[Gary]

Without to much fanfare Peco have introduced a new product that will be a very welcome addition to their Setrack range. There are now even more possibilities for users of the Peco Setrack unit track system, with the introduction of the new 4th radius standard curve. With its 22.5 ins (572mm) radius and 22.5 degree curvature this new item complements the existing 1st to 3rd radii items. 16 pieces make up a circle. Perfect for running those express passenger steam locomotives!

ST-235 RRP £1.75

4th radius curves have been on the most wanted track list for a long time so well done to Peco for expanding the possibilities for set track modellers. There is also a brand new Peco Track Plan Book with 64 pages in full colour which includes layouts using the new 4th radius curve!

For more Peco information about other new products visit:-

Peco News

Happy modelling
Gary

 

[Dennis David]

Outer curves are always good news.

 

[pedromorgan]

This has to be one of the most forgettable threads of all time!

Peter

 

[bazza]

Sorry but I have to disagree with you there - 4th radius curves will be very useful for those hidden sharper curves where it is difficult to get a consistent radius. At present I have used 3rd radius curves on my inside hidden tracks and then tried to lay flexible track parallel to them. I think that I will be getting some 4th rad curves now to improve the outer curves!
Bazza

 

[Gary]

I actually believe that for a lot of modellers this will be the most significant development in 2007!

Definitely memorable presenting a lot of new options and I am surprised that Peco have kept the news very low profile.

Happy modelling
Gary

 

[Brian Considine]

Personally, I'm a great believer of Setrack curves in the "hidden" area's - saves a lot of hastle !

Should be a useful item.

 

[rb277170]

Good news. Surpised Hornby haven't introduced them before now.

Are they featured in the new Peco trackplans book? Seems odd to introduce a new book then some new trackwork immediatly after!

Russell

 

[Kal]

This is great news especially since radius 1 curves are a no-no for most large locos. Probably the best new product for 2007.

 

[Oakydoke]

What next ?

British looking OO Streamline track ?

 

[Brian Considine]

QUOTE (Oakydoke @ 25 Jan 2007, 22:11) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>British looking OO Streamline track ?

Watch out for flying pigs !

 

[Bob Hughes]

I don't see the point in another set track radius. On cost grounds alone flex track is far superior and even with the largest commercially available radius set track you will still go straight from tangent to curve with no transition. For constant radii on hidden tracks use the same method that you use for constant radii on visible tracks - take care when laying it.

Set track is for table top trains on non-permanent layouts, once you start pinning track to a baseboard there is no reason whatsoever for buying new set track sections. I have no problems with using track which is to hand, but only on cost grounds as what is in stock is free!

 

[andrew]

Back in the last century in my first incarnation as a railway modeller, the track radius was measured in inches, and you knew what people were talking about. Now the prefabricated track has been given code names - first, second, third and so on radius. It's like the newspapers' abominable habit of measuring things in storeys and football pitches - unless you already know what they are, the measurement is useless. I can draw a track plan if I know the points are 36" radius, for example, but if they are just given a name, there's not much I can do with them on paper. So why do they do it?

 

[Gary]

Isn't it 15" , 17.5", 20" and 22.5" as first used by Hornby Dublo?

Good old traditional imperial units that no beurocrat from Europe can mess with.

The use of R1 and R2 etc is intended I would guess to make it easier to work out what goes where and for ordering as there are a tiny group of modellers who might confuse things by ordering in metric mm given that R1, etc was not available!

Ordering in mm radius would really get the heads scratching at every model railway stockist!

Happy modelling
Gary

 

[Brian Considine]

Whist agreeing with Bob about transition curves in visible areas, using setrack on hidden curves saves time - & time is what a lot of people are short of these days.

BTW - if people are so keen to stick to imperial measurements why use 4mm/foot ?

But then we have lots of thing part imperial/part metric - just look at vehicle tyres - many of them are measured in inches for diameter, metric for width & ratio for height !

 

[bangerblueed]

I think this is a positive development for the less serious/time restricted modeller it offers the ability to use less sharp curves better for 1co co1 diesels like the peaks and 40's

 

[Dennis David]

I guess that make me a less serious modeller who has spent some serious money on his hobby.

 

[ozwarrior]

To each his own I suppose but I won't use flexi below 24" radius. Good news for me.

I too am surprised Hornby haven't done it especially now as their system is to be used by Hornby international.

 

[Graham Plowman]

QUOTE (Gary @ 25 Jan 2007, 19:16) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Without to much fanfare Peco have introduced a new product that will be a very welcome addition to their Setrack range. There are now even more possibilities for users of the Peco Setrack unit track system, with the introduction of the new 4th radius standard curve. With its 22.5 ins (572mm) radius and 22.5 degree curvature this new item complements the existing 1st to 3rd radii items. 16 pieces make up a circle. Perfect for running those express passenger steam locomotives!

Shouldn't we be getting away from toy trainset radius curves of 22 inches by now ?
**ALL** curves should be a minimum of 36 inch radius in my opinion, preferably 48 inch. If this was the accepted standard, then we wouldn't have all these complaints by people trying to get Britannias, A4's, Rebuilt W/Cs etc around tight curves and we wouldn't have to put up with compromises in otherwise decent models just so they can go around toy trainset curves.

Graham Plowman

 

[dwb]

>**ALL** curves should be a minimum of 36 inch radius in my opinion, preferably 48 inch
Given the chance of living in an old Victorian vicarage with large rooms or attics where the minimum dimension is 12 foot or more, I'm sure we'd all be nodding in agreement with you. The fact is that few of us in the UK are in that position today. Even when the loft is available, and many new houses being built today have the loft as living space, the minimum usable dimension is 8 feet, so for those of us who want to run express trains at speed there is not a lot of choice but to use curves well less than your minimum.

I consider myself fortunate to have an 8 foot minimum width and the outer curve radius on my main line is 36 inches at one point. I think the minimum on the main line is around 22. From posts I have read on this forum, I believe I am in the minority. Most members here are considerably more constrained in the space available to them, so "getting away from toy trainset radius curves" is not an option.

David

 

[ahammond]

Of course you could all do the sensible thing and change to N Gauge where a four foot curve is only two foot. Much more realistic.