Great news, The boiler for 60007 ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’ is now back in the frames at the NMR in York. I can’t wait to see that iconic locomotive back in steam.
Meanwhile in smaller scale I am shortening the length of the coupler mounts on my Bachmann 2 6 6 2, the amount of swing on the loco as standard looks like it is meant for something like 2ft radius curves, why?
Regards
David
Because some people still want to run such locomotives on VERY narrow curves. Just like they still run their Dash 9’s on 4’ foot radius curves…or try to.
The manufacturers meet the demands of the market, just like LGB, who make, or at least used to manufacture all their locomotives in such a way that they all had to manage 4’ curves (Dare I say, 4’ radius, or was it diameter).
Fred Mills
I agree with Fred.
It’s a manufacturer’s ruse to get people to buy trains that are too big for their railroad.
In my opinion, we should never use minimum radius/diameters, unless you want the toy train look.
In the beginning, to survive in Large Scale it had to be compatible with LGB. Then the market was small Euro gardens and LGB trains were cute…
(Dare I say, 4’ radius, or was it diameter).
Diameter. 2’ radius, dictated by small euro gardens as John said.
Seems like a very large group of people in the model railroad hobby are mesmerized by VERY LARGE, should we suggest GIANT locomotives, and how much they can haul.
The manufacturers are happy to produce these BIG BRUTES, even though few of the purchasers have the space to provide even half the trackage, let alone the curvatures needed to actually run them properly.
Just for example, many of us see videos of a Dash 9 loco with possibly a dozen cars behind it, satisfying it’s proud purchaser, by going roundy-roundy around a loop of just possibly, 5 foot radius curves. The owner is happy, I hope, and the manufacturer has sold another Giant Locomotive. Does it represent a real train…not muchly…!!..at least not in the eyes of a knowledgeable Model Railroader.
The bottom line of course, is…THE CUSTOMER IS HAPPY, and the market for model railroading equipment is supported.
We all should be happy.
It is great to see the support for “Historic Steam Locomotives” over in Great Britain. Sir Nigel would be proud…
Thank you David Bunn for reporting the Great News…
Some people are model railroaders, and some people just play with toy trains. And some of us kinda straddle the line between the two.
But to watch an LGB mikado’s drive swivel and flex so it can play on tight curves just looks weird to me, even though I am not a rivet counter…
Talking about maintaining preserved steam brings to mind this,
GAUGE THE ISSUE: It’s Only Metal, Isn’t It? (Originality)
Oct 17, 2019
Chris Eden-Green
Fred Mills. said:
Seems like a very large group of people in the model railroad hobby are mesmerized by VERY LARGE, should we suggest GIANT locomotives, and how much they can haul.
The manufacturers are happy to produce these BIG BRUTES, even though few of the purchasers have the space to provide even half the trackage, let alone the curvatures needed to actually run them properly.
Just for example, many of us see videos of a Dash 9 loco with possibly a dozen cars behind it, satisfying it’s proud purchaser, by going roundy-roundy around a loop of just possibly, 5 foot radius curves. The owner is happy, I hope, and the manufacturer has sold another Giant Locomotive. Does it represent a real train…not muchly…!!..at least not in the eyes of a knowledgeable Model Railroader.
The bottom line of course, is…THE CUSTOMER IS HAPPY, and the market for model railroading equipment is supported.
We all should be happy.
YES,
You are correct Padre ,Friar,Father or whatever ever nickname you prefer even though you dislike nicknames ! The manufactures are selling product which is good for the hobby we all share! Perhaps someday I will be able to represent a real train and become a knowledgeable Model Railoader myself.
For now I just enjoy going roundy round and taking pictures of the half assed models I build then share them on LSC. That is a part of the hobby which I personally enjoy and perhaps you should also look into that part of the hobby as well instead of being so centered on what YOU enjoy.
You might become a changed man yourself ?
EDITED to correct proper punctuation which will need corrected. This is important to some that share the hobby on LSC !
That’s Fred’s idea of torture, being tied up in the middle of a 4’ diameter circle of track with a dash 9 going 150 scale miles per hour!
Greg
But Greg, for those of us who grew up watching Lionel trans zoom around the living room floor, its nostalgic to watch a a train negotiate too small of a curve at an impossible fast scale speed.
when I was young , running Dads Lionel train there were times where we tried to see if we could derail
it on the impossibly tight curves, other times we ran them at more real speeds.
Now I run mine for now at probably a little more than what most would
say is prototype, other times it’s slower. But I wouldnt presume to insist on anyone running their train any other way than how they want, Just because someone wants to watch their train go around their garden,patio, flowerbed, ceiling track is how they enjoy it. I can do both and except for
a whole lot of walking since I am not battery or have any ability to walk with my train, I enjoy going to roundy round .