Peco Code 75 curved turnouts

[bike2steam]

What's the smaller radius on Peco Code 75 points ? I'm thinking of installing a couple in the fiddle-yard of my new layout, but I have kit-built locos that struggle on anything less than 3 feet rad !!!!  

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

You might have a 'route restriction' there then, as the substitution radius of the smaller curve is 30". Worth testing with your locos as there is some gauge widening in these and other Peco points, allowing a little more 'wiggle room'. One of my notionally 36" minimum radius kit builds, an N7, will go through, the kit built J15 however baulks - unsurprising given the splashers/cab sides requiring limitations of the sideplay of all wheelsets on the latter.

 

On a more general note these points didn't quite make the cut for unconditional use when I tested for reliability. Based on this testing my layout scheme came out as 30" minimum radius plain track, and 36" minimum radius points, for all running lines. Peco's curved point didn't deliver complete reliability when full size trains were propelled through in the facing direction on the smaller radius (fine on the large radius), so it is restricted to off-scene yard locations, with the further condition that all train movements on the small radius are in trailing direction only: it would have been so useful if the smaller radius were slightly larger and it was as reliable as the medium radius point, but there it is.

[Harlequin]

What's the smaller radius on Peco Code 75 points ? I'm thinking of installing a couple in the fiddle-yard of my new layout, but I have kit-built locos that struggle on anything less than 3 feet rad !!!!  

I measure the inner curve as 28 inch radius but I think Peco describe it as "30 inch nominal".

Edited August 23, 2018 by Harlequin

[ISW]

What's the smaller radius on Peco Code 75 points ? I'm thinking of installing a couple in the fiddle-yard of my new layout, but I have kit-built locos that struggle on anything less than 3 feet rad !!!!  

 

According to the 3rd PlanIt software, Peco Code 75 curved turnout is 730mm radius (inside curve) and 1610mm radius (outside curve).

 

Ian

[bike2steam]

Thanks all, so 28" it is, I'm of an age where I can only visualize in good old feet, and inches, but Ian's euro-size more or less confirms -ish. So it's too tight - shame. It'll have to be an ordinary medium rad turnout, and one less road in the fiddle-yard - ah well!!

[sub39h]

You can cut the webbing of straight points and gently bend them. Might be a way of squeezing another road in?

[teaky]

I think LNER4479 showed how the Peco points were doctored somewhere in his Grantham thread.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

You can cut the webbing of straight points and gently bend them. Might be a way of squeezing another road in?

 It's a slight curve though. More to eliminate the 'threepenny bit effect' of using RTL points than to introduce significant curvature. (Unless someone has shown how to get very brave with this technique. The most I have done amounts to abour 2 degrees over the length of a Peco large radius point.)

[Barry Ten]

My kit-built locos are definitely not fans of the Peco curved turnouts, especially on the tighter radius curve. Locos with bogies seem to be reasonably tolerant of them, but I've had trouble with pony trucks, much more so than with RTR locos, where I think the slightly deeper flange and/or tread profile can be more forgiving. In an ideal scenario I'd only use the curved points on exit roads, but like many of us I put up with them as they give me an extra couple of fiddle yard roads.

[RFS]

I use them extensively in my storage roads to gain extra space.  The very occasional issue, but really no different from the odd issue on other turnouts.  Here's the entrance at one end - 11 curved ones and one large radius.  All Peco code 75 Electrofrog. Being curved it has allowed me to space the storage roads closer together without doctoring the points.

 

 

Edited August 25, 2018 by RFS

[bike2steam]

My kit-built locos are definitely not fans of the Peco curved turnouts, especially on the tighter radius curve. Locos with bogies seem to be reasonably tolerant of them, but I've had trouble with pony trucks, much more so than with RTR locos, where I think the slightly deeper flange and/or tread profile can be more forgiving. In an ideal scenario I'd only use the curved points on exit roads, but like many of us I put up with them as they give me an extra couple of fiddle yard roads.

I've never had any trouble with kit-built locos running over Peco pointwork as long as it's no smaller than medium radius. It's the 8-coupled locos that are the most difficult offenders ( except the G2's of course).

[Barry Ten]

I've never had any trouble with kit-built locos running over Peco pointwork as long as it's no smaller than medium radius. It's the 8-coupled locos that are the most difficult offenders ( except the G2's of course).

 

Same here, no problems at all with any other points (including slips, if taken at scale speed) but it's the curved turnouts that raise gremlins. If I remember rightly Tony Wright doesn't

use them on the entry roads to his fiddle yards for that reason.

 

Most of my 6-coupled chassis will cope with considerably tighter radii than 30 inches, but the problems arise from pony trucks in the main, rather than the coupled wheels. I can

generally tweak things until the running is reliable but it's a lot of pain for the gain, when I'd rather be doing some other modelling!

[bike2steam]

 problems arise from pony trucks in the main, rather than the coupled wheels.

 

I'd go along with that, that's why I always make sure they're well sprung both vertically, and horizontal, and the back-to-backs are precise.