Re: Accumate Proto:HO couplers
David Ball
Thanks Dennis
Actually, its modelling inteurbans that is the reason why I asked My principle modelling interest is Pacific Electrics Southern District, although, my concern doesn't isn't here. - I will be using respectable modelling track standards, at least for the trackage that carries car load freight. Pacific Electric just happen to be the subject (I might not even hang wire) However that layout for that is years off, and in the mean time I'm seriously contemplating doing a small portable layout based on freelance Midwestern interurban, albeit a freight orientated one. This is definitely be "interurbanish", as its the whole point in building the layout to demonstrate the subject (not many interurban layouts over here!) This is will probably mean sharper that 18 inch radius curves for freight trackage. I know Kadee's in "standard" draft gear boxes can cope with radius of 12 inches (40' cars and less). I realise that using a scale draft gear box is probably not going to allow something that tight, but I was curious as to how far they would go. Something I need to consider if I adopt Proto:HO couples as standard. Cheer David Ball _____ From: STMFC@yahoogroups.com [mailto:STMFC@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Dennis Storzek Sent: Saturday, 22 October 2005 8:26 a.m. To: STMFC@yahoogroups.com Subject: [STMFC] Re: Accumate Proto:HO couplers Even a small 0-4-0 will have considerably more distance between the wheels and the coupler, and so this coupler will end up much farther from the track centerline on a sharp curve than the coupler on a freight car. Eighteen inch radius in HO scale is appx. 135' radius on the prototype, 15" radius is appx. 110'. When prototype curves are this tight they are no longer expressed in degrees, but in the actual radius in feet. Railroads build with radii in this range, such as rapid transit operations, typically use wide swinging radial couplers. The interurban railroads that had this sort of curvature used radial couplers on their locomotives so the coupler would follow the coupler on the cars. When these lines were dieselized, they typically needed to use small locomotives such as 44 tonners, which have short wheelbase trucks and minimum coupler overhang. I suspect the same applies to the PROTO:HO couplers. Dennis Storzek _____ YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS * Visit your group "STMFC <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/STMFC> " on the web. * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: STMFC-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com <mailto:STMFC-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com?subject=Unsubscribe> * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> . _____
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