[Gary]

According to an old Lima catalogue curves are based on a 360mm radius and 431mm radius.

There is no 3rd radius in the catalogue I have.

Lima standard straights are 166.5mm long.

Its not a 100% match. Probably at best 95%.

It would be possible mix Lima points and diamond crossings with Hornby and Peco setrack as long as its a siding situation with dead ends and not a mainline situation where there might be issues with geometry.

Happy modelling
Gary

 

[Gary]

I'll scan the Lima catalogue track pages in latter today. That seems to be the simple solution as google reveals absolutely nothing. Its clearly an area where there is no collector interest (yet).

I will admit to avoiding Lima track like bird flue (and so does everybody else) whenever I see it up for sale so it is probably going to be the next big money spinning Ebay collectable!

Happy modelling
Gary

 

[Gary]

QUOTE I had one box of steel "flexible" track. It seemed to have the unique property of being able to oxidise faster than any other rail type known to man

From the land that build the Lancia what would you expect? I am certain that at some point a Lancia designer watched the film "Alien" and decided that he could design a car that would desolve faster than the Nostradamus.

Lima did move to nickel silver and stainless steel track so they were probably aware of the addiction that Lima steel had to the red stuff.

QUOTE As i recall the lima track had a fondness for coming away from the sleepers easily.

Now I thought that was Hornby Dublo 2 rail track? Whilst this (Hornby Dublo) really was the finest OO two rail track ever made I didn't realise it had a distant cousin. If you can find some decent Hornby Dublo 2 rail use that over Lima any time.

Now tell me again why it would be a bad move to introduce scale P4 track to the masses?

Happy modelling
Gary

 

[Gary]

Here is a piece of Lima history from 1982. I checked a later catalogue which used more trees to show the track and it is the same. It clearly became fashionable in Italy to use several pages when previously one did the job. On the other hand Lima did charge for their catalogue and the bigger it is the more you can charge! :-

Happy modelling
Gary