Hi all, new here

[brianel027]

In addition to what Spanky said above....

At one time (long long ago) Lionel trains were viewed a little more as toys. Typically a father got his son a train set and they built a layout together. It has been theorized that the some what smaller than full scale size of the Lionel 6464 series box cars was designed so that they could be easily picked up by a child's hand. If you have one of those 6464 series box cars, take a good look at it: a full scale replica of that box car would be about 1/4" wider, 1/2" higher and an inch longer. The smaller Lionel 6000 series plug double door box cars like the 6014 white Frisco (that typically came with 027 starter sets of the peiod) are even small than a 6464 series. Lionel MPC (when Lionel was owned by General Foods from 1970-1986) continued making many smaller 9-inch 027 cars.

"027" is actually a track type, but has come to mean the smaller, less-than-scale cars made by Lionel, MARX and later by K-Line during the early years. The current "S" gauge cars are made from the same dies used to make the MARX 027 cars and the early K-Line 027 cars. The 027 types of trains tend to be less costly. You can run full scale trains on 027 track.... there's no problem with compatability. Where the problem arises with 027 track is the tight radius of the 27 inch diameter curves and the excessively large switch box housing on the Lionel MPC-era switches. 027 type track is made in larger radius curves and K-Line has recently redesigned their 027 switches (to mostly raving reviews) without the large switchbox housing. Spankybird uses the new K-Line switches along with 027 track and he runs some larger closer to full scale engines.

There are some limitations to using 027 track. But it is the most affordable of any track being made. And the more traditionally sized 027/O trains tend to be a little more affordable. And you can certainly do more on a small layout with 027 track than anything else. Tubular 0 would be the next choice for layout possibilities in a small space. The new FasTrack although advertised as a 36 inch radius is acutally more like 40 or 41 inches with the size of the molded roadbed included.

[spankybird]

QUOTE: Originally posted by kdawg8762

What exactly is the difference in O and O27??

This is taken from the following link

QUOTE: Regular O gauge Lionel track has a railhead height of 11/16 inch and a circle diameter of 31 inches. Wider radius O-72 is of the same profile, but with a 72 inch diameter.

Track of the second profile, known as O-27, is formed from a lighter-weight steel and has a railhead height of 7/16 inch. A circle has a 27 inch diameter. Two wider radius versions of this track are also available from Lionel, O-42 and O-54.

The two profiles were not designed to be mixed. They can be used together on the same layout, however, if the O-27 track is shimmed by 1/4 inch and the holes in the tubular rails are enlarged to accept regular O gauge pins.

Generally, most O gauge equipment, except for the largest locomotives and passenger cars, will operate satisfactorily on O-27 track. And, with the exception of Lionel four-wheel-drive steamers made before 1948 and some early Marx units, most O-27 trains will work on regular O gauge track.

http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/000/417rdzrg.asp
[:D]

[Anonymous]

What exactly is the difference in O and O27??

[brianel027]

Hey kdawg, saw your "petty" comment on the other "Opinion" thread. All I can say is don't worry about it and enjoy your trains. There's more diversity of product offered to today's train buyer and there's also more diversity of opinions too... just comes with the territory.

I've been back in the hobby 15 years. I can't tell you all the discouraging comments I have heard over the years:
- I wish "027" product would die.
- I wish Lionel had never made any "027" product.
- Anyone who repaints trains should be sent to jail.
- If you don't operate trains with TMCC, then you are not running your trains properly."

I've heard it all and I don't really care. I've been the odd-man out my entire life, so being the odd-ball here is no big deal to me...
[8] I run on 027 track (as do some others here too)
[8] I have a small layout but with lots of scenery and details
[8] I run traditionally sized non-scale proportioned trains
[8] I do not use nor will ever use any control system (until prices come down very dramatically on that stuff... and then still maybe)
[8] I currently have modified most of my trains to run on straight DC current... Poor man's speed control!
[8] And I repaint A LOT because I like roadnames other than the PRR and NYC

I hope the below image comes up... it's a repainted K-Line Alco FA done in a "what if...." Penn Central paint scheme. I've been at shows where even die-hard Lionel postwar guys have said "that's pretty cool... have you sent that to Lionel or K-Line? They should make one like that."



