Steam Engines for 0-27

[Anonymous]

[?]What Lionel or Williams steam engines can operate on O-27 track (including curves and switches) although usually labeled for O-31? It sesms to me that Lionel's 4-6-2, 2-8-4, and 4-6-4 (the body based on the old 726 Berkshire) can all operate on O-27? How can you be sure? Also, has anybody had any particular problems with any of these models? We are using O-27 due to space and budget reasons; there seems to be plenty of diesel engines available but steam engines are a little fuzzy.

[spankybird]

HI jhkogel,

First I would like to welcome to the CTT forum


Many of the steam engines and even the diesel engines that are sad to be 0-31 can and will run on 0-27. My complete layout is 0-27. Check it out by clicking on the web icon below.

The two factors that you have to consider is the amount of overhang of the engine as it goes around the curve and second is clearing the switch motor on your turnouts. I use the K-Line low profile switch to eliminate this problem.

The only other problem on steam engines, if it has a wire harness to the tender, this may be too short to allow a tight turn.

Check this out

click on the picture to enlarge it.

Also check out Sunday Photo Fun. All of mine are on 0-27 track


tom

[mpzpw3]

Almost all postwar style steam engines will run on O-27 curves. The new Lionel berkshire found in starter sets and for seperate sale will also run on O-27, as will the Pacifics. I don't know your situation, and this has been said so many times I'm sure it is annoying, but why not go with O-31 track? 4 inchs isn't that much saved space. I used O-27 track for a long time before switching to O-31, and do believe that O-27 looks better, but it is nice to run postwar style aluminum passenger cars through switches, which can't be done with O-27 turnouts. Perhaps you should consider gargraves track with Ross or Curtiss, or Gargraves switches. Using gargraves track will allow you to make your own curve radius, and also put the switch machines low enough to clear longer locomotives and rolling stock, which is the biggest limiting factor on O-27 layouts. Also consider loco. dimensions. for example, a Williams GP-7 is almost 15 inches long, coupler to coupler. A postwar Lionel 675 is about 11 inches long. Both will run on O-27 track. A trainmaster, however, is about 15 and 1/2 inches coupler to coupler, and I doubt would run very well on O-27 radius ( Heck, it looks kinda stupid on my O-31 curves). The reason for this example is this: Check the size before you buy. Either ask on this forum as to size, or see what the catalog states on size. Anything over about 14 inches may either look bad or won't clear Lionel O-27 switch machines, not including the tender. I'm not trying to start a fight here, but please consider going with O-31 curves. If the rail height is bothering you, look into Gargraves track, where you can make your own curves. My yard and upper level are Gargraves, and it isn't hard to work with. Hope this helps.

[spankybird]

Hi All,

I have to agree, if you are planning on using Lionel 027 switches, then you will be greatly limited to what size engine you can run. Also if you want to only use Lionel switches, then it would be better to use 031.

On the other hand, if you are open to use K-Line switches, then the switch motor is no longer a problem and a larger amount of engines and rolling stock can be used. Also the K-line switches are about $25.00 each FOB your door.


Here is a thread on 027 switches
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=14092

tom

[lionelsoni]

You can run a Trainmaster on O27 if you

o Remove the fuel tank.
o Reverse the pickups to get the rollers between the flanged wheels.
o Cut the keyholes in the frame to allow the trucks to swivel a little farther.
o Trim a little plastic from the field-coil bobbins where they contact the inside of the shell.

[FJ and G]

There are several tricks to making larger locomotives work on 027. The 027 Lionel switches have a big box that hits the sides of some long cars. Just throw away the box and make your own device or another technique is to chop off the last 2.5 inches of the curved portion of the 027 switch.

It would take several pages of explaining either of these procedures.

dav

[cnw1995]

Welcome to the forum. Once you start with a 027 oval - it is sure easy to continue with 027, rather than dumping it to go 031. That' s what I'm doing (spanning the globe with 027 track) but it's also possible to 'mate' 031 track with the 027.. so you may have the best of both worlds. I have two Lionel 2-6-4s and an MPC era FA that work well on my 027 curves. I'm using Lionel manual 027 switches which work fine.

[spankybird]

Hi Bob,

Well we will and another [2C]. We also have the K-line Trainmaster. I can run this engine just as it came from the factory without any problems. It does have a lot of overhang on it. I will post some pics of it tonight when I get home.

By the way, I thought this thread was about Steam Engines for 0-27, but we still can post the Trainsmaster.

Maybe I have been lucky with my layout, maybe its really the low profile turnouts, but if it runs on 031, I have been able to run it on my 027 layout.

Before I change to the Low Profile turnout, I was very limited to what I could run. As far as re-working the Lionel switches, I sold them off at $15.00 each and paid $25.00 for new ones, only costing me $10.00 each. It wasn’t worth the time and effort to rework these for $10.00.

tom

[daan]

When you use 027 track, consider to start a curve with 031 or a bit bigger. If you put different radii behind eachother, the size of the curve will not get too much bigger, but the bigger radius in the beginning is gently moving all wheels and trucks in position for the tight curve to come.
Unless a mechanical obstruction simply blocks the wheels to follow a 027 curve, every other engine runs much smoother into these curves and engines with leading trucks won't derail..
But that's a bit apart from the subject..

[lionelsoni]

Tom, I was responding to mpzpw3's comment doubting that a Trainmaster would run on O27.

Daan, I have long preached what you just posted. A major benefit that I see (to what are called "spiral" curves) is that you can put the tangents on each side of a curve closer to a wall, since the ends of the cars or locomotives do not swing out so far with the longer-radius introduction to the curve. By the time they get to the short-radius middle of the curve, they are far enough from the wall that this is no longer a problem. The slight increase in the area needed for the curve may be more than made up by the space saved by getting the tangent closer to the edge of the layout.

I prefer Marx O34 to trying to make a transition from O27 to O31.

[spankybird]

Hi all,
Well as promised, here is my K-Line Trainmaster running on 027 tube track. As you can see the large amount of overhang. The only reason I got this engine is because it was part of the K-line collectors club. BTW, I most probably won’t be keeping it.






Well I guess we have beaten this one to death.

tom

[Anonymous]

spankybird, you have a great looking toy train layout. How big is it? Do you have a pic of the entire layout?

[C):-)]

[spankybird]

Hi Joe,

Thanks for the kind words. The main layout is 10 x 20. If you click on the web icon below you can see my layout.

tom