Can the spectrum seaboard make 18" curves?

[Musicwerks]

Dear Mr Bach man and friends,

I love the spectrum 2-10-2, I fell in love with it when I say it.

I have a problem, my layout is 18" curves only.

Can the spectrum 2-10-2 make it on 18" successfully w/p derailment?

Kiong

[Pacific Northern]

Model Railroader magazine did a review of the Spectrum 2-10-2 and gave it very good marks. They also were surprised that the version sent to them ran on 18" radius track very well.

It appears though that a few of the Spectrum 2-10-2's will not run on 18" radius track, hence it would be best if you could try out the engine before you bought it.  You can search this forum and you will find a couple of people who had problems.  That is also true of the Spectrum 2-10-0, that while most will run on the 18" track a few will not.

When I first got my Sectrum 2-10-2's I had no problem with any of them running on 18" radius track that I had on my layout at that time.

[Musicwerks]

Hi Pacific Northern,

Great news for me, which model of the Spectrum 2-10-2 did you purchase (the one that makes 18")?

Do you have the Bachmann serial nos of your 2-10-2?

Cheers
Kiong

[Pacific Northern]

Hi Pacific Northern,

Great news for me, which model of the Spectrum 2-10-2 did you purchase (the one that makes 18")?

Do you have the Bachmann serial nos of your 2-10-2?

Cheers
Kiong

I have two sets of the CN version of the 2-10-2. Eventually I will swap the cabs for the enclosed Canadian style.

The secret to running on the sharper radius curves is the side play of the engines drivers. The more side play the sharper the radius. Note 18" would certainly be the max sharp readius.

[Doneldon]

Music-

The term "version" is not accurate in the strict sense of that word. There is only one current version of the 2-10-2. Some of them will clear 18" curves while others will not. No one seems to know for certain why this is but I would guess that Pacific Northern is on to the explanation. This business of one locomotive model having individual examples which will negotiate 18" curves and others which will not is not confined to the 2-10-2. Several Bachmann steamers show this characteristic and the only way to know if you have one which can handle the tight curves is to try it out. There are two other factors which you must consider.

Longer locomotives (e.g., the 2-10-2) and rolling stock hang over on curves, especially tight ones. The ends of the models overhang to the outside of curves while the centers overhang on the inside. These overhangs make it difficult to keep cars coupled to the loco and/or on the rails. Sometimes longer coupler shanks and movable draft gear (coupler boxes) can correct for this. Talgo trucks, which have couplers mounted on a long arm extending out from the truck itself, can also help at times. However, Talgo trucks are generally not an option for tenders and they clearly will not work on the front of a steam engine. Too, it is very difficult to back trains with Talgo trucks without derailments as the pushing force is on a line to force the pushed car off of the rails.

The second additional consideration has to do with how the overhangs require you to have very wide spacing between parallel tracks. There is no problem on straightaways but the overhangs to both sides of curves can easily lead to trains side-swiping one another. Clear passing is almost impossible if both tracks have long equipment. Yes, you can use an extra straight track so the outside curve doesn't start until well after the inside curve starts, but you'll still have a problem at the point that the inside curve makes its move.

I'm really not tying to discourage you here, just pointing out that the ability to clear a curve does not mean you should use tight curves. On the contrary, it's just that you'll have a much more rewarding model railroading experience if you build your pike with either sufficiently broad curves for long locomotives or limit yourself to smaller engines if you must use tight curves.
                                                                                     -- D