Earl Bathurst Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 I am after some information, I am thinking of using the Bachmann trams but want to build a small continuous run layout to run them. Whats the smallest I can go? What track should I use, I was thinking about using set track radius 1 curves. If anyone can help that would be great. Thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Devil Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Depends...... The 4 wheel Hong Kong cars will do down to about 4 inch radius, certainly sub 6 inch. The PCC cars (as often used to motorise Corgi Blackpool stuff, probably about 8 inch but can be made to go down to about 6 inch with minor mods http://www.gordonstrams.net/MCTpage2.htm The more detailed and more up spec Peter Witt car will probably do 6inch radius stuff without problem, I'd hazard a guess the similar Birney 4 wheeler would do down to about 4 inch if you really tried. I have one particular fierce curve on my layout, but with the bogie mechs I employ I can get an 8 wheel bogie car round a 4 inch curve, although I wouldn't recommend it. If you use radius one setrack it may possibly be not tight enough, depends on what you want to achieve. Flexitrack can be used down to about 6inch radius but you will need to split the sleepers down to individual ones by removing the webbing between each one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl Bathurst Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 Thank you mark for the help. Im going to use the Bachmann hong kong trams in uk livery. I think that the flexi track is a good idea. What do you use for road material. Do you have any pictures of your track work, would be good to see. Scott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Devil Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Couple of pics here, they may or may not have been posted before but...... Track is code 75 FB rail soldered to Copperclad sleepers and some Code 75 Flexitrack, depended what I had to hand Road surface is Wickes ready to use plaster, floated on over the track work smoothed out and lightly sanded if any imperfections, grooove in track made by an 'L' shaped brass tool setting off at a shallow angle gradually increasing to 90 degrees to the rail. Setts are then scribed using a steel rule and engineers scriber, colouring is from a thin wash of Acrylic black initially which soaks into the plaster final colouring is from Tamiya Soot and Snow weathing powders used wet, ie mixed with water and applied as a wash. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl Bathurst Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 I like the idea of the ready to use plaster and a scribe Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Devil Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Original start to the build and pics of 'plaster road' here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=91&t=34681 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Huw Griffiths Posted January 17, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 17, 2014 I hope you don't mind me hijacking your thread for a moment - in case you wish to do some reading around the subject, for future reference. OK - I'm sure you're already aware that there are lots of interesting / useful threads in this section of RMweb - which might come in useful at a later date. However, you might also find further inspiration on some US sites: East Penn Traction Club: http://www.eastpenn.org/ Trolleyville: http://www.trolleyville.com/trolleyville.shtml A number of US modellers are also into "traction" modelling - basically electric powered prototypes - but this often seems to mean trams, interurbans and local freight, running on street track in city centres. Some US forum sites include sections about this. One example I know of is Freerails - their section about tramways / traction can be found at: http://www.freerails.com/view_forum.php?id=53. (This might not be immediately relevant to you, but I particularly liked Herb Kephart's thread about overhead construction: http://www.freerails.com/view_topic.php?id=2906&forum_id=53.) Anyway, that's enough from me for now - back to the trams. Regards, Huw. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatB Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 There's a very good article on motorising Corgi trams in the November Railway Modeller (just got it Down Under). It's not really my field of interest but the combination of an easy but satisfying bit of "real" modelling and the still fairly unusual mature of tramway modelling left me feeling quite tempted if only I didn't have so many other irons in the fire. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan J Kirkman Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 There's very little to add to what Red Devil has said, can I just recommend joining the Tramway and Light Railway Society, full information can be found on www.tramwayinfo.com . You will find much useful information there and many links. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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