Points are a component part of a turnout. They are the skinny rails at the start, that, strangely, are ground down to a point, hence the name. Turnout is the universally accepted name for this type of track structure... even the Americans (real railroad types, not the train nutters) are (slowly) coming around to this terminology.
That's what makes running live steam interesting!
Many of us here in the UK are old enough to remember the BBC show "6-5 Special".
Not sure if I should be proud or ashamed to say 'Yes, I remember it well'.
Sorry for talking points, but that is what we use in UK predominantly. Easy to forget and not look at a flag! I also failed to mention that my Merlins with my sorted ‘switches’ ran just fine through the R1 LGB that I used in that layout. Most of my current line uses Diameter of 4ft though I do have a couple of stations with LGB R2 curves and R3 points and my puffers run happily on these as well.
Oh how I used to wait for that program with those little glimpses of Steam and the Forth Bridge, heaven oh and sometimes the music was good as well.
I think this depends on the steam loco manufacturer, I have a Roundhouse Fowler that manages R2 (6 foot diameter) curves, 1:25 (4%) gradient and R3 turnouts. so I realise the bigger the curve and the flatter the track the easier the loco (and more over the train) will run, but what is the fun in that
Many moons ago I had a RH Fowler, in fact I bought it when they first came out so as long ago as pre 1994. I collected it from the old concrete bunker that RH were located in at that time and they demonstrated it to me on the LGb R1 Curves that formed their test track. I subsequently sold it on to a friend that kept pestering me for it who then constantly moaned about its inability to pull a worthwhile load. Turned out when I visited him that he was expecting it to drag 3 LGB Pullmans over roughly laid track on LGB track laid on his lawn. Needless to say his RH Stanley Steam Tram managed OK, it was pointed out to him that he was not comparing cheese with cheese as the Fowler has a lumping great big heavy bogied tender and a set of trailing wheels on the loco plus a blind centre one, all those things affect traction. Whereas the Stanley has all its weight concentrated on just 4 driving wheels.I think this depends on the stem loco manufacturer, I have a Roundhouse Fowler that manages R2 (6 foot diameter) curves, 1:25 (4%) gradient and R3 turnouts. so I realise the bigger the curve and the flatter the track the easier the loco (and more over the train) will run, but what is the fun in that
Have to admit, when new (received last day before fist lockdown) it struggled a lot, especially with a couple of Bachmann JS coaches on the gradient, but now it has run in it is quite efficient
It's better than you think, LGB R2 is about 5 foot diameter. (With Piko R3 coming in at a little under 6 foot diameter).I think this depends on the steam loco manufacturer, I have a Roundhouse Fowler that manages R2 (6 foot diameter) curves, 1:25 (4%) gradient and R3 turnouts. so I realise the bigger the curve and the flatter the track the easier the loco (and more over the train) will run, but what is the fun in that
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They will both be fine as I said earlier with both of them you may find that the drivers may want to climb up at the pointy bit of the frog. Do a gentle push test with eyes at same level to see how they fare, my guess is that the check rail will not pull the wheels quite far enough over to stop it banging. Not much needs to be done to pull them over just a small slither or metal, I used code 100 Flat Bottom Rail but any metal just right size say a couple of mm will do the job and LGb wheels will still be ok.
