I have 18 in. radius curves and Im looking for a streamlined passenger car that can make it around 18 in. curves. Does anybody know any? Also is there a way to change a car that can only go around 22 in. curves so it can go around 18 in. curves
You can modify them to take 18" curves, but not without significant alterations...essentially "chopping". Although it really depends on what you mean by "streamlined" and what length you are starting with, as well as whether or not the coupler boxes are body mounted or truck mounted. Pretty much all the cars longer than 65 scale feet are going to be much happier on 24" radius, let alone 22" radius. Getting longer rolling stock like passenger cars, with steps and under-frame appliances mounted properly, to go around 18" radii is going to be a major bit of work. You'll need a Dremel tool to grind lots of plastic clear of your swinging coupler boxes which will have to be mounted on the trucks, you may have to move the trucks themselves inward on the frame.
atsfrio - There are a lot of streamlined passenger cars made by Athearn, Concor, Rivarossi and others that wil operate on 18" radius curves. They are also less expensive than current models. They are not as true to prototype as current offerings though. It all depends on how accurate you want to be and how much you want to spend. Check your local hobby shop.
IHC or Athearn I was planing on using the athearn streamlined http://www.athearn.com/Search/Default.aspx?SearchTerm=Streamline+RTR&CatID=THRP&RN=SF I I cant tell you the length because they dont have that info on the site. I also was looking at the IHC cars http://www.ihc-hobby.com/cgi-bin/bsc.cgi?sn=28VL4232541513Y88144H9N11B6119 But they dont have any info either. which would be better?
While they look okay, the IHC cars take a lot of work to run properly. They tend to be light, and you would want the much better metal trucks that IHC sells separately. Incidentally, I have read that IHC went belly up, so supplies may begin to get short before very long. I would take a serious look at the Athearn cars before those of IHC.
If you are just starting out and 18" radius curves is what you have...it's an ok place to start. I started out with 15" and 18" radius curves. The tightest radius curves I could find and tired of them... quickly. In time you will tire of the constant derailments and what has been referred to as string lining. The Athearn shorties are approximately 10"s long. They will negotiate the 18" radius curves but do better on 24" radius curves. You can use your 18" and it will work for a while. I guarantee it won't be long and you or who ever you build this for will tire of it all. In time you are going to want to run full length passenger cars, longer locomotives and they will require wider curves. I would recommend a little out of pocket investment in 24" radius curves. I guess I should warn you. Yes, In time you may tire of the 24" radius curves and decide wider curves are better yet. But you got to start somewhere...right? I tired of the 24" radius... very quickly. I typically play on the N scale board and yes the above is about HO. Here's the kicker... What I did was take the HO radius of 18", 22" 24" radius curves and built a N scale layout. Now I have the equivalent of 36", 44" and 48" radius curves. Wider curves are better curves. The bonus is... I can run anything I want on my N scale layout. Have fun and enjoy your layout.
I have a set of IHC passenger cars for my "Alton Limited" train - 80' heavy weights. These IHC cars have the couplers attached to the trucks rather than the body/frame. These cars will generally handle 18" radius curves but they do not look right doing it. Also, as mentioned above, the IHC cars are light even after adding interiors and need to have extra lead weight added. I no longer have any 18" radius curves - everything is 22 or bigger now since I run UP Overland passenger cars also with the couplers mounded to the body/frame.
The good thing about a freelance railroad is that you are not stuck with any one thing. If I wanted passenger cars, to run on tight curves, my railroad CEO would authorize my car shop to just cut some sections out of the full length cars we bought from another railroad, and bring the two ends closer together, and run them like regular passenger cars. If a Greyhound bus can fit 47 people in a 45 foot bus, then we can get 25 or so in a 50 foot car, and just string a few of them together to make a full train. Ah, the beauty of the Zona saw.
As has been mentioned Athearn Concor72 foot and Walthers 60 foot passenger cars will go through 18 Inch radius curves. Make your curves a wide as possible in the space available to you is my advice. The layout here has 26 inch radius curves but I wish they were at least 30 inch.
I have found that Life Like 60' streamlined passenger cars work fine, but they are very cheap and they don't last very long. My best advice is to not use IHC passenger cars, Model power passenger cars, or Life Like passenger cars. Chances are, Athearn probably makes some sort of passenger cars that will go around 18" radius curves, but I still suggest buying 22" radius curves or more. They look more realistic, and hey, there's something to be said about how long cars and locos roll better through them.
I have a set of four Rivarossi six-axle passenger cars (85 foot) that go well around 18 inch curves, but they look very odd doing that.
Feel free to visit my albums "Radius Curves Discussion". Click on the invite below. I use N scale examples however, they can easily be converted into HO equivalent's. I added a commentary beneath each picture that you might find helpful. I think I said this already. I played with the 18", 22" and 24" for a while. I soon tired of it and eventually determined I wouldn't mess with them in the future. With N scale I can take the same measurements and it gives those wide curves I wanted. See as a youngster I had room for a HO layout just not enough room to push my curves out beyond the 24" radius. I wish you the best with your layout. Model Railroading is fun!
