Mudkip Orange Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 I've gotten used to reading a lot on these forums about how such-and-such a train derails on this curve, or this other train over here only seems to work over there... and this has influenced my track plans, so that up 'til I decided to build Mudkip Dentetsu 1.0 (with a bunch of Atlas R11" sections that I already had on hand) I usually designed layouts with a minimum of R348 or R381. Imagine my surprise, then, when I set up the Kato last week! It turns out that my E531 behaves very nicely on R249, and will actually fit around an R216 - although the edges of the cars touch on R216, so I consider its actual minimum to be R249 from an aesthetic, if not operational perspective. The thought occured to me that this difference in experience may be a suburban/Shinkansen distinction. So - a question for the peanut gallery, what are the minimum radii that your suburban/urban units will operate around? Note that it matters whether we're talking Kato/Tomix or Flex here, since Kato/Tomix curves are "perfect" while Flex is subject to the irregularities of your own tracklaying skills... Link to comment
bill937ca Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 For my Tomix layout the minimum is C243, but I don't run Shinkansen and I work on a table 30 inches wide. With a table 30 inches wide I could go up to C354, but it would be very close to the edge. Another issue is tunnel portals. I ran my Kato Series 787 Relay Tsubame through a Greenmax double portal tunnel for months. Then I ballasted the track and after the glue dried I found the Series 787 wouldn't clear the portal. Hmmn. The portal must have shifted just so much. Link to comment
Mudkip Orange Posted September 2, 2009 Author Share Posted September 2, 2009 What all suburban units do you run? Link to comment
bill937ca Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 What all suburban units do you run? Micro Ace Kintetsu 8000 Kato Hankyu 6300 Series Greenmax Hankyu 2800 Series Greenmax Tokyu 5050 Series Kato Kintetsu 21000 Urbanliner Micro Ace Nankai 50000 Tomix Meitetsu Panorama Car 7000 Kato JR Series 787 Relay Tsubame The Hankyu cars are slightly shorter than the other EMUs.I think the prototype is 1 metre shorter (19 vs 20 metres). Link to comment
Mudkip Orange Posted September 2, 2009 Author Share Posted September 2, 2009 And all that runs on R243? Awesome. Link to comment
Martijn Meerts Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 Most non-shinkansen will run fine on 243, although you also need to take into consideration the couplers. With certain trains, using anything but the standard Rapido coupler will increase the minimum radius. Also, it seems some steamers are 280 minimum, I believe that's the case with the new Tomix C57 for example. My Kato C57 has had no problems with 243 though. Link to comment
CaptOblivious Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 And all that runs on R243? Awesome. You'd be surprised what can run on R243 track! My Kato E4 shinkansen will take R243 curves! (but it's not happy about it) Link to comment
bill937ca Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 Another issue is clearance of overhead masts. The tighter the radius, the more the body swings out at the front and on the inside of the curve. Couplers could also be a issue. The railways have a standard car spec with a maximum length. JR EMUs generally are 20 metres. Modelers rarely use this information. Japanese railways tend to use bridge masts anywhere including curves. Horizontal beams vary in length. Unfortunately the modeler is usually limited to the fixed sizes offered by Tomix or Kato. Tomix does have new bridge masts that are illustrated installed on curves. http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10089679z/70/1 It's not quite as simple as it looks, but it can be done! Link to comment
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