What runs on sharp Super Streets Curves?

MTH RK PCC trolley runs pretty well.....slows a little.....but in my book much like the real thing!

the attached is a .pdf of a file from my book - still a week or more away from print - that lists what runs and doesn't.  Everything listed was actually tested by me on my layout.

On some trolleys, to get them to go through D-16 curves you have to remove the truck swivel limited screws or do a bit of body work so their trucks can pivot to a wider angle: Do that and even things like a BANG will get through a D-16. 

Note: I am somewhat conservative here.  For example BEEPS and BEEFs will actually struggle through 'Streets curves, sort of, but its not pretty too watch, so i call it no.

Wow, really sharp curves. But a good way to do O-gauge in a limited space!

I've experimented with really sharp curves in HO and N gauge, and find that there is a pretty good variety of smaller items that can run on curves much tighter than what is generally considered acceptable. Sometime cars and locos need only minor modification to adapt to sharper curves.

The question of what looks OK is very subjective, and it's a totally different question than what works OK ? Better to have an interesting layout with tight curves than no layout. Sometimes the turn-back curves can be concealed, especially for a long narrow shelf layout.

Sharper curves open up more opportunities for an interesting layout in limited space, beyond switching layouts. The sharpness of the curves can be mitigated with easements. Or it can be a great way to add a trolley run on an existing layout.

Ace - you make good points.  When K-Line invented 'Streets roadway they were inspired in making it such tight radius; it fits in and around existing train tracl on many tight layouts.  And fra nkly, the small cars and trucks that run on it look fine on such tight curves.  Trolleys and such that run look silly and often stick out at the ends on curves so much they catch buildings and such, but they run. 

Here is a figure that sort of makes my point.  Still, it is a lot of fun. 

I run the K-Line Plymouth switcher set on D-16 curves in Super Streets. Another that runs good is the MTH PCC trolley, also the handcars by K-Line will run but don't add the trailers like in the Polar Bear set and the KCC mining set, K-Line trailers don't pivot correctly as set up by K-Line.

Have not tried it but speeders should go through the D-16 curves as well.

Lee Fritz

Doug at Western Hobbycraft says their trolleys will run on D21 Super Streets, I have the trolley in hand now, but not the streets to test it on yet myself, I sure hope he is right.

Great looking trolley, sure hope he is spot on and it looks reasonable on the D21 curves.

Wow that was an old post of mine up there regarding the Atlas IR TrolleyK-line Porters and Plymouths should be added to the list of O-16 capable. The Lionel Birney does well too. Surprisingly the MTH PCC car can do it as can the MTH two truck trolley but NOT the single one truck bump and go.

Like Lee mentions above the clearance on the long cars is rough.  Creating some kind of relay based block wiring so only one car can be making a curve on two parallel tracks would not be a bad idea.

I'm sad the Atlas industrial rail line cars seem to have been dropped

Would that be the same as a MTH 30-2585 Bump-N-Go Trolley? I bought one a few years ago and haven't had the chance to run it, but I'm thinking about adding some SuperStreets this year

They do run on D21.

It runs fine on my D21 curves.

Thanks Bill

Johnny: I agree with Bill Robb that your MTH Bump-and-go trolley will run fine on D-21 Superstreets curves.  However not so well on D-16 curves without manually adjusting the transformer voltage every time it enters and exits the curves.  When running at a realistic-looking trolley speed on straight track it will slow down and then stop completely in the middle of the D-16 curves.  I have to increase the throttle every time it enters those curves to provide sufficient additional voltage to get it through the curve without stopping.  If I leave the throttle on that setting after it exits the curve it will fly down the straightaway at a very unrealistically fast speed for a trolley!  So keep that in mind if you want to be able to turn on your trolley and let it run unattended.   

Regarding the MTH PCC’s, my experience agrees with Dave and other posters with one minor caveat.  My three PS-2 versions run very well on both D-16 and D-21 curves with realistic-looking slow down on the curves.  However when running at a realistic speed my only PS (aka “PS-1") version will slow down more than the PS-2 PCC’s do on the curves almost to the point of stopping on the D-16 curves.  I believe that’s because it runs on a much lower operating voltage. 

I first noticed that speed vs. voltage difference when I got my first PS-2 and tried to run it and the PS-1 on the same track at the same time.  That experiment didn't last long!

HTH,

Bill 

Thanks, I've searched everywhere even on eBay for D21 curves and it appears that they are not available.

I'm now thinking about using O27 and fill in between the rails with something. I didn't want to spend that much time on it but I don't see much of a choice at this time. Maybe something will come up on eBay before I go that route, but I think I'm going to order some O27 now just in case nothing else comes up

Just a note to add.......my MTH PCC is a conventional only model which may make a difference too. I don't have any other trolleys so the PCC is the only one I can test.

For reference, there is the NMRA recommended Practice RP-11. Condensed here is what it says about traction:

Street Cars: All street cars, single or coupled with a tow bar or couplers: 9” min radius

Interurban motors to 64’ long, without trailers: 12.5” min radius

These minima are slightly larger than the Streets curves, but you should be able to bend your relevant equipment around them, perhaps with modifications to chassis to allow adequate truck swing.

Yes, Lee, longer cars will interfere with structures carelessly placed too close to the curves. Inspection of real life trolley lines will show how this was dealt with.

There will be D21 curves in the 00341 E-Z Street Expressway starter set estimated to be available in December.  Hopefully the D21 curves will also be available at that time too.

Oh that's great news, Thanks Bill. I'll have to keep my eyes open for it, but I'm going to have to get some actual dimensions to make sure I have room for it when arranging all my buildings. I plan on doing that this weekend. That's funny because I was just telling my wife that I didn't want to end up with something that I couldn't replace if something happened or if I wanted to modify it a Little.

I thought my FasTrack would last forever and I had to replace it all this year because it just rusted or corroded away. I would have had to change everything if I couldn't replace it with identical pieces.