Jhagewood posted:We have an old T1 chessie that requires 042 turns. I found a used layout for sale but it was built with 036.
I own an old Chessie T1 (6-18011) and it navigates O36 curves. Remember, O36 didn't exist back then. Since the manufacturers list the minimum curve on what track they produce, sometimes you can get away with a slightly tighter curve than the spec. Examples are MTH O54 minimum on Lionel O48, anything spec'd for O42 on O36, etc. The key is to test it. And just because my T1 works on O36, doesn't mean yours would. Wheel gauges on O gauge are not an exact thing. Again, you have to test it.
With that said, IMHO trains look better on wider curves. The Chessie T1 looks out of place on O36 curves (honestly O42 as well). If you are space constrained, don't be afraid to use easements. I built a 4x8 holiday layout and used O72 curves leading into O36 curves. The trains motion looked much better.
Building vs buying is really only a choice you can make. I have always built my layouts but I suppose if I found one for sale that fit the bill, I would consider buying it. You can also save time if you use something like Mianne Benchwork to build the "bones" of your layout.
Good luck and happy railroading!
Tony
