SkyCube

GeoFF03 said: For what it's worth, here's my little 6x4 layout: http://s75.photobucket.com/user/ukgeoff/slideshow/railway%20photos Very impressive Geoff! Especially for a little 6x4. :)

Hi VSOExpress, I use this stuff: http://www.gaugemaster.com/item_details.asp?code=FM6599&r=1

Presumably Hornby don't think it would sell very well.

Very true PP, but I'm pretty sure they didn't carry Humvees and modern tanks into battle!

I'd go for the Mail Train. Much less gimmicky I think, and more realistic, despite the wrong livery on the loco. I imagine you'll probably appreciate it more in years to come too. Aside from the general war theme (and being a train), Codename Strikeforce has absolutely nothing in common with the narrow gauge trains of WW1. If you want models like that you're better off making or adapting them yourself.

If you want to get a better looking one off eBay then go for it, I don't imagine it'll be a very hard project, even if you have to put it together yourself. I wouldn't bother making it actually work though; its not a very reliable system, just a bit of a novelty.

When you say proper pantograph, do you mean a real working one, or just a better scale model?

I don't see why they can't just put a little sticker on the track pieces that warns that it's not compatible with all trains. They already put a health and safety sticker on there these days, it can't be too much hassle.

There's nothing wrong with 1st radius so long as you're properly aware of the limitations. Problem is Hornby don't really go out of their way to point it out to newbies. Yes loco boxes have the minimum radius on them, but that's easily missed, and no good to people who plan/build a layout before buying any such locos.

Many locos made using older tooling will be fine on 1st radius. The problem is really with model designed in more recent years. It's quite possible that many your locos fit into the former category. You'll probably find that locos you buy in the future are less likely to work on 1st radius.

I've definitely heard of some diesel locos having problems (slowing down etc.) on 2nd radius, maybe not Hornby ones though. It's not as big a problem as with steam, but like WTD said, one day someone's tastes might change. I think it's also wise to consider the future. Once, everything went around 1st radius just fine, but now that's not the case. It makes sense that the number of models unsuitable for tight corners will increase as time goes by.

I had some derailing issues with a 3-way point once too, so I'd avoid those. I don't think they're made by Hornby.

As Fishmanoz said, don't use 1st radius at all, and try to avoid 2nd. The gentler the curves the better really. Remember you can use flexitrack instead of set curve pieces, which can also make your line look much better visually. When buying track stick to recognisable brands such as Hornby and Peco, once its all down replacing dodgy track can be a hassle. We're not really supposed to talk about other brands here, but some people have reported problems with Hornby points, so do explore your options in that area. Another company also makes Electrofrog points which eliminate the problem of locos stalling, although they can be more awkward to wire up. You might want to look into that too. Don't put a curve right next to a point (unless its a gentle one), or use inclines unless you have a *Lot* of space. Also make sure your track (in particular points) is layed absolutely flat.

Quite possibly. Just be careful not to swallow any oil!

John East said: Am I alone? No, I have several locos that don't much like 2nd radius, even ones with shorter wheelbases that you might think would be fine. I think its inevitable that as models become more realistic, they will have less tolerance for tighter 'train set' curves. Must suck if you've got an established layout using 2nd radius corners though. :(

I think I've heard somewhere that railroad models are more likely to be ok with R1, even the larger ones. Don't quote me on that though, I can't be sure. Perhaps someone else can confirm. I expect R1 is a little better for younger kids, but that's not where the market is really aimed any more, for better or worse. If you're really tight on space, I'd say go N gauge, as long as the child is the type to be careful with their stuff. 4' should be the bare minimum for a 00 circuit layout I think, even if its 4'X4'.

The cheap Hornby 0-4-0s will be fine with 1st Radius, 0-6-0s from train-sets should be too, but those from the main range (or other manufacturers) might not be. 1st radius is a relic from yesteryear, and modern models just aren't designed to use curves that tight. I have 0-6-0s, 2-6-0s etc that won't take anything tighter than 2nd, and even that isn't exactly ideal. Larger models should generally be ok with 2nd radius, but some won't like it much. They shouldn't suffer damage or get completely stuck like they might on R1 though.