mixing track

[Anonymous]

I''ve been reeeeeaaaallll busy lately buying some used track whenever I get a chance. Now I've got quite a bit of 3 basic systems:

1. My original O-27
2. Gargraves phantom
3. Lionel Super-O

just looking for opinions on mixing track. My layout will be L-shaped with three interconnecting tracks. One Super O that goes around the outside of the L. One Gargraves loop inside and one O-27 oval. What is the best way to interconnect them? I think there are connecting pieces for both Super O and Gargraves to connect to regular Lionel. Is that correct?

On a related note, does anyone have any good track plans they want to share for a basic, L-shaped layout made with 2 X8 plywood tops?

[spankybird]

HI plastivlizard,

Gargraves track should interface with 027 track without any problem. Gargraves will even work with 027 switches. You will need interface pieces for the Super O track. I don’t remember if they made one for 027 or just for 0 gage. Because this has been out of production for so long, you may have a problem finding them.

A bigger problem that you face is using 2’ x 8’ plywood tops. If your table is only going to be 24” wide it will not fit a 27” min diameter of 027 on it. You will need at least 36” to make a ‘U’.

tom

[FJ and G]

There's no problem mixing ANY type of 3 rail track. Some things to consider:

1. Aesthetics: you might want to do a dry run with the track plan to see where the various types of track look best before ballasting (if you are a ballasting type of person).

2. Any track will mate, even without transitional sections. The key is adding shims. If no track pins or joiners are available, just place the rails together and solder a small wire on the outside rails and center rail from one track to the other.

3. To make the 027 look consistent w/the gargraves, you can cut matching ties on a tablesaw. Another way to make them look a bit more consistent would be to paint the sides of the rails rust color.

Dave Vergun

[Anonymous]

Sorry, that last line is supposed to be 2 4x8 tables not a 2x8 table

[ben10ben]

If I remember correctly, Super O is the same height as Lionel Standard O. If that's the case, you'll need to shim the Gargraves and O27 up 1/4" to make them match up correctly.

To join Gargraves and Super O, I would probably file down the Gargraves pins so that they fit the Super O rail, or crimp the Gargraves rail to tightly fit the Super O pin. I would then bend the Gargrave center rail pin to one side slightly, and solder it to a half a Super O center rail connector to clamp over the Super O center rail.

Gargraves makes pins for O and O27.

[Anonymous]

Bennie, you better check you facts on this one. This isn't the OGR forum.

pax[X-)]

[Dave Farquhar]

Ive joined track before using various, um, creative... yeah, that's the nice way of putting it... creative ways after running out of pins hours after all the hobby shops had closed. I've used bits of copper wire, brass rod, and anything else conductive I had laying around that would fit, sometimes shimming with aluminum foil.

Some engineers will frown on this--theoretically some combinations of dissimilar metal can encourage oxidation that inhibits conductivity--but it's a way to get the track joined and get the trains running until the proper joiners can be procured.

You can also join the rails with something non-conductive, such as bits of plastic rod or wooden skewer sticks, cut to fit the dissimilar rails, to help hold them in place. Then establish conductivity with jumper wires soldered between the dissimilar sections.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Joe Polska

Bennie, you better check you facts on this one. This isn't the OGR forum.

pax[X-)]

Do I detect a problem here?