Really Tight Radius Curved Track

[Madman]

Remember the really tight radius track Aristocraft used to make ? I'm talking tighter than the standard 1100 or R1 radius. I need a circle of it, I need it now and I won't take no for an answer..........I couldn't help myself with that last part. G1 gets such a kick out of it when I say that.

I would like to set up a trolley around the tree this year but the standard R1 is just too large.

 

[Paradise]

AristoCraft and Hartland both used to make a tight track circle for large flower tubs etc. but no longer in supply. The AristoCraft small track circles were available in both 20" and 31" diameter.
If you can't find some, very small radius curves can be made with long lengths of rail which are easily curved by hand around something of a similar radius. (trim the straight ends) or re-curving R1 rail with a rail bender once removed from the track ties/sleepers then reassembled and trim to size.

 

[maxi-model]

Dan, could you solve the problem by buying a bigger tree, a Redwood perhaps ? Then about 10 packs of LGB flexi and a railbender should do it Might dominate the garden though, never mind the rest of the neighbourhood. Max

 

[SophieB]

Bertram Heyn has R0 (420mm radius) at https://modell-werkstatt.de/track-system. We had problems with the field railroad sleepers being very brittle, but the track itself worked well.

 

[Zerogee]

If you can't find one of the Aristo "Barrel Circles" (and they seem to be as rare as rocking horse droppings on eBay, those who have them don't seem to want to part with them) then Bertram Heyn (Modellwerkstatt Heyn) makes some "Radius 0" track that is smaller than R1 - you can buy it with either "standard" sleeper spacings or with random "rough-cut" Feldbahn style sleepers.
I have a circle of each type, and it's good stuff - a standard LGB 4 wheel motor block will run quite happily on it, and trials have shown that a Stainz will pull some standard LGB 4-wheel cars round it provided the loco is run bunker-first (boiler-first running can cause coupler lock) - if you change to shorty Feldbahn cars then it will run fine either way.

Jon.

Edit: Sophie posted just a moment before me, while I was typing!

 

[dutchelm]

One problem with tightening LGB R1 curves is the loco may climb out. I have hand built very tight curves but found I needed to widen the guage to 46 or 47 mm.

 

[65 1057]

… this could be an alternative to widening the gauge - just remove the inner rail

 

[David1226]

… this could be an alternative to widening the gauge - just remove the inner rail

Come back Rowland Emmett, all is forgiven, it just proves THERE IS a prototype for everything.

David

 

[PhilP]

As long as all the passengers don't move over to the left, to see the view, at once!

 

[Madman]

… this could be an alternative to widening the gauge - just remove the inner rail

Poor mans gyroscopic monorail.....

 

[Madman]

Bertram Heyn has R0 (420mm radius) at https://modell-werkstatt.de/track-system. We had problems with the field railroad sleepers being very brittle, but the track itself worked well.

Thanks for the link. But at 9 euro a piece, it works out to about $220.00 plus whatever the shipping might be from Germany ! I might get scolded since it's simply a XMAS display.....

 

[Madman]

AristoCraft and Hartland both used to make a tight track circle for large flower tubs etc. but no longer in supply. The AristoCraft small track circles were available in both 20" and 31" diameter.
If you can't find some, very small radius curves can be made with long lengths of rail which are easily curved by hand around something of a similar radius. (trim the straight ends) or re-curving R1 rail with a rail bender once removed from the track ties/sleepers then reassembled and trim to size.

Can I use the ready made tie strips and will they bend to the tight radius ?

 

[PhilP]

Can I use the ready made tie strips and will they bend to the tight radius ?

You will either have to remove the rails, bend, and thread the ties back on, of cut the webs between the ties. - Remove the web from between every other sleeper (tie) on the inside, and just cut every web under the outer rail.

If you go really tight, you might have to remove every web on the inner rail?

 

[Zerogee]

Thanks for the link. But at 9 euro a piece, it works out to about $220.00 plus whatever the shipping might be from Germany ! I might get scolded since it's simply a XMAS display.....

I think it is more like about $80 or so, Dan - the R0 sections are 45 degrees each, so you only need 8 for a circle, not 12 like you do with R1 curves.... yes, still have to figure the shipping in, but the total is not going to be anywhere close to $220....

Jon.

 

[Madman]

Just found a circle of Hartland Click-N-Go track with a diameter of 32" ! Problem solved. Total was $55.00 shipped.

 

[Madman]

In the event that anyone is looking for the tight radius track, here's a link to Ebay, over here.

Hartland G-Scale Click N Go Curved Track 8 Pack 08114 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Hartland G-Scale Click N Go Curved Track 8 Pack 08114 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[Fred2179G]

In the event that anyone is looking for the tight radius track, here's a link to Ebay, over here.

Hartland G-Scale Click N Go Curved Track 8 Pack 08114 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Hartland G-Scale Click N Go Curved Track 8 Pack 08114 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

I looked at that once, and was told it is very noisy. Apparently the solid base resonates and the joints make noise. No reason it won't work tho!

 

[Hutch]

I looked at that once, and was told it is very noisy. Apparently the solid base resonates and the joints make noise. No reason it won't work tho!

Gave a Hartland set to one of my Grandsons a few years ago. The track is noisy in hardwood floors or concrete slabs. However, it is fine noisewise on carpet or grassy lawn.

---Hutch

 

[Madman]

I looked at that once, and was told it is very noisy. Apparently the solid base resonates and the joints make noise. No reason it won't work tho!

I did a quick Xmas tree display where the circle simply sits on the hardwood floor. Yes, it is noisy, but since I'm only running a Bachmann trolley, the sound isn't nerve wracking. On a permanent layout, I would place some sort of padding under the track.

Lionel "O" gauge Fastrack has the same sort of pre-molded roadbed and I hear all sorts of complaints about the noise it creates.

SWMBO complains that when I chew hard things like crackers and such, I make alot of noise. It's the same principal as these tracks we're talking about. When there is a hollow empty space, in this case the area above the chewing part of the head, noise reverberates from it.....

 

[Dan]

I used a rail bender and bent a 8 foot flex track (2400mm) and came out with a 29 inch circle. I run Body mounted couplers on short FRR cars behind a bashed engine using the standard stainz motor block.
Never had a derailment!! I do use metal wheels.