I know that long cars don't look good on 9 3/4" radius, but my question is will it WORK? I have the Walthers double stack cars and I might have to make one corner a 9 3/4" radius. Does anyone have any experience running these cars that tightly? Visually, I'm not concerned about it because the view of the cars at that point will be mostly obscured. Thanks for your input.
I think it depends on how far inset the trucks are, and how much they can swivel, otherwise the cars will derail and fall over or uncouple. I have some 89 foot passenger cars that will stay coupled, but the trucks can swivel enough that half the car body is hanging over the outside of the rail.
I can't answer how this would work, as to the type of car you wish to operate. My modeled era is much earlier. I'd suggest that you build a test track on some scrap lumber, and test it out. Then if satisfied with the way that works, construct the more permanent track on your layout. Boxcab E50
Most of the rolling stock I've ran on such a tight radius works out ok (older auto racks and 89' flats). Just watch the space on the inside of the curve as these cars will overhang quite a ways.
Long cars, will it work? June 1968, six 85' Rivarossi heavyweights behind an 0-8-0 or an E-8 around a 7 and a half in radius "Postage Stamp" track. You could almost see both rails in the overhang. A lot of slippage, but it never derailed. Then to get back to the outer loop, a backup move through an Atlas double-slip switch. (Yes, once upon a time they marketed one of those, also a three-way.) Yeah, it worked, but I figure that it was due to the workmanship of the trackbed and benchwork. The setup was in my grandmother's basement on an old, warped dropleaf dining table, on a slanted floor. The track was held together only with the stock railjoiners, unless you count the masking tape on the bottom of some of the ties. Paul PRR in Atlanta
