Modern Light Rail Has Arrived

bremner Sep 15, 2021

  1. bremner

    bremner Staff Member

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    The LA cars are the modern equivalent of an interurban, my tram is like a city car, shorter, smaller, and slower....
     
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  2. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

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    Sorely tempted to get one to go with my small passenger equipment. I have third rail and catenary.
     
  3. bremner

    bremner Staff Member

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    You honestly won't be disappointed
     
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  4. BigJake

    BigJake TrainBoard Member

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    I'm really warming up to these little buggers...

    Are they available in DCC, or DCC-ready?

    If not, since the motors are in the trucks, DCC conversion could be difficult. The power, at least to the motors, likely never leaves the trucks.
     
  5. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

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    Right now it is a tossup between this little critter and a Percy 0-4-0.
     
  6. mtntrainman

    mtntrainman TrainBoard Supporter

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    Go with that little commuter train John. It would look and work great on your tight turned layout !! (y)(y)

    JMO
     
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  7. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

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    Yup but so would Percy. But wait both are on sale. Hmm maybe both. Since I run steam, diesel, and electric.
     
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  8. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

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    Well I just dented the credit card and ordered a Tram. Minimum radius is supposed to be R90 whatever that works out to in inches. Treid to look it up on the www but it is not cooperating as far as giving an answer.
     
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  9. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

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    Well I have searched in vain and not found anything and I am beginning to believe the reference to R90 is a typo in the description of this little tram.
     
  10. BigJake

    BigJake TrainBoard Member

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    Their curved Unitrack pieces are referenced as "nRd", where 'd' is the degrees (out of a 360 degree circle), and 'n' is the radius.

    Was there a number before the "R90"? It would be the radius, usually in mm, but sometimes in inches. It should be obvious which it is.
     
  11. CSX Robert

    CSX Robert TrainBoard Member

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    That's 90 mm, or 3.54 inches.
     
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  12. BigJake

    BigJake TrainBoard Member

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    OK, did a little checking, and the My Tram trains appear to be marketed for use with Kato's UniTram urban double-track sectional track pieces. The double track curves are designated 180mm radius, but I don't know whether the inner or outer, or average between the two is 180mm radius.*

    Suffice it to say they will run on very tight radius curves (~8").

    * The 45 degree Unitram double track curves each exhibit two different track-track spacings, the standard 33mm Unitrack doubletrack spacing on one end, and the narrower Unitram double (straight) track spacing on the other end. So the curves do not appear to even have a constant radius, because over 90 degrees (two curved sections), the separation between tracks expands and shrinks. This is obviously visible when you look at a picture of the Unitram curved doubletrack pieces connected to form a 90 degree curve. The diverging route on the unitram double track turnouts also has UniTrack 33 mm spacing.

    Hope this helps (more than it confuses)...
     
  13. bremner

    bremner Staff Member

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    I can't see how DCC could be added
     
  14. bremner

    bremner Staff Member

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    You know what my vote is for...
     
  15. Shortround

    Shortround TrainBoard Member

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    Mine is for the 0-4-0.
    With the way it's going DCC will be available soon. Hopefully without the fires and 'accidents'.
     
  16. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

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    My layout is DC so not and issue for me with DCC. That said however there is a light board offered for the trams according to what I read. But there is talk about the motors being operated at less the 12 volts and you are dealing with two motors. I would suggest talking direct with Kato USA as to the possibilities of DCC. And the Kato pocket line does offer a two unit tram that is nice and is an alternative and someone has adapted that to DCC.

    Meanwhile my tram is already being processed for shipment in Japan and the Thomas Percy is a new release just out so it will get added next month to my train budget. So far as I can tell in my reading the Tram will operate on 6 and 7 inch rad track.
     
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  17. CSX Robert

    CSX Robert TrainBoard Member

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    Are you talking about the Tomix Percy or the Bachmann Percy? The Tomix one has been out for several years. The reason I ask is the Bachmann versions are smaller. You may not care, or may even prefer it, but I think you said you have the Tomix Thomas so I want to be sure you're aware of the size difference if you're considering Bachamnn. Here's a video that has both Tomix and Bachmann Thomas and Percy if you want to see the differences.
     
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  18. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

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    Thomas is an 0-6-0 and should be bigger than Percy who is an 0-4-0 and I would prefer the size difference. Plus I believe that the tomix loco is actually 1/150 where Bmann's is 1/160.
     
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  19. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

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    Well just arrived from Japan and already on the track for a test run. Here shown with some of my passenger equipment for a size comparison.


    The little critter runs flawlessly out of the box with just a hint of an electric whine. At full throttle a nice slow speed probably not more than 40 scale MPH. Very tight turning radius so this critter will handle the 6 and 7 inch radiuses of the port area and even smaller radius. Kato has hit another run out of the park on this amazing little critter. The only problem has been getting these tiny wheels on the track with these old hands. And by the way it is operating in third rail territory so the pantagraph is down.
     
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  20. Metro Red Line

    Metro Red Line TrainBoard Member

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    There are older LRVs that do that. The recent ones have batteries that store enough juice to run the car through non-wired sections.
     

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