I was wondering if I could run a legacy es44ac with a minimum curve of 0-54 on a combination of 0-36, 0-31, and 0-42 track?
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Uh...what?
Nope, 0-36 is pushing the minimum already as it's got the semi fixed pilot. No to 0-31. 0-42/0-36 might work but you'd have to be careful as the car directly behind the engine could derail.
There is a reason it is rated for a minimum O-54... anything less is a gamble.
I would say no! Learn from my mistake. At one time I had 054 curves on my outside loop. I purchased a scale 4-8-4, Mr. UPS delivered it and I quickly unpackaged it and placed it on the track. I fired it up, sounds, smoke, man, it was great. It started rolling down a long straight, then entered into an 054 curve. My beautiful locomotive derailed. I had to sit it on the shelf until I finally installed 072 curves on my outside loop. I was butt headed. I knew full well that MTH said that it required 072 minimum, but I went ahead anyway. I learned my lesson on that one.
I think the short answer is easy. Stick with the MFG specs Nick
I try to stick with the MFG specs. Or soon you will be posting on OGR-
"Locomotive binding up on curves" Don't let this happen to you lol. Nick
I like wise bought a diesel that was rated for O54. Put it on a make shift track I had on the floor which I was playing with granddaughter on.
After a few test laps the traction tire came off. Replaced it came off again. Then it dawned on me that I was running on O-36 curves. No problem on O-60.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.!
Regards,
Mike
Some trains can be modded for a tighter curve. E.g. while they won't make turnouts because of the coil covers, I have modded three semi-scale GGs to run on O-27 by simply taking another 1/32"-1/16" off of the truck guide slots.
Say what you like about looks and overhang, I was running GG-1s where there wasn't enough room for a GG-1 
I.e. this will need a es44ac owner experienced enough to make a guess of it.
D500 posted:Uh...what?
You can sometimes get away with curves being below the min. if they alternate... 42" then 36 then 42 then 36" etc..
Winger posted:I like wise bought a diesel that was rated for O54. Put it on a make shift track I had on the floor which I was playing with granddaughter on.
After a few test laps the traction tire came off. Replaced it came off again. Then it dawned on me that I was running on O-36 curves. No problem on O-60.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.!
Regards,
Mike
I take factory curve recommendations as merely a suggestion. Often a locomotive will be rated for, say, a 31 curve but will throw tires, so it really runs best on the next wider curve. Or the overhang will be so odd looking on the tight curve it just doesn't look right. Then again, I have a few that run just fine on tighter curves than they are rated for. Go figure. Nothing about O scale is standard.
RJ,
Sometimes engines and tenders will run on tighter curves than are recommended on the box, however when it says 072 min on the Scale box, you can pretty much depend on it being true. Especially with Scale Engines like the TMCC JLC GG1.
The best way to determine what any engine will actually run on, is to test the engine yourself on what ever track you own. If you have a friend who owns an engine you would like to purchase, ask him to test run it on your layout.
PCRR/Dave
Trainman87 posted:I was wondering if I could run a legacy es44ac with a minimum curve of 0-54 on a combination of 0-36, 0-31, and 0-42 track?
I would say no. O-36 is tighter than O-54 and so is O-42 so how do you expect to run an O-54 engine on track they say is to tight. Your still running track tighter than O-54
Take a page from Mr Union Pacific, there is a reason the manufacturer is specifying a minimum diameter curve. Remember, that the manufacturer wants to sell as many as possible, they are never going to say minimum 072 if it will run just fine on 036. Once you go below that minimum diameter you can expect issues and your new, beautiful locomotive becomes a shelf queen.
Curves are like towing capacity....you can never have too much, but too little can be a big problem.
Just looking at a traditional-sized engine and train (WBB girls set) on our yet-to-be-taken-down Christmas floor loops. It looks appropriate and natural on O60 Fastrack with no overhang yet it's rated for O27 or O31.
Save yurself some aggrivation and or greif. If you can't go with a bigger radius, go with a 4 axle diesel instead, like one of the legacy Geeps.
As explained during an MTH open house, their curve recommendation is for a complex set of curves including turnouts. I have found that at least one curve smaller will usually work with the Lionel WM Shay (converted to Proto 3) set for O54 being the only one I have that does not follow that guidance. Even my MTH Allegheny and Dryfus, Lionel Big Boys and EM1's, and 3rd Rail SF 2929 run on O64 as well as the recommended O72. My MTH GG1 (rated for O72 runs well on all my O54 loops (needed extra length wire on coupler to keep it functional). My MTH O54 SF 2912 northern (converted to proto 3) derails on my O72 loop in one spot and one spot on an O54 loop at speeds greater than 35 smph where all my other 4 northerns run well. On smaller radius, my O31 MTH Alco S2's ran well on my earlier O27 loop without any issues. As others have said try it and see what it does on your curves that do not correspond to the vendor's recommendations - you might be surprised. Also, track geometry may cause issues with long non-articulated engines requiring level track outside of curves (my issue on one of my O54 loops - in one direction.) On the other end, my Lionel R27 Subway rated as O36 will not run backwards on my O42 "S" curves without derailing - much less than be able to run as the 6 car set. I think I will be able to run the 6 car set on one of my O54 curve - however I have not tried that configuration yet.
Oh , yea. I forgot with the semiscale GG-1 on 0-27, the coupler is fixed to the pilot and overhangs to the outside of center, dragging cars off the rails to the outside in curves. I have to use a car with a swinging articulation on the coupler shaft. I used a passenger car truck with the swinging coupler to work around the issue. The same car is always head end, right where a mail car belongs on a passenger train. And on freight, well; it belongs.
