Fred T. et al -- You can resolve the conflict between appearance and radius limitations by putting your necessarily sharp return curves inside hills or behind viewblocks, and using large flowing curves where your trains are visible. For example, my only curves smaller than 48" are in my hidden staging-yard loop, and they are as tight as 33 inches. There are no visual problems with 85-foot passenger cars on the portions of my layout that visitors see, and no operational problems on my 33-inch curves because I have spiral easements entering and leaving these sharp curves. (Note: No special coupler mounts are needed on my long cars -- Just standard Kadee 802/808 boxes rigidly attached to carbodies.)
Dick Karnes
