# Bachmann On30 minimum radius? Maximum grade capability?



## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Bachmann On30 minimum radius? Maximum grade capability?Question re: Bachmann On30 lineup, what are the real world minimum turning radius of thier lineup.n particular:2-6-0 Mogul4-6-0 Ten Wheeler2-8-0 Connie2-4-4 ForneyI have a plan in mind but while most of it is 18" radius, in one section it calls for a minimum radius of 15"So I need to find which will work, also I will have a working grade of 4% so I need to know also if they are capable of working the grade as well. Thanks


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

V, 
IMO, if a trackplan calls for 15" radius and 4% grades, the best thing to do is to redeisign your trackplan.. 
For On30, I would go with 24" radius minimum, 30" radius is better, and no more than 2% grade.. 

(On my On2 trackplan, I picked a 42" diameter radius as my absolute minimum...7 foot diameter! knowing that is simply what is required for On2 Maine modeling.. 
if a particular trackplan design needed sharper curves to work, I scrapped that plan and moved on to a new plan..) 

I think all those Bachmann engines can *technically* go around 18" radius..but that is REALLY sharp, and they arent happy doing it.. 
I doubt the 2-8-0 or the forney can handle 15".. 

curves that sharp and grades that steep is just asking for problems, especially with locos that big.. 
your railroad wont be enjoyable if you cant run the locos you want to run.. 

If you want to run certain locos, you have to design the trackplan to suit them.. 
if your railroad design requires really sharp curves and/or really steep grades, that limits what locos you can run.. 
If your space absolutely requires 15" or 18" diameter curves, then you will need to run smaller locos.. 
an industrial railroad perhaps, with only 0-4-0 steam or small industrial critters.. 

IMO, pick your requirements first..(I would go with 24" radius and 2% as the absolute minimum..wider curves where possible) 
then design the trackplan which much stick to those rules.. 
"bending" those rules too much is just asking for an unenjoyable model railroad..because it wont run well.. 
some locos wont run at all.. 

Scot


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By vsmith on 30 Sep 2009 09:04 PM 
Bachmann On30 minimum radius? Maximum grade capability?Question re: Bachmann On30 lineup, what are the real world minimum turning radius of thier lineup.n particular:2-6-0 Mogul4-6-0 Ten Wheeler2-8-0 Connie2-4-4 ForneyI have a plan in mind but while most of it is 18" radius, in one section it calls for a minimum radius of 15"So I need to find which will work, also I will have a working grade of 4% so I need to know also if they are capable of working the grade as well. Thanks



I like when you have a plan in mind LOL I bet you can make it work vic. What about the porter. Thats what im using on mine and it seems to work well on tight curves. Grades I dont know yet.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Sorry Scotty no can do, I'm planning to a very very fixed space, if I do proceed with this, I'll likely limit myself to the 2-6-0's which is fine, its what the prototype used alot of, I found their is an excellent guide on the Bachmann On30 forum. from that I can gleen that for what I'm planning, the Mogul will work fine, its just the grades now I'm concerned about. Luckily I wont have any grades on the 15"R sections, thats flat, but I will have 18"R on the 4%, very typical for the type of layout I'm considering. 

Hi Shawn, If I do this I will have a couple Porters, I alredy know those are capable of some insane tight curves, but luckily I wont have to go that route here. 

Here's the Bmann page
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-...108.0.html


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

IMO the combination of curves and steep grades will limit you severely to what you can achieve - as I wrote on the other forum, I tried my Shay and Climax with four Bachmann log cars on 4%, and they were so-so, but adding flange friction, from a rigid wheelbase mogul rather than a bendy ol' Shay into the equation with curves is another ball-game. You are going to have to run a trial and see for yourself what is achievable.

tac
www.ovgrs.org


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi tac, 

Thats just it, I havent bought anything yet, hence my questions hoping for answers from those who have... I need to know if this crazy idea is anywhere near viable before I feel easy chucking up $80 for a new engine in a new scale. I'm not expecting to run 20 car trains, 3 or 4 cars would be fine, I'd even consider this if I had to double-head up the grades or add weights to the engines, as long as I could get them up and down OK.


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

Vic what kind of space are you looking at. Im also working on a small ON30 layout. I got a cool track plan here 
http://www.freerails.com/view_topic.php?id=903&forum_id=40 

This layout and of course your pizza layout got me motivated. I have my track down just waiting for winter to settle in and then I will get back into it. Cant wait to see what you do


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

I sent you a PM describing what I'm thinking, let me know if you got it. I need to find out if these things can handle the 4% grade


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

So no one can help with the 2-6-0 on a 4% grade?


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## on30gn15 (May 23, 2009)

One thought to hold is that real RRs avoided 4% grades like the plague. 
Cut down tonnage they could haul by an exponential factor.
Southern had one somewhere for a long time and really had trouble with it. 


Another is that even HO scale Moguls find 15in R curves a bit too sharp. Same holds true for HO cars over 40 foot - i.e. 6 inches long. 

Coupler swing-out on such sharp curves is big issue with body-mounted couplers. 

Car length is a big issue with end overhang on outside of curve and mid-car overhang toward inside of curve. 

There is something called compensation on curves on grades. Don't recall the math but with that grade on that curve it has same effect as something like a 6% grade.


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