Kato cars coupled together and to a P42, what is the sharpest curve that they will negotiate? Doesn't have to look good, just needs to make it through with no derailments. Less than a 9" radius possible? Anybody know? I will be getting my set on April 8th, just want to know as soon as possible for a little layout project.
They will not make it on radius of less than 9". While they work on 9.75" radius with some binding, 11" radius would be the smallest I would suggest.
I doubt any N scale car longer that 50' scale will negotiate anything below 9 3/4". I had to deal with that nonsense in HO scale, and that's why I left it and never looked back. I run 18" min. radius curves on my N scale layout and don't have to worry about what can't run.
Kato usually designs all N scale stuff to run on a minimum 9.75" radius. Reason being, it's the smallest radius they offer in Unitrack.
They make an 8.5" radius but I don't think a Superliner would go well on it. Mine go around the 11" radius on T-TRAK corners ok.
Why wouldn't it have "look good"? Is the area in question in a tunnel or otherwise invisible? I'd say 11" myself. Those 9.75 radii will be problematic IMO.
The minimum radius on my setup is 21.75 and even then I wish I used larger. It looks fine, but there is still minor overhang. I also want to eventually have (operating) diaphragms on the cars, so the wider the radius, the better.
Yeah, I have my passenger trains running on a 19" radii. Wish I could have larger but it's just not in the cards. That per the CEO...if 'ya get my drift.
Just got my set today, the Kato starter set. A Kato P42 coupled to a train of Kato Superliners easily goes through an 8" radius curve. The curve was made using Atlas code 55flex. Just a little loop I have on three laminated sheets of 3/16" 20"x30" foamcore. One end is an 8" radius, while the other end is a 9" radius.
