Turning radius

[craigs]

What is the minimum track radius i can use for a HO Bachmann Northern 4-8-4 Santa Fe
Thanks,
Craig

[uncbob]

Mine ran OK on 22 but looked  oversize for my 4x 9 1/2
I took it off my roster
Even on my new layout with 22  24   I only run a Berk as my largest

[full maxx]

like bob said 22 will work but looks a little silly with the overhang

[ABC]

It requires a minimum of 22 inch radius to run, but it takes 30+ inches to look pretty good, on 22" radius there is quite a bit of overhang. Atlas makes 24" radius in code 83 track or you can use flex track for anything larger, E-Z Track also comes in larger radius sizes.

[Clear Block]

FWIW, The Overland Limited set I got as a kid came with 18R curves and the 4-8-4 I always said it was way too tight on those curves. I wonder why they did not sell the set with at least 22R I mean they did have them at the time.

[uncbob]

Here is a pic of it on 22 radius
In addition you can really hear the drivers rub when it hits the curve

[craigs]

Thank you to everyone! This was good information. I was getting ready to buy one but I was afraid it would keep jumping the track as the layout I was going to run it on has an 18" radius. I think I will hold off. Thanks Again!
Craig

[Doneldon]

You can see by uncbob's overhead shot that it doesn't look terrible on 22" radius, except where the loco and tender almost touch, but 18" would be ridiculous to look at, if the loco would even make it around the curve.  It seems that you have made a good decision to put this purchase off, craig.

          --D

[uncbob]

If you want a larger type  steamer a better choice would be a Berk or Mountain

[Doneldon]

A less massive tender would also help the appearance.

          --D

[ABC]

If you want a larger type  steamer a better choice would be a Berk or Mountain

Except some people's 4-8-2 Heavy Mountains and 2-8-4 Berkshires don't get along well with 18 inch radius track. At least that has been my experience, these locos that are "borderline" seem to be luck of the draw whether they will run on 18 inch radius or not. I usually don't have much luck when it comes to this.
Bottom line, if you want a larger loco, use 22 or 24 inch radius track.

[uncbob]

Yeah it is a given they need both 22
But my pic was of the Northern on 22 so I assumed that we are on 22 BUT I forgot he was asking about 18

[NewYorkCentralgirl]

Wait a minute.......my Bachmann Niagara makes 18" turns perfectly, and so does my J-class.  I don't normally put them on 18" curves, but when they go on the 18" curves, they run smoothly, with no issues........Should I be having trouble with the 18" curves? Or are they capable? (maybe I just got lucky  )

[ABC]

Wait a minute.......my Bachmann Niagara makes 18" turns perfectly, and so does my J-class.  I don't normally put them on 18" curves, but when they go on the 18" curves, they run smoothly, with no issues........Should I be having trouble with the 18" curves? Or are they capable? (maybe I just got lucky  )

Did I not say that it seems to be luck of the draw as far as running on 18" radius. As a side note I conducted a survey among members of my local club who had at least one of the following Bachmann HO locos: a 4-8-4, 2-8-4, or 4-8-2. The results are as follows 1 4-8-4's, 2 2-8-4, and 1 4-8-2 ran well on 18" radius curves out of a total of thirty-nine locos, so about 10% of Bachmann locos with 8 drive wheels will run on 18" radius without issues. Two people never did get back to me. Maybe what appears to be no issues to you is not actually no issues to someone with a better eye, but you could have no noticeable issues, yet still have issues, you don't have to notice them for them to be there.
When you run your AT&SF 4-8-4 or your N&W 4-8-4, I dare you to run a 75' automax car directly behind the tender and see if you have issues...I know from experience that this situation (with long rolling stock directly behind the tender, not counting passenger cars with talgo trucks) will cause you trouble with the tender derailing every time. Ultimately, I know all that counts is that you like how it looks, but I sometimes wonder how a 4-8-4 on 18" radius curves can look good to anyone when it has overhang even on 22 or 24 inch radius curves. I bet somebody thinks a 350 foot, 36 axle Schnabel car will fit right in with those 15 inch radius curves, but for the record someone reported theirs can make 24" radius curves.

[NewYorkCentralgirl]

Didn't see your post there, sorry about that!  And of course it doesn't look good, but it still works.  I have a handful of smaller locomotives, and have these two for pure fun, so looks aren't really a problem.  I'm not a big passenger fan, and my box cars are all about 50' with about four being 65', but I wouldn't dare run the huge box cars with the Northerns.  I could just see the ends of the tender and cars colliding as they take on the curves......  

I guess the looks really are what counts but when your a kid who can only afford SO much track, and is still having issues trying to convert all of the old bachmann couplers on my rolling stock and engines to the new one, the 18" and about 8 pieces of flex track (as far as turning goes), suffices.  Typically I hide the 18" curves, throwing them towards the back of the layout and/or hiding them behind/in a mountain, but I can't imagine a huge freight car on a 15" curve.  That must be painful to watch.