Model Railway Forum

Is there an issue with Peco setrack curved points and certain locomotives?
This combination of three curved points allows access to different routes. Since it’s a non scenic are sharp curves are acceptable.

I’m getting derailments with 0-6-0 Q and Q1 locos as well as 0-4-4 tank engines. Am I asking too much of these locos or is there an issue with these points? EMUs are fine.

Had one on my layout to save space - nothing would go through it. Binned it.

Curved points are notorious for derailing rolling stock even when laid correctly. Try running a loco very slowly over the point, at the same time get down to eye level and watch where it starts to derail. It may help you sort it. Good luck. ( you will need some )

I am in the process of what started out as a realignment ( but is now turning into a complete rebuild) of the western approach to my station which comprised of 3 curved points........ most of my stock would run thru these ok, but longer (co-co) diesels had issues, and especially the Class 40 and 45’s with the pony bogies

I followed Brian’s advice and spent an age trying to understand what was causing the derailments and in the end I concluded that the flex track approach and exit from the point ( which we’re supposed to also be laid in 2nd radius) were either right on the limit or ever so slightly tighter than that, and consequently a long wheel base loco was doomed before even entering the points as the front and rear axle were having to try to negotiate something less than 2nd radius........

In summary check the approaches and make them a generous as possible.......that is the theory I am trying to turn into practice in my rebuild, as I don’t have the space to adopt any other configuration and still retain anything like the same track plan.

Hope this proves helpful - cheers Richard

Many thanks.
Like Hound dog, I think that this is going to end up as a complete rethink of the approaches to this end of the storage loops. It means encroaching in what was intended to be an embanked scenic section but it could result in much longer loops on four of the five tracks which would be a great advantage. I would loose two short sidings but could live with that. For ease of tracklaying I’ll probably reuse some Setrack I have in stock plus two of the very large curved points from the streamline range which I have used in both code 75 and 100 with no problem.
This is what it could look like.

UK set track curved points have at one particular location a slight narrowing of gauge which is the cause of much problems, really its time Peco or Hornby came up with a newly designed curved point.

The new Peco Catalogue has curved small radius points ‘in development’ in the Streamline code 100 range: SLU 76/77. They will be the new Peco standard unifrog. The radius of both curves, 438mm, appears to be that of the Setrack radius 2 curves. I wonder whether and how Peco are going avoid the issues which bedevil the Setrack version.

I wonder, too, when they will be available.they don’t appear in the price list.

That is a major deviation for Peco if they produce a OO Streamline point with such a tight curve!
Currently their Streamline small turnout and small Y are 610mm radius. 4th radius in Setrack/Hornby is just 572mm.

Im glad to see this development. The changes I made to the layout to avoid the Setrack curved points don’t work so it’s all coming up again and I’ve devised a layout which uses just one Setrack curved point rather than the three originally included. I’m going to temporarily install that and try to ameliorate any problems with the one Setrack point and wait for the new Streamline to appear and substitute that when available.

Found this in last years Peco Spring report...