numerous to list but I've had problems with a Dapol 9F (which is fair enough!) and a first-run Dapol Voyager. Both Farish and Dapol 66s have been fine. Haven't tried any other steamers though.

[gresley76]

Thanks for that. I would love to avoid 1st rad but the space available and my desire for a double track oval precludes 3rd radius so 1st it will have to be. Wasn't planning on a 9F so should be okay!

[Etched Pixels]

R1 (at least in Peco speak) is 9 inches or so , R0 (the continental sharpest radius of 7" is akin to the OO R1 and causes similar problems) Try and avoid any pointwork directly facing an R1 curve.

 

The only modern stock I've met which have real problems with R1 curves is the Farish long wheel base vans. Using 9" curves does however make it much harder to get stock closer coupled.

[justin1985]

I'd say it doesn't tend to be the locos that cause problems, but the couplings on vans and other rolling stock. Much N gauge stock now comes with "long" as well as "standard" or "short" length couplings. If you have to use the longer ones it tends to look ridiculous when running on the straight, but if you use the "short" on first radius curves you often get buffer-lock, uncoupling or even derailments.

 

Now, if Farish could give us a close coupling mechanism like Fleischmann, Minitrix, Arnold, Electrotren ... Dapol ... pretty much every other N gauge manufacturer indeed ....