Hi Guys:
Does anyone know the minimum radius for the HLW Fornie and the HLW shortie 7 window coaches ?
Thank you,
Norman
Sorry Norman but I have never tested them on anything smaller than R1. I know the shorty passenger cars worked fine with my R1 curves but the lighting power pickups caused alot of drag. I think that the steps might interfere with the couplers on very tight radius curves, unfortunately I no longer have that car to try on the pizza. I’m pretty sure there Forney will also work with R1s but below that I cannot say.
Hi Vic:
What is the diameter of R1 curves and R2 curves?
Is your pizza layout, using the Aristo curves, 21 inch diameter?
I want to buy a dining room fine furniture table to use as a layout base.
The OVAL shaped desk is 37" wide x 64" long. What R# size would fit on a 37" wide table?
Thank you for your help,
Norman
Norman Bourgault said:
Hi Vic:
What is the diameter of R1 curves and R2 curves?
Is your pizza layout, using the Aristo curves, 21 inch diameter?
I want to buy a dining room fine furniture table to use as a layout base.
The OVAL shaped desk is 37" wide x 64" long. What R# size would fit on a 37" wide table?
Thank you for your help,
Norman
Hi Norman
R1 = 4’-0" dia
R2 = 5’-0" dia
The Borracho Springs Pizza uses 32" dia on the bottom track (equivalent to the Aristo 32" dia. track 11145) and Aristo 11140, 21" dia on the upper track. The Angry Beaver layout is only 21" dia.
37" wide? None I’m afraid
R1 4’ dia is too wide, it needs a minimum of 4’-6" wide to fit. Aristo 11145 would easily fit but the trouble is that Aristo going tits up means that the track is no longer available. The only track that might still be available is HLWs plastic track used with their Army Train starter set and barrel train sets, its also 32" dia but is not compatible with anything other than itself. IOWs no switches or crossovers possible.
HLWs Barrel Train and Army train which has 8" straights as well, at one time they did sell the track separately. I’m sure if you call them direct you could probably still get it, be on notice, the HLW track is LOUD! it needs something sound absorbent as an underlayment.
Norman,
I am thinking the same sort of thing your thinking of. I have a little more room but not much. R1 wont work. I am thinking of going the route of using LLagas Creek rail and my own ties and hand laying. This wont be easy as there are no turnouts so those would have to be hand laid as well.
Hi Devon and Vic:
Possibly you could use the R1 turnout frog and guide rail sections to then built a stub switch.
The LGB Chloe or Olamana looks to be a good candidate for these type of tight radius layouts.
The more I think about this the more sense it makes. Our nice weather season up here is only four months. Add to that it the wildlife at my cottage would destroy any permanent outdoor buildings. Definitely will install a Gauge 1 and 3 1/2" gauge track at the cottage for the live steam though. But no fixed outdoor buildings.
Vic, thank you for all of your postings. I am certain that your postings has inspired many folks to build an indoor layout when they wrongly thought that they did not have room for a layout.
Norman
I always thought on something this small it would be best to build a single point type switch or a swinging single rail type switch, these were common on tram and trolley lines
Hi Vic:
That is another great idea of yours. I could buy the yellow Bachmann trolley and run a trolley line with the small dining table filled in with buildings. That actually would look realistic.
There is an O Gauge mfg. that offers stub switches for their 1800’s brass locos. I forget the mfg. ast the moment. I guess the O gauge stub switches could be bought and the ties simply cut along the centre line and the gauge widened. The ties could then be covered over with brick work or gravel.
Norman
OK Vic,
You mentioned this to me before and now I see what your talking about. That is a very simple design and I can see where it would be efficient on a tight radius turnout. The makes me want to place and order with LLagas.
this is a street design with the extra stuff to keep the asphalt out but no reason why they can be made this way as Vic suggests.
Hi Devon and Vic:
I just came across this web li\nk:
http://www.trolleyville.com/tv/school/lesson2_5/
email: [email protected]
G 1/24th layout Japan 3 x 2 feet
http://www.carendt.com/small-layout-scrapbook/page-71-march-2008/
Kato USA 40210 Unitram Street Track w/Streetcar Rails & Roadway (Left), N Scale
http://www.factorydirecttrains.com/katousa40210nunitramstreettrackt-outl.aspx
Track switch geometry
Does LGB offer trolley switches or is R1 , 24" , the tightest switches they offer. My guess is yes.
Some one must offer trolley switches in G. Anyone know who?
I guess a dual track 90 deg crossing can be assembled with LGB track offers. Would look super cool and my guess would cost around 1K just for the switch work.
Norman
Vic,
I think you have gathered some groupies. I guess I am not the only one you have inspired to go big by going small.
Hi Devon and Vic:
Devon, I think that Gargraves Track would be better for indoors as the hollow rail will be easier to curve for a tight radius and the track has wooden ties.
Norman
Edited because I looked on my computer instead of my phone and see gargraves has a larger selection than I found on my phone. I will take a look at it.
I would be very curious to know some more about the Gargraves Track. Whats the rail height or code? Whats the cross section look like? I am a bit of a stickler for the details and it has to look like real track. I believe these micros get a lot of close scrutiny and detail sells it. I did some poking around and here is a price break down:
Gargraves: For their Stainless 37" section of #1 (G) flex track is $9.95
Llagas: for their nickle silver assembled 6 foot section is $44.50
For their Aluminum assembled 6 foot section is $22.50
A 6 foot section of nickle silver rail is $14.75 and 4 tie strips are $5.00 which makes a 36" section of track $29.75
a 6 foot section of aluminum rail is $3.40 and the $5.00 for ties strips makes a 36" section of track $8.40.
I also found their video on bending the track, very easy to do and in the video they appear to be bending a very tight maybe 30" curve. The tie strips are removable so it could be disassembled for making turnouts and what not. I am intrigued. The cost is right that’s for sure. I could be interested even out doors as it is stainless and as cheap as Llagas aluminum for the same distance.
Norman,
I posted an inquiry in the track section soliciting opinions about Gargraves track. It does not come recommended.
Devon Sinsley said:
Norman,
I posted an inquiry in the track section soliciting opinions about Gargraves track. It does not come recommended.
Devon,
I don’t believe Gargreaves track has changed much in the past 50-60 years! When I used it in the late 50’s for O gauge work, it was hollow rail and did not follow a very accurate profile of actual prototype rail. Ever wonder why the video shows it being bent so easily? Also wooden ties. Strictly INDOOR track, IMHO.
Hi Devon:
There is also Ross switches http://www.rossswitches.com/contact/contact.html
I just emailed Steve to ask what is available in gauge 1 to mate with the Gargraves gauge 1 track.
For indoor, I like the hollow tubular rail as the rail produces a prototypical wheel rolling sound just like back in the days when I had the Lionel trains. The short tie length would be perfect for a street car line. The ties would be covered over with pavement or brickwork anyhow if you modelled an in town street car line.
I intend to order an oval of HLW 32" track for test purposes and then install a Gargraves line with Ross switches assuming that Ross will mfg. a gauge 1 switch in 2 rail.
Norman
I look forward to hearing about your experience with this track indoors and its adaptability for us in micro. I am going to go the other direction and hand lay llagas track and build turnouts. Since I am modeling a 1:20.3 logging and mining railroad from the late 19th century the look of the track will be important to the overall effect.
I am interested though. I think there is more than one way to skin a cat and for a trolley or industrial in street line it would be easy to make look right.