Miniumu Radius for N Scale

[Green Eggs]

I'm trying to figure out how tight of a radius I can get for N scale.
The tightest I've seen is 9 3/4". Could I get a 7" radius anywhere?
Or could I use flex track to give me the 7" radius. Will the train stay on?

 

[baldwinjl]

The only answer with the info you've given is 'it depends on the train'. Anything other than trolleys are probably going to look bad, even if they stay on.

Jeff

 

[ezdays]

You could use flextrack to get that radius, but you're just asking for trouble. I've got two 10" radius curves on my layout and I know I'm not going to run any 80' passenger cars on either one. Like Jeff says, it just isn't going to look natural.

Oh yeah, welcome to the Gauge.

 

[tillsbury]

Exactly. Depends what you run. You can run Kato B-chassis critters on approximately 3" radius curves. That the smallest I've found will run with 4-axle locos. 2.75" doesn't work. Most things (other than big modern diesels, big steam, long passenger cars, autoracks etc) will run down to about 6" radius quite happily. Whether or not you're happy with the 'look' is up to you

You'll have trouble coupling on curves tighter than about 9", but that's about it.

Charles