What is the largest diameter curve on your layout (031, 072, etc) ? This information may help manufacturers in the real world. Mine is 042. JohnA
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080
Custom but normal (standard) for the mainline is O72.
George
027
John
O72
Atlas O sectional curves......0-108.... go big or go home !
0-27
Curt
Old Realtrak layout O-82 (may it rest in pieces)
New Atlas layout will have 108 in some stretches and 72 at the end of loops
O-42, though the next one will be O-72
o 128
Mainlines - O80 in the temporary section, O90 when complete. O72 in the yards, 054 for some spurs.
The mainline is O36, though I do have a piece of O72.
BTW, all O48 switches.
4x12 layout, so 042.
O-72 on 12'-by-8' layout.
O-54 on 10'-by-5' layout.
MELGAR
O72 on 9x14 layout
Realtrax o31
o 128
080
027
The largest curve is flex track, measured to be about 99" diameter. The tightest curve is O54 on a couple of industry sidings, other than that, O72 is the tightest curve.
057 flex track
072
6 by 18 somewhat of a half dog bone. Dual mainline 060/048. In transition, space may dictate losing the 060 as I am finding some of that “ train room peace “ in building and painting .
072
072
031 on the upper logging line with 072 and 080 on the main line.
O 54 on the lower outer mainline loop. 0 42 on the upper mountain loop.
072
O72
O27 gauge tinplate track here, BUT O42, O54 and O72 radius curves
o-72
O54 is largest but occassionally use O60
O72
Max 122 min 096 including industrial and yard trackage. If I have another layout those numbers will be larger. If I have to go smaller, I sell out.
Fastrack 036
Mainline O90 & O81, O72 elsewhere.
Jan
060 Fastrack
O-31 on my Christmas tree layout, O-36 on my basement layout.
O72 FasTrack
027
Currently O72 for 3 rail. Going to be 54" radius (0108) minimum when I start my 2 rail layout.
O-106 max, O-42 min
11 x 17 ft platform.
2 mainline ovals with all O54 GG curves.
Multiple through sidings off of mainline ovals all with O72 Ross turnouts.
2 curved Ross turnouts both O96/O72.
.Atlas 3R, Triple main 090, 099, 108. Yard 072. Sidings 072 and 054.
For all of my 022 switches, curves on my 4 reverse loops and most of my curves: 031.
However, I have some sections of 042, 054 and 072 curves.
O72
0-90, soon to be 0-99
Layout = 8' by 24', largest radius curve = 072.
072
11 X 14' layout; max is 0-90, min is 1/2 section of 0-72 on innermost loop.
072
On my 6-1/2' x 12', O-72 largest. Also a O-48 & O-36 ovals all FasTrack.
Ross 112, min 072. 054 in diesel service area where larger not needed.
042
Atlas O81 sectional, O137 flex.
Outside loop is O 72.
O-63 max - O-54 min
Some O54. Majority is O31 on a 7 x 7 layout.
Almost all 072 or greater.
054.
O72
O54 minimum
O-60, looking to expand to O-72.
What kills me regarding curves is not the diameter itself (for minimum requirements of rolling stock/engines) but the 6" spacing that most people recommend because of overhang. It makes for a larger footprint of a layout.
O-36, but hoping to expand to O48 sometime in the future.
031 on all 16 or so square feet of it. Better than nothing.
0-42, but hoping to expand to 0-60.
Largest on Mainline: 0-72
Tightest on Mainline: 0-42
All K-Line Super-K Shadow Rail track.
0-72 Fastrack
Mark
O-80
I have an inside loop using O-54
O-72, -63, -54, -27 (for streetcars)
O-72 Outer, O-54 Inner
089 Outside Loop
080 Inside Loop
072 Yards
from O31 to O54, O gauge
O42 to O72, standard gauge
O-72
089 largest 072 smallest maybe a single section of 054 on a siding. Gotta be able to run big scale steam and my Centipedes. Granddaughters Christmas Polar Express 031.
031 on 7x8 layout and 027 on test track.
Essentially O72 minimum.
Which is how I managed RRTrack through the design process. There are lots of places where more generous radii were used if possible. It's been nearly 20 years since design/construct. RRTrack is/was on the hard drive of about 3 computers ago. My septuagenarian memory is deserting me more each day. I believe the largest radius used in one corner (accommodating access to the house electrical panel) was O128.
Bigger is better, of course. (WRT model railroading track radii and beer steins, especially!) I'd probably still be in HO using 40" radius minimum on the mains if it weren't for the aforementioned trappings of age. That would've given equivalent appearance of O scale equipment on O160 curves...the stuff of dreams. There's compromise in everything. We do what we can with what we've got....eh?
