EZ Track Center to Center for Articulated Locomotives

[daddomaddo]

Mr. Bach Mann,
I notice you offer 26 & 28 inch radius and 33.25 & 35.5 radius EZ track.
I notice NMRA recommends 2.5" at 32" radius for large and articulated locos but did you folks happen to test run locomotives such as your own EM-1 on either set to determine double main running clearance?

Thanks

[Joe Satnik]

Dear dm,

If you are worried about the NMRA track center separation,

you could add an apparent half-inch to the radius of the outer track semi-circle by doing the following:

Find a 1/2 inch difference on 2 fitter straights, for example 1"(shorter) and 1.5"(longer), or 2x2"(shorter) and 4.5"(longer).

Outer:  longer fitter straight, 90 degrees of outer curves, 1" fitter straight, 90 degrees of outer curves, longer fitter straight.

Inner: shorter fitter straight, 180 degrees of inner curves, shorter fitter straight.

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Edit: Add picture -  26"R and apparent 28.5"R semi circles using 2" and 1.5" straight fitters plus 1" middle fitter. 

 

[Joe Satnik]

Dear All,

In a more pure form, (a circle instead of a semi-circle / end of an oval), 

adding  a 1 inch straight to the 4 major compass points of a track circle

(North, East, South, West) accomplishes what I did in my previous post

to a semi-circle end of an oval. 

Think of it this way:

Adding 1" to the diameter (width) of a circle adds 1/2" to its (apparent) radius.

Another way:

Splitting the "circle expanded by 4 straights at the compass points"

forms a (theoretical) quarter circle of:

Half straight, 90 degrees of curve, half straight.

Hence the half-inch difference along the straight edge of the oval in the previous post.   

You can wake up now.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik     

[daddomaddo]

Thanks, I had not thought of that.
I was wondering if Bachmann had done any testing of their own locos and track since they offer the 26 & 28 radius and the 33.25 and 35.5 as seemingly meant to run together but 2" center to center would not do for longer cars and locos and even 2.25" might be tight.
On paper 85' cars should clear on the 2.25 but I don't know about articulateds.

[jward]

my experience with 85 foot cars on 24r and 26r is that they will work on 2.25" centers at those radii. the nmra standards for curves are a bit generous. I was able to run those cars on parallel curves of 24r and 26.25r without problems with sideswiping though it was close.