2-6-0 locomotive on 15" curve track

[linerz]

Hello,

I tried researching this before posting but did not get a definitive answer. I recently bought the Pennsylvania set that has the 2-6-0 locomotive. I got this to use with my Christmas village. Unfortunately, the 18" curve track that comes in this set is a bit too big for the space I have available. I am considering buying a few pieces of the 15" curve track to make the track a little smaller.

Has anyone tried this set on this track? Will it work or derail? If you can offer any information so I do not buy the pieces and then find out I cannot use them it will be greatly appreciated. This is my first attempt with a train set so any advice will be great.

[Terry Toenges]

My layout has 15 and 18 inch radius pieces and my On30 2-6-0 doesn't derail. There is a lot of overhang so it doesn't look prototypical. Perhaps you should have posted this in the On30 section.

[linerz]

Thank you Terry, I will post it there now.
Great to hear that you had success with this! I appreciate the feedback.

[John Tumolo]

You can get away with using 15" curves, but be sure to use the second hole on the draw bar to allow for more swing on the curves.  Don't try to "race" the trains around this tight radius-go nice and prototypically slow and you should be ok. If your passenger cars bind on the sharp curves, you can change the stock couplers to long overset shank whisker couplers from Kadee(their stock #149) or from Bachmann (their stock #78021). Good luck and welcome to On30 where your railroad is whatever you want it to be-we don't allow rivet counters.     

[Fred Klein]

As someone who has nothing but 15" radius curves on his layout, I can say that all of the Bachmann passenger cars run without any problems at any speed that I've run them at. I have a total of three full-size cars, one combine and two coaches, some with the Bachmann couplers, some with Kadee #148 whisker couplers, and they all behave very well, whether single or in multiples. Just to clarify, due to the space available for my layout, I have two "S" curves by necessity. I mainly run Porters (0-4-0 and 0-4-2) locomotives but I have one 50-ton diesel and a Heisler. I also have two trench locomotives. All of these engines negotiate all of the curves without any problems whatsoever. However, I have one 0-6-0 and that will not negotiate the "S" curves - so it sits in the yard and looks pretty. Anyway, I hope this information will help.