There's a wealth of opinions here when folks get talking about the hobby as a whole. But there's also a wealth of great advice from a great group of guys. I've never personally met any of these folks, but guys like Big Boy4005, Chief, Spankybird, Lionelsoni, Nblum, FJ&G, Dr. Fu-Manchu, Dr; John and many many others I'm forgetting now can offer a wide range of help and assistance!

Seriously, I'm about as odd as they get as far as the hobby goes. Yet I feel like one of the gang here. And as much as others have helped me, I also hope I have helped others. Many of us offer advice and tips here you couldn't get from the train companies themselves!

Hey, being a member of any open train forum is a bit like riding on a real train: sometimes you hit a rough patch of track, but then things get smooth again. So have a good time, ask questions, share your own ideas and when you build your layout - have some friends over with kids and let them see it!

[Anonymous]

Each end????? we have hedges all along the sidelines, although I live in Spurrierville, oops, meant Columbia SC now.

[Dr. John]

kdawg, welcome to the forum from a fellow southerner! Hope you enjoy your re-discovered trains!

I guess your football stadium will have hedge rows at each end.

[Anonymous]

Actually from GA, not Ohio, turns out we have a great club about 10 miles from where I work and I am headed there this Thursday. Luckily fo me, the basement these have been sitting in is climate controlled and no moisture. Going to have the local hoppy shop guy lube em up as I only have so much time and will be spending my time on the build area. Found my track layout on google, has a nice 2 loop plan with some crossovers and a few offshoots, which we had when i was little. Difference will be in the landscaping. When I was young, we just spray painted it green and had a few buildings, I am looking to basically build a small city. Plan on having downtown with some scrapers in the middle (mainly to not have them hide the trains) then do a residential, industrial and college area. Being from the southeast, you know I have to have a college football stadium!

[1688torpedo]

Hello kdawg & [#welcome] You will get lots of useful advice here...................Keith

[Buckeye Riveter]

[#welcome] from all of us
[:(!][^][:D][B)][:I][:o)][8D][xx(][V][8][}:)][:X][?][:(][:O][8)][|)][:)]
[angel][*^_^*][banghead][X-)][bow][4:-)][censored][C=:-)][%-)][C):-)][dinner][D)][|(][{(-_-)}][(-D][(-D][:-,][oX)][sigh][:-^][zzz]

[Frank53]

ditto on ThorsTrains - a wealth of information and ideas.

and welcome.

Lastly, do some maintenance on those trains that have been sitting all that time.

[spankybird]

Hi Kdawg, Welcome to the Forum



If you didn't read the thread at the top of the page, it has alot of good links in it.
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=33391




tom

[jwse30]

Welcome back to the hobby, and to the forum as well.

A good place to start is here:

http://www.thortrains.net/index.html

Lots of track plans are available, as well as other good information. Careful though, that website can take a while to go through. It has a tendancy to reel me in, and not let go for a while. [:)]

Hope this helps,

J White

[csxt30]

[#welcome] Kdawg ! Where are you from ? Ihope Ohoi!! Just kidding![:D] Be lots of help for you here & be sure to check out the daily Coffee Pot, and Sunday Photo Fun ! Thanks, John

[Anonymous]

Finally convinced my father to give his 30 yr old son the Lionel O Guage train set they had when he was a child. I cannot wait to get it up and running. We used to run it on a 4 x8 area, but I have decided to expand to a 4 x 12 area with an outer and inner loop. Any ideas or help, since basically I have ran them but never set them up. I have already ordered lumber to get my build area set up and supported and I am thinking about doing a modern urban landscape.