HSB Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 I expect that any set-track points PECO produce will have dead frogs like their H0 versions which could be problematical for short wheelbase locos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poggy1165 Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 PECO's conservatism surprises me. As I wandered around Telford, I realised how high a proportion even of exhibition layouts use their points, albeit sometimes with subtle modification. I should have thought there was an ample market for (at least) a tandem three way and probably a single slip. Of course it's the easiest thing in the world to say 'there's no call for it.' There was 'no call' for colour TVs or home computers before someone got stuck in and provided them at an affordable price. You see, once you send people off to make their own track, a fair few will figure out that if they're going to make a 4' 6" radius point (or whatever) they might as well make the whole bally shooting match and have it to a common standard. And they won't necessarily buy the requisite bits from PECO. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennyboy Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 PECO's conservatism surprises me. As I wandered around Telford, I realised how high a proportion even of exhibition layouts use their points, albeit sometimes with subtle modification. I should have thought there was an ample market for (at least) a tandem three way and probably a single slip. Of course it's the easiest thing in the world to say 'there's no call for it.' There was 'no call' for colour TVs or home computers before someone got stuck in and provided them at an affordable price. You see, once you send people off to make their own track, a fair few will figure out that if they're going to make a 4' 6" radius point (or whatever) they might as well make the whole bally shooting match and have it to a common standard. And they won't necessarily buy the requisite bits from PECO. As they have very little competition when it comes to high quality RTR trackwork in the UK, I guess they can afford to be conservative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poggy1165 Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 Yes, our native car industry had much the same attitude. And our native motor-cycle industry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hartleymartin Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 Or we can take a Peco standard curve and straight piece of track, super-impose them and then conjure up our own points. Murphy's law says that they won't be the same as the eventual Peco standard ones. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KTM Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 . And our native motor-cycle industry. Until 1992. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hartleymartin Posted September 24, 2013 Share Posted September 24, 2013 We really need Peco to make a 3-way or tandem point. In fact, it would be in their interest to do so! Think about it. 1 point, 4 yards of flex-track. INSTANT INGLENOOK! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Brasher Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 The minimum radius for most 0 gauge fine scale locomotives with a six coupled wheel arrangement or a six wheeled tender is 6' so the Peco Set Track will not be much use. I like using large radius Set Track as the curves are accurately machined and easier to obtain smooth running than flexible track. I belong to the Isle of Purbeck Model Railway Group and we have 0 gauge running nights at the huge Furzebrook Village Hall so space is not a problem. Our layout is 60' long so we do fill all the available space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 The minimum radius for most 0 gauge fine scale locomotives with a six coupled wheel arrangement or a six wheeled tender is 6' so the Peco Set Track will not be much use. However, diesels and small industrials will have no problem. My Heljan 33 copes - albeit at slower speeds than I may choose to run - with a circle of Lima setrack which is about 3ft radius. There's thankfully more to 7mm modelling than big steam locos... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edcayton Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 (edited) If large loco's in 00 can get round radius 2, then why can't 0 gauge loco's get round 4 ft radius? I think we have a chicken and egg situation here. As I said in another thread I think that the "right" rtr loco in 0 gauge will open the flood gates. However, Peco won't sell much track until the loco is available, and most people don't have the space for a non-settrack roundy. Give me a Jinty, or a 14xx or a class 22 and a circle I can get in what used to be my son's bedroom and I'll be away! and I don't think I will be the only one. Ed edit for typo Edited November 15, 2013 by edcayton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Gilbert Posted November 15, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 15, 2013 I think Peco have thought this through - my roster will certainly work around their set track curves- and points will follow soon.... Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 If large loco's in 00 can get round radius 2, then why can't 0 gauge loco's get round 4 ft radius? I think we have a chicken and egg situation here. As I said in another thread I think that the "right" rtr loco in 0 gauge will open the flood gates. However, Peco won't sell much track until the loco is available, and most people don't have the space for a non-settrack roundy. As I said above, my O gauge Heljan 33 copes happily with trundling round ropey old Lima O gauge setrack so it should have no difficulty with the Peco setrack. Remember that the whole "locos designed to go round a minimum 6ft radius curve" is because the Gauge O Guild decided at some point that 6ft should be the minimum radius. 6ft radius points are fine for mainline speeds however for industrial or yard points where speeds are naturally lower you'll find tighter curves. I don't know why these arbitrary 'standards' have held back progress for so long. Now that things like the Ixion locos and the Dapol 08/Terrier when they make an appearance - plus the many other industrial loco kits on the market, plus Skytrex/Dapol/Lionheart rtr range of wagons, O gauge has come on in leaps and bounds in the last few years and become accessible to the "average" modeller which can only be beneficial for the modelling community as a whole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatB Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 I think the 6' radius thing came about because, for decades, the only "fine scale" r-t-r points available were Peco's offerings, which were a nominal 6'. Back in the late 70s/early 80s the majority of 7 mm modellers working to better than Bassett Lowke or Hornby standards used Peco track and points. Well, certainly in SW England anyway, which was where I made direct observations. As a result, most "fine scale" locos and stock of the time were constructed to be compatible with Peco track dimensions. OK, you could buy Marcway pointwork in everything from 4' to 9' radii, and I believe there was a place in Bristol, where Dad bought our points, who did Marcway style copperclad in 4'6", 6' and 9' but users of these seemed very much the minority. In fact, apart from our own efforts, I only remember one layout which may have had such things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted November 16, 2013 Author Share Posted November 16, 2013 Minimum radius for the new Heljan Western is 31.5 inches, 800mm according to the instructions supplied by Heljan. I have mine running over 48 inch radius in my fiddle yard with no problems. Come on Peco, bring on the points for the big diesels. Don't worry about kettles, out of date old stuff. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
switcher 1 Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 Peco 0 gauge setrack was announced in February, I believe, along with promised points, of about 38" radius, my baseboards are still awaiting their arrival! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
switcher 1 Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 With regard to 'Other Brands' - C & L are kits, & you can't buy online from Marcway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Isambarduk Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 "Don't worry about kettles, out of date old stuff" No, let's worry about out of date old oil cans instead! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 Peco 0 gauge setrack was announced in February, I believe, along with promised points, of about 38" radius, my baseboards are still awaiting their arrival! The straights and curves are available - still no ETA on the points though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
switcher 1 Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 Peco setrack points & Dapol 08 diesels seem like unicorns & dragons, (mythical beasts). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted November 16, 2013 Author Share Posted November 16, 2013 I think the points will arrive before the 08. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 The minimum radius for most 0 gauge fine scale locomotives with a six coupled wheel arrangement or a six wheeled tender is 6' The larger beasties maybe, but my Sang Cheng Terriers and Ixion HC seem quite happy running through my Marcway 4' radius points. I think 4' radius points (left, right & symetric 3-way) would probably sell better than set track curves and they should have started with the points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted November 16, 2013 Author Share Posted November 16, 2013 Fully agree with you Jack. Points first then the rest. There is flexi track for curves and straights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Gilbert Posted November 16, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 16, 2013 I think the points will arrive before the 08. I definitely agree. I spoke to Peco (Bob Phelps) during the NMRA convention and he was fairly bullish about points being produced Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Train Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Anyone hear any updates about these mythical points? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 Sadly not but I could still use at least one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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