Re:Bachmann Consolidation 2-8-0
The loco itself has quite a long driven wheelbase but only the outer wheels are flanged, so on its own it's capable of tighter than R3.
It's the tender that is the main problem. Even on the longer of the two possible loco-tender connection options the tender corners foul the back of the loco on tight curves, and also the fall-plate can foul on the mock coal load and other parts. The tender bogies have limited turn. Any strain caused when trying to go too tight can cause the tender bogie sideframes to break away from the bolsters because the screws used are too short. This is a known fault. I had two break on mine soon after I had it. Longer screws cured the weakness.
Funnily enough, I've just spent a few minutes yesterday evening grinding a couple of mm off the fall-plate on my connie. My line is all R3 or larger, but there was one left-then-right R3 reverse curve where the tender would still
derail. The fall-plate was catching on the bottom of the brake wheel stand. I've still got to tidy it up with a bit of satin black paint.
I've noticed that on the curved route of an LGB R3 point the non-flanged driving wheels on my connie sometimes short across the rails at the point frog just beyond the V towards the point blades, causing my DCC system to "sing" for a moment. It's because the wheelbase is so long that the unflanged wheels are "cutting the corner" so-to-speak.
