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Mountaintop tight radius tourist train advice


Hayashi

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One section of my layout will have a mountain. I've decided I want to place a very small Showa-style village or shrine near the top and have a tourist train run through it via a small oval. Part of the oval will be tunneled.

 

What is the smallest radius Unitrack I can use for a 1-car or 2-car excursion trains?

What are some recommended modern-style 1-car or 2-car trains that would be appropriate for a tourist train and can negotiate the tightest curve possible? I assume I would leave on the Rapido couplers.

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It is dependant on the train. Most Tomytec with rapidos will do 150mm radius minimum.

 

Most Kato and Tomix with close couplers will only do 280mm radius minimum.

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I just spotted Kato 10-500-1 and -2. Two-axle steam locos pulling two 2-axle passenger cars. Although steam, they definitely look touristy. Not overly detailed, but cute. Any experience with these?

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I'm not sure about coaches but the C12 is R150 rated and will do R140. The C56 is R183. The C11 requires a larger radius. A tourist line might use a converted gondola as a passenger car. Eizan and Hakone Tozan are tourist oriented lines.

 

Kato C12   https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10315912

Kato Eizan 900  https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10489157

Kato Eizan 900  https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10489156

Kato Kumoha 12 50 https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10330654

Kato Kumoha 11 400 https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10367126

 

HS doesn't say:

Hakone Tozan Railway Type 2000  https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10316278

Hakone Tozan Railway Type 3000  https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10292247

Edited by bill937ca
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My Kato 10-500-1 is powered by a 11-103 power unit in the coach. My experience is that it runs at breakneck pace and stalls on turnouts. 

IMG_6661crop 1024 x 768.jpg

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Great suggestions, all. I was hoping the 10-500-1 or -2 might be a good solution, but it sounds like it isn't geared well for a more prototypical operation. The idea of a steam tourist train is interesting. Does anyone have any recommendations for a passenger car or two that can negotiate R150's? Or, an open top or awning-covered gondola? Nearly all of the curved track is hidden in tunnels, so the appearance of a longer car won't really be a factor.

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I've had some mixed results with the bogies as well, couplers aside- at least for freight, tomix engines seem to be able to achieve a far tighter radius than anything from kato...

Not sure if this is a bad generalization or just another instance of the tolerances being wider on tomix

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