Thank you Phillip,

Its been a couple years in development with multiple track plans experimented with. This has been the best fit for what I'd like to run.

I'm going to put a post in the 'Layout Planning' section and canvas opinion on weather its worth having Atlas 10 inch radius curves on the inner loop & curved Peco points instead of the set track ones on the outer loop.

Quote from: Murray on December 19, 2015, 05:32:47 PM
Thank you Phillip,

Its been a couple years in development with multiple track plans experimented with. This has been the best fit for what I'd like to run.

I'm going to put a post in the 'Layout Planning' section and canvas opinion on weather its worth having Atlas 10 inch radius curves on the inner loop & curved Peco points instead of the set track ones on the outer loop.

Not many of us use Atlas at all, but since I'm statewide, it's virtually all I use. My fleet of tank engines and my Dapol b set like it just fine. I'm hoping to get a tender engine or two for Christmas and I can report on how they do with it but my suspicion and what I have heard is that 10" will cause derailments on larger locos. If you do a 10" loop, it is probably best restricted to tank engines and small diesels

*UPDATE* I got some of my Christmas gifts early today and one of the things I received was a GF Peppercorn A2 in LNER Apple Green (appropriately 525 "AH Peppercorn"). Not only does it run very smoothly out of the box but I can confirm that it does beautifully over Atlas 10" radius curves The instructions say it is best on 10.5" (second radius) and above but that it will run on first radius, which I can attest to. The only thing worth noting is that it did uncouple (invariably) from my new Dapol GWR Siphon (but not from my B set coaches). This could obviously be solved with a coupling change or with some adhesive or other (bull frog snot is apparently very good, though foully named).

I ended up with quiet a lot of Atlas track. I was just starting out in N gauge and brought any track that came cheap.

That's really interesting to hear! I only intend to Run Small engines on the 9 inch radius inner loop so I wasn't worried about larger locos not running on it. I have a Dapol B17 4-6-0 which goes round the 9 inch curves no problem. All the GraFar locos no problem, including a Pacific.

The only issue I have (not radius related) is with a Dapol A4. The front bogie didn't always go the right direction in the point frog. Fixed it by cutting a bit off the chassis bracket to give the front bogie more freedom to move.

Quote from: Murray on December 20, 2015, 04:23:56 PM
I ended up with quiet a lot of Atlas track. I was just starting out in N gauge and brought any track that came cheap.

That's really interesting to hear! I only intend to Run Small engines on the 9 inch radius inner loop so I wasn't worried about larger locos not running on it. I have a Dapol B17 4-6-0 which goes round the 9 inch curves no problem. All the GraFar locos no problem, including a Pacific.

The only issue I have (not radius related) is with a Dapol A4. The front bogie didn't always go the right direction in the point frog. Fixed it by cutting a bit off the chassis bracket to give the front bogie more freedom to move.

I did the same thing! After I got my starter set, I decided I didn't want to use the EZ track as what I read about the points is abysmal and it's very dear. I went to a local model show and lots of people were selling "used" atlas track (some of it very heavily, lots of it new). I wound up with hundreds of pieces of track (including some switches) for 40$

Good to hear your locos manage the tight curves well! I have been considering eliminating 1st radius from my track plan entirely because I've been nervous about engines jumping.

That a great find! Be thorough with test running second hands points. Ive found some look fine to the naked eye but cause lots of derailments as soon as I replaced them, no issues.

I've been reading some manufactures are starting to suggest a minimum radius on some new models. People have said those models have gone round tighter radii but like you, I don't want to risk it. However, I've only ever really had issues with the Dapol steamers that have a drive shaft from the tender to the boiler, through the cab. It means the whole loco is pretty ridged.