Felix Pole was an ambitious employee of the Great Western Railway. Born in 1877, by the age of 27 he was working in...
Cart 0 Product Products (empty)
No products
Free shipping! Shipping
£ 0.00 Total
Product successfully added to your shopping cart
Quantity
Total
There are 0 items in your cart. There is 1 item in your cart.
Total products (tax incl.)
Total shipping (tax excl.) Free shipping!
Total (tax incl.)
Search Tips
Tips categories
Latest Tips
-
What is a Felix Pole wagon?Read more -
Can I undercoat in black if I am going to paint white?Read moreYes, you can use a black undercoat if you are painting something white but ideally you should look at using a white...
-
How do you weather a model ship's decking?Read moreWeathering your ship's decking will provide spectacular results to the overall appearance of the model, especially if...
-
What is a "helping hand" tool?Read moreIntroducing the most useful piece of kit that any modeller could have in their toolbox. It is called a helping hand...
-
What is code 83 track used for?Read moreCode 83 track is used to represent North American railway track prototypically used on main lines and for heavy...
What is the smallest radius Peco curve for N gauge?
The tightest N gauge Setrack curve presently produced by Peco is a first radius curve (228 mm radius).
Getting to know your curves is an important part of planning a model railway, however, the jargon used to describe many track sections can sometimes leave new modellers a little confused. So here's a little information that may help.
When it comes to radius 1 curves, the first thing you need to know is that they are tight, even by model railway standards. Using only first radius curves, a circle of track will produce a footprint measuring just 473 x 473 mm. That's less than half a metre! Granted, that makes them great for fitting ovals or circles of track into really small spaces, but always check if the locomotives you're planning to operate can negotiate such a bend before committing to using them.
Once you are sure that first radius is a viable option, you'll find them available in three sizes. The smallest by Peco is called an ST-4 Half Curve. When used on its own, a single section of ST-4 track will alter the direction of travel by an angle of 11.25 degrees. It would take 32 sections of track to make a complete circle.
The next size up (but in the same radius of course) is called an ST-3 Standard Curve. This section will alter the direction of travel by 22.5 degrees and requires 16 tracks to make a full circle. This is also the track section you'll need to use with a 1st radius turnout to return the diverging route to a straight and parallel course.
Next, is the longest radius 1 curve and is called an ST-12 Double Curve. This track section will alter the direction of travel by 45 degrees and requires only 8 tracks to create a full circle making it ideal for longer bends.
Posted in: Tracks
Click here to receive the tips weekly in your mailbox. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Related products
No.1 Radius Half Curve, 228mm (9in) radius
Price: £ 2.00No.1 Radius Half Curve, 228mm (9in) radius It would take 32 curves to create...
No.1 Radius Standard Curve, 228mm (9in) radius
Price: £ 2.50No.1 Radius Standard Curve, 228mm (9in) radius It would take 16 curves to...
No.1 Radius Double Curve, 228mm (9in) radius
Price: £ 3.25No.1 Radius Double Curve, 228mm (9in) radius It would take 8 curves to create...
Related posts
-
How to clean model railways track?There is of course the old tried and tested method, the track rubber which does the job, no railway modeller should... - Is Peco track and Hornby track compatible?Peco Setrack and Peco Streamline are compatible with Hornby track as they all share the same gauge width of 16.5mm....
- How often should I clean my track?This a hard question to answer. There are no hard and fast rules about how often you should clean the track. Bear in...
- How do I cut flexible track?Once upon a time I would have said a newly bladed junior hacksaw and some warding files, but these days I would have...
- How many pieces of curved track do I need to make a circle?As we all know it takes 360 degrees to create a circle, a standard curve is 22.5 degrees and a double curve is 45...