I have an O-72 loop that can switch to an 0-60 loop via O-72 switches. Will a MTH steam engine rated for 0-72 squeeze around O-60 curves? The reason I ask is that Scale and Real Track only comes in 72 and 54. Not the Lionel 72 and 60.
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This question comes up periodically. The only way to know for sure it to test it. If you post which engine you have, someone may be able to share their experience with the same model. As I understand it, engines with centipede tenders require no less than O-72.
Tony
Tony is correct, and I know that not all O72 stuff will handle O-60, but I'm sure some will.
An articulated with smaller drivers will handle tighter radius. My Lionel EM-1 will run on O-54 although it looks silly it'll run. The larger diameter drivers with the wider wheel base might struggle even with the bling drivers in the center. But like Tony and John said,m you ll never know unless you try.
Sometimes tender wheels are the main factor. Blind drivers allow a lot of latitude in curves, however most tender wheels have flanges which may hang up in curves tighter than what is recommended. John in Lansing, ILL
I do not know if they still do but at one time MTH listed minimum diameters only in track diameters they actually produced for both Railking and Premier. Many Railking locos that would fit 0-27 were listed as 0-31 minimum.
My Lionel Vision Line Big Boy is a perfect example of this. The locomotive has no issue at all with O60 curves, but the tender derails on the O60 curve.
If you can do 064, while not O60, Ross has 064 and all my 072 rated engines can run on it (Lionel BigBoy and EM1, 3rd Rail SF Class 2900, MTH GG1 and MTH Allegheny).
rattler21 posted:Sometimes tender wheels are the main factor.
Another is the distance between the engine and the tender. I installed a one-size shorter wireless tether on my MTH Premier N&W J (054 min). Looked great, but it would derail on 072 Atlas.
Winrose, thanks for your response. I have to use O64 in the yard lead and I was hoping my Lionel Challenger and Williams Niagara could handle it.
