The 66-degree curve at Moro Castle on the Uintah Railway was built on a 7 percent grade. I was inspired by photos of that curve, and two other "hairpin" curves on the Uintah, to make such a curve in my track plan. A 66-degree curve has a radius of 87 feet, almost exactly a 12" radius in HO scale. As the North Creek Branch of my Jewel River Railroad leaves Harrington Junction, it rounds the Harrington Hairpin Curve on a 2.75 percent grade. After a 12" transition from straight track, there are 24 lineal inches of track of 12" radius. Then, following a 3.5" transition, the radius becomes 16" for the rest of the curve. I am limited to short cars, but my 2-6-0 and 2-8-0 engines both go through this curve with no difficulty. The easements were very important in the design of such sharp curves. The following photos show the progress on the construction of this curve. At present, the rock-work and basic first-layer ground cover is in. The Black Creek Mine can be seen at the top of the rock cliff. It is finished and is a removeable diorama.

 

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