Functional kits for 0 and O-27 gauge locomotives and rolling stock

[Steve in Maryland]

Hi members I am looking for information in regards to functional 0 and 0-27 gauge locomotives and rolling stock, I am having no luck on-line.  Thx in advance  

[stuartmit]

Are you asking about kits from which you can build Lionel compatible 3 rail locos and cars to use Lionel coupler equipped trucks? 

[Flintlock76]

Steve in Maryland

Hi members I am looking for information in regards to functional 0 and 0-27 gauge locomotives and rolling stock, I am having no luck on-line.  Thx in advance  

 

aboard!

Could you be a little more specific?  As in are you looking for good used locomotives and rolling stock?  Pre-