FWIW, always.
KD
Most of it: 072 GG/Ross/Curtis.
A bit in yards: Lionel tubular 042 (not much selection when I built this).
All switches are GG 0-100; except: 4 GG 0-72 and one Ross 8-way yard set.
All track and switches are painted.
While bigger is most certainly better, my layout which is 36" wide by 17 ' long had to fit into a long skinny alleyway in the room I had available. So I am also a bit of a traditionalist and use 3 rail tubular track (I purchased all new from both Menards and MTH) . The "outside" loop is Lionel "0 gauge" of 31" diameter but at the apex of the curve I have a single straight of 5" to give me some extra width. My inner loop " 0-27" and is pretty much left as is. I use appropriate switches for each loop, 022 on outside and (i don't remember Lionel #) but 0-27 on the inside loop. See picture view.
Best wishes and good luck with your layout.
Don
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054 in an 11x11 room
Just wondering but how will this help manufactures? There are some physical requirements for scale size models that keep them from going around certain curve sizes. Maybe 50% or hobbyists have maximum curves of 031. That's fine and all, but no one is going to physically be able to make a scale size Big Boy run on 031 curves.
120
Sure it can help. Can see how things are trending. Should they make more big stuff ? years ago I think this same question was asked and back then most everything was o31 027 and some 072 with just a few larger than that. 072 was big for me, now I think that is the smallest track that should be made.
@Lou1985 posted:Just wondering but how will this help manufactures? There are some physical requirements for scale size models that keep them from going around certain curve sizes. Maybe 50% or hobbyists have maximum curves of 031. That's fine and all, but no one is going to physically be able to make a scale size Big Boy run on 031 curves.
I know it may not be scale but my new LC+ 2.0 big boy which is 29 inches long runs wonderfully with o31. I hope Lionel will keep making larger locomotives with articulating drive wheels to accommodate o31. I have a lot of straights so it makes up for the curves but it negotiates them with ease and looks great too. It shows the real life size of the big boy so it works great.
Brad
@B rad posted:I know it may not be scale but my new LC+ 2.0 big boy which is 29 inches long runs wonderfully with o31. I hope Lionel will keep making larger locomotives with articulating drive wheels to accommodate o31. I have a lot of straights so it makes up for the curves but it negotiates them with ease and looks great too. It shows the real life size of the big boy so it works great.
Brad
If you're interested, they made a LC+ 2.0 SP Cab Forward. Not too long ago they also had plans to release a LC+ 2.0 Allegheny, but unfortunately it didn't receive enough preorders.
Inner loop MIN is O44.5 (sectional compound curve). Outer loop MIN is O54
042 on the main loop to loop, upper branch return loop is super o which i think is 036. Alas space constraints made it impossible to go much bigger, 054 would have been better.
072 on the home layout.
0106, 0102, 072,072 on the club layout.
096 is the largest mainline. Smallest 031 turnouts for track platforms under Grand Central.
040 Gargraves flextrack
0-80
Largest 0144", smallest 031" hidden, the majority 0120"
O-96 Fastrack carpet layout to run my scale engine and passenger cars.
Jim
O 54, keeps me out of the 4-8-4 market
Lionel tubular O42 and O42 switches, which are the largest curvature I could fit on the L-shaped platforms of the lower (main) level of may layout. The upper level has three short trolley runs with Lionel O27 tubular track with bumpers at all ends for back-and-forth travel through DEPT 56 Christmassy scenes.
I own several train sets that require O60 (better yet, O72) tracks), but those curvatures won't fit within my L-shaped train room. Track plans attached for reference.
Mike Mottler LCCA 12394
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Images (2)
O-48 outside loop with O-36 inside figure eight loop
Fastrack: 2 outer loops are O48 with O72 switches and 1 inner loop 036 is for storage only.
@wb47 posted:O 54, keeps me out of the 4-8-4 market
HI wb47, maybe I misunderstand your post, but most Lionel Northern Class 4-8-4 Scale models run on O54, so shouldn't be a problem. As a matter of fact I have two scale Northern 4-8-4 SP and WP GS series running just fine on O48 (don't tell anybody) ;-) Here's a photo of them parked on a O48 curve looking good! Disclaimer: I'm not going to say that all scale Northern Class will run on O48!
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Images (1)
Mainline #1 072
Mainline #2 036
Double main so 054 on outer main & 042 on inner main.
