On30 on 15' radius track

[geejaypay]

Regarding the FORNEY loco, how much does the trailing truck move side-to-side? I know Bachmann says 18" is the minimum radius, but I can use this unit on my 15" radius if pony and trailing trucks are allowed to follow the track.
Thank you, your opinions will be invaluable.

[Anubis]

The Forney is a good running loco, and certainly looks the part.

It will negotiate 15" radius curves at a low speed, but the rear overhang tends to be excessive, and will probably sweep following trucks and wagons off the track.

The front overhang is not quite as large, and this means that those same wagons will stay coupled, if they are pulled through the curve with the coal bunker leading. However, all this will depend on how well you have 'tuned' and adjusted the couplers which join the loco to its consist.

Like a few other On30 modellers, I took the step of converting my Forney to a  2-4-0 with a nifty little tender, courtesy of a Backwoods Miniatures conversion kit.

As a result, Forney "Kate" has never looked or run better!


John

[geejaypay]

John,
Thank you for your insight. I wonder if replacing the trailing truck with a truck-mounted coupler will help. I am not skilled enough to mess with reshaping high dollar models. Are you aware of other On30 locomotives appropriate for my 15" situation?
Greg

[ksivils]

If you visit the Yahoo On30 Conspiracy group there is a document in the files section that lists the known radius requirements of all the Bachmann produced locomotives.

Suggested, practical and extreme radius are listed as well, I think, as possible modifications or limitations to achieve the radius in question.

Worth looking at.

[Anubis]

As I recall, (it has been several years since my Forney conversion) the rear truck on this loco is mounted on a left-to-right 'slide' which would make fitting a truck-mounted coupler quite a challenge!

The Backwoods Miniatures kit is very good, and the instructions are concise and clear. The conversion job was not as daunting as I first imagined.

Are you aware of other On30 locomotives appropriate for my 15" situation?

For the best runner that will not only looks great, but handles 15" radii, you should take a look at the 4-4-0 American. It's a real gem!

I also run the Bachmann 2-6-0 Mogul around my tight radii with no problem...


John

[NarrowMinded]

I have a forney and converted it because it would not run on any 15" unless it was flat and perfect and thats without a car attached, with a car attached it would run down a straight section and as soon as it went into the curve it would fling the car off the track. Dont get a foreny unless you plan on larger radius on your layout and larger switches/turnouts.

Also forget running it into a siding unless you have.  Section of straight between the turnouts, it cant handle the "S" created by a back to back set.

Just my $0.02 based on my OWN experiances.

NM-Jeff