Hornby curve radius

[snappygum]

Hi everyone,this is my first post. Planning a new layout in HO/OO after many years modelling N gauge. My question is what is the radius of the different curves ie rad.2,3,and4?
It will to some degree influence the size and plan of the layout.

[kebang]

I suggest you download either 'anyrail' (free version lasts forever & permits layouts of up to 50 pieces of track) or 'Scarm' (totally free)
I find anyrail to be very accurate with its geometry & will show you exactly what is & isn't possible. I don't use Scarm so I really cannot comment on its accuracy.

You probably know that Peco, Hornby & Bachmann Set track is geometrically identically

[snappygum]

Thanks,I'll have a look at them.

[TimberSurf]

I believe SCARM is no longer free!

[RAF96]

Scarm still has a free version limited to board size and 100 pieces, else pay for unlimited.

[Bigmet]

Hi everyone,this is my first post. Planning a new layout in HO/OO after many years modelling N gauge. My question is what is the radius of the different curves ie rad.2,3,and4?...

Welcome, and here's some suggestions you didn't ask for, worth mentioning because it sounds like you are starting from scratch!

The current UK OO set track is an unbelievably dated product, with design origins in the 1950s. Ties you to a restricted range of dead crossing points with no motor integration, a poor match to current RTR models and DCC. It is a good match to pre-1975 productions, so if your plans revolve around OO from Triang/Triang-Hornby, Trix, Wrenn, then it might be a reasonable choice.

If it has to be set track, there are alternatives from HO manufacturers that offer much, much more. Roco, Trix, Atlas, Kato, are some manufacturers I would suggest taking a look at. (No current personal experience to offer but their set track systems in the 1970s were superior to current UK set track, so one can only guess where they are at now...)

The simplest alternative to set track is a flexible track system, and Peco have a good set of products to offer in their Streamline range. If planning on the use of the current OO RTR ranges from Bachmann, Dapol, DJM, Hattons, Heljan, Hornby, Murphy's, OOWorks, Oxford, Rapido, Realtrack, to name a few, then code 75 with live crossing 'electrofrog' points would be my suggestion. Easier to lay than code 100, looks better.

[End2end]

Good thing about SCARM is that the author/producer is active on this forum.
Although now payware (except for the 100 peice track maximum) I am seriously considering buying it. It's an excellent program.
I originally designed my layout on the Hornby software. Absolute doggies pavement parcels. VERY inaccurate!
Thanks
End2end

[Emettman]

I support the above comments.
The dead=frog setrack points are now almost certainly the feature to avoid, starting out, if at all possible.

After that the next big factor is selecting locos and stock better-placed to handle sharp curves (which they will almost certainly be!)

Chris