R1 and R3 curved track.

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Sarah Winfield

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All my existing curved track is R1. Is there anything I should be careful of when mixing R1 and R3 track please?

Thanks,

Sarah Winfield
 
a98087 said:
The angle of the curve,

R1 is 30 degrees and 12 to a circle
R3 is 22.5 and 16 to a circle

Dan
Click to expand...

So you *could* make a 'pseudo transition-curve' with 2 x R3, 3 x R1 and 2 x R3 to get 180 degrees?
 
This does not involve R1 but is another "pseudo transition-curve" with R5 and R3. It's a fix to the first pic below.

supplymeetup.jpg

I didn't like the look of 4-axle coaches transiting the R3 curve-short straight-R3 curve. Three sections of R3 (3x22.5º) and 1050mm of straight were replaced with 1 section R3 and 3 sections of R5 (3x15º) along with relaying the block. The next pic shows this section after being modified Tuesday. The untarnished track are the new R5 sections

AfterMod.jpg

The train gives some idea of the improvement.

Phil S.
 
The radius specified in post above are not exact.
R1 radius is 600mm (diameter 1200mm)
R3 radius is 1195mm (diameter 2390mm)

A more useful track geometry link with diameters:
http://www.marklin-spain.com/archivos/imgs/pdf/LGB-Gleissystem-Info.pdf

PhilP said:
So you *could* make a 'pseudo transition-curve' with 2 x R3, 3 x R1 and 2 x R3 to get 180 degrees?
Click to expand...

I did this in AnyRail for LGB transition curve reference.

LGB Transition Curves

LGB Transition Curves

  • Media owner Paradise
  • Date added
  • Comments 2

Don't forget a length of flex track for any parts that won't conform to the standard set track pieces.
Also TrainLine make a regular R2 switch which is otherwise only present on one of the diverging tracks in the LGB 3 way switch.
 
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I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Overall you have a wider curve, but you still have one piece of R3 curvature. The discontinuity of the curve is very noticable to me. Overall the improvement would have to be judged on the basis of train length, and car length I would guess.

Now, if you could put a rail bender on the transition between the R3 and the R5 it would probably have even more improvement.

Honestly, to me, the discontinuity draws my eye...

Greg
 
Did I miss a brand specification? Not all r1 and r3 are the same... PIKO uses r1, same dimensions as LGB. However their r3 is roughly 6 foot diameter and will not be as drastic a difference as other, larger radius r3's.

PIKO uses diameters of roughly 4', 6', 8', 10'. I find the geometry far easier to deal with. Curved turnouts, flextrack, and waterproof switch machines as well.
 
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1to3 said:
Did I miss a brand specification? Not all r1 and r3 are the same... PIKO uses r1, same dimensions as LGB. However their r3 is roughly 6 foot diameter and will not be as drastic a difference as other, larger radius r3's.

PIKO uses diameters of roughly 4', 6', 8', 10'. I find the geometry far easier to deal with. Curved turnouts, flextrack, and waterproof switch machines as well.
Click to expand...

We were talking LGB, and I 'sort-of' hi-jacked the thread, to suggest you could make 'pseudo transition curves' by mixing differing radii set-track pieces.. - Barring the curve discontinuity which upsets Greg so. :nerd::nod:

If I had a dual-rail rail-bender, I would use flex track, and 'wind on the curve' as I fed the track through.. :rock::)
 
Transitions are 'kinked' looking when you only have one small radius section between others of a much larger same radius.
There is a big difference in radius between an LGB R3 and R5. Perhaps LGB speculated a possible R4 for in between which never came into fruition.
Yeah, some flex to replace the R3 and adjoining section would fix that but it is definitely an improvement to the first pic.
 
Greg Elmassian said:
I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Overall you have a wider curve, but you still have one piece of R3 curvature. The discontinuity of the curve is very noticable to me. Overall the improvement would have to be judged on the basis of train length, and car length I would guess.

Now, if you could put a rail bender on the transition between the R3 and the R5 it would probably have even more improvement.

Honestly, to me, the discontinuity draws my eye...

Greg
Click to expand...
I think that the eye will be less drawn to that curve when the newer rails have blackened off. Time will tell on this one.
 
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