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I surfed onto a site the other day that dealt with the early flanged track and flangeless drivers, and mentioned in passing that some industrial sites employed this method until quite late.
My indoor RR will be a SL, PP, ca 1875 affair, or at least limited to pre 1900. The main gauge will be G 45mm, with Fn3 & Fn18" thrown in for more fun. The scale in all cases will be 1:20.3. The engines will be short wheel-based 0-4-0T's.
My questions are these: has there been any application of flanged rails in model RRing? Not on mainline, but particularly in industrial sites? I've not yet encountered it, so I have to wonder if there are valid physical reasons for this, or is it a matter of personal interest or fashion?
It is intuitively obvious that what can be made to work in real life is often difficult or impossible (in practical terms) to model, particulary at sizes under a certain limit. (I am unaware of any flying models of B-52's with a six-inch wingspan--whatever 'scale' that may work out to be, for example.) But I think there are flying models of one in a much larger size. The point I am trying to make is, I have to wonder if flanged rail would even be worth trying in Fn18"? I think it certainly would be different.
The first major drawback I can see--for an engine with the same wheelbase--is that flanged curves must be 'broader' due to the chord of the wheel as defined by the height of the flange, compared to a curve for flanged wheels. 'Hunting' might be a problem, lending itself to poor running characteristics, both visual and actual, though speed would be low in both cases.
Anyone care to weigh in?
Les
My indoor RR will be a SL, PP, ca 1875 affair, or at least limited to pre 1900. The main gauge will be G 45mm, with Fn3 & Fn18" thrown in for more fun. The scale in all cases will be 1:20.3. The engines will be short wheel-based 0-4-0T's.
My questions are these: has there been any application of flanged rails in model RRing? Not on mainline, but particularly in industrial sites? I've not yet encountered it, so I have to wonder if there are valid physical reasons for this, or is it a matter of personal interest or fashion?
It is intuitively obvious that what can be made to work in real life is often difficult or impossible (in practical terms) to model, particulary at sizes under a certain limit. (I am unaware of any flying models of B-52's with a six-inch wingspan--whatever 'scale' that may work out to be, for example.) But I think there are flying models of one in a much larger size. The point I am trying to make is, I have to wonder if flanged rail would even be worth trying in Fn18"? I think it certainly would be different.
The first major drawback I can see--for an engine with the same wheelbase--is that flanged curves must be 'broader' due to the chord of the wheel as defined by the height of the flange, compared to a curve for flanged wheels. 'Hunting' might be a problem, lending itself to poor running characteristics, both visual and actual, though speed would be low in both cases.
Anyone care to weigh in?
Les