New! New! New! UK r-t-r 009 locomotive at last

[garrywhiting]

My subscription copy of RM March 2013 arrived a few minutes ago.

3 years of rumour and speculation ended.

At long last we are to have a r-t-r 009 UK Locomotive.  On page 258 in the News section are details of the r-t-r L&B loco from Heljan.

The first models will be the Manning Wardle 2-6-2t Yeo, Exe and Taw in their most familiar forms with the modified cab.

Outside frames, Joy valve gear, minimum radius expected to be 12 inches.

Price and availability to be announced later.

[Tigger]

EXCELLENT, WONDERFUL, FAB... ;D
er...
???
Damn!  :o

So it won't go round my 6" and 9" curves then... >:(

No matter - this is splendid news Garry and I'm delighted.

[MickT]

Don't fret David, you can always put it on a Minitrix N205 chassis................. ;D

Mick

[berryr99]

Just seen it in the RM.

I wonder how much Heljan knew of Peco's initiative beforehand.

This is really good news in any event - even better my new layout is modelled to 12" curves using the new mainline track and points .

Bob

[Krizzy]

You can always deface it by cutting out the frames for the pony wheels to have room to swing.

Roger

[tedp]

I will have the same trouble with my 9 inch hidden curves. However I expect it can be modified without destroying the looks. I'm looking forward to see the first photos and reviews.

[Krizzy]

May be we will have to take a leaf out of the Backwoods instructions in order to get their L&B and VOR locos round tight curves. That is what I had to do in order to run them on Tan-yr-Allt. In my previous post I mentioned 'defacing' a r-t-r loco but that is what I did to my Backwoods models. The thing is we will have to wait and see what these r-t-r models look and how well they will perform on sharply curved track.

Roger

[rod335]

Will this be an incentive now not to build such sharp radii in future? The question should not be 'How sharp a radius curve can I get it to run round?' but 'what is the smallest radius it will run round without the overhangs looking awful?' and yes, I know some people will be talking about hidden curves here. Nevertheless this is still wonderful news, although long awaited and, latterly, expected.

Rod

[Isle of Stoner]

Game on. ;D ;D ;D ;D

John W

[tedp]

I think it won't look very good on anything under 12" radius, but then nothing bigger than a contractor's loco does. And yes, I would talk of hidden curves! I have had to apply all sorts of tricks to get my locos round them, like cowcatchers mounted on pony trucks etc. Making couplings work if they're fixed to the buffer beam instead of the trucks or bogies is a challenge on small radii.

[Tigger]

Where there's a will, there's a way!

I'm sure I'll find a reasonable way to smash it about a bit!

Anybody got a spare N205 chassis they don't want?

[MickT]

I think it won't look very good on anything under 12" radius, but then nothing bigger than a contractor's loco does. And yes, I would talk of hidden curves! I have had to apply all sorts of tricks to get my locos round them, like cowcatchers mounted on pony trucks etc. Making couplings work if they're fixed to the buffer beam instead of the trucks or bogies is a challenge on small radii.

I can almost feel the Reverse Curve Pessimism Society tuning up their "It Won't Work" Powerpoint Presentation even as I type this.................

If Ian Turner can get his Rio Turbio 2-10-2 and Sierra Leone 4-8-2+2-8-4 Garratt as well as all his other supersize locos around 9" curves then I reckon there must be hope for all!

Mick

[berryr99]

 The Reverse Curve Pessimism Society - I like it - are they like the Flat Earth Society ?

Bob B.

[tedp]

Did I sound like a pessimist? I hope not!  ;D
As Tigger says - where there's a will, there's a way.

[Tigger]

And if you've ever seen the state of some of the trackwork on the L&TR you'll appreciate that 009 can traverse the sort of pretty 'orrible track joints and curves, and jump section gaps it was never intended to! ;D
In fact I think I get more derailments by mis-handling coupling and uncoupling operations than I ever do from rail/wheel interaction!