The V&O used up a large basement. If you have that kind of room, you can work out a way to avoid the reverse-curve blues. Still -- if Armstrong, McClelland and Koester advise against short reverse curves at switches -- and they do -- heed them. You can get a compound ladder without reverse curves. Start with a straight lead. Insert a RH#6. Next, on the curved RH portion, inser another RH#6. Then curve the track from the LH branch of this switch to parallel its RH branch. Go back to the straight lead and do it again. And then again, until you have as many tracks as you want -- with no reverse curves. As to couplers -- there must be a reason why so many manufacturers try to imitate the KDs -- they work! Most of the "replacements" do not have the consistent performance of the KDs. In any scale. Randy Brown -------------------------------------------------------------- > I think you might want to consider using No. 6 switches in the yards, and No. 8 on mainline > trackage. Yard tracks typically do have sharper curves than mainline track. True I had thought of that, but my reading had tainted my opinions. In McCelland's book for his origional layout, he talks about using numerous #4's, 5's & 6's, but later saying he replaced many #4's after haveing alot of problems with operation with them and that in hindsight he would use #6's as the minimum. Then in the article about the 2nd incarnation of the V&O he started in the early 2000's he talks about using #8's as a minimum on mainline turnouts and yard tracks, with some #6's for industries. I had come to have this philosophy after reading this and the other books by Armstrong and Koestner (spelling? I'm at work) didn't refute this idea. But as you say, a #6 straight may actually be more operationally effecient then a #8 compound, I will look into it. Thanks for the idea :) Good advice about couplers and wheelsets. I must confess to a bit of ignorance on that subject. I have known about Kadee couplers since I was a kid, but I really don't understand the different sizes and what they mean. Nor the nuances of other brands either. Unfortunately I don't think this is a subject I will really be able to wrap my mind around until I get some hands on time if you know what I mean? Some things are just better to have someone show you then talk about. BB The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List http://EL-List.railfan.net/ To Unsubscribe: http://Lists.Railfan.net/erielackunsub.html ------------------------------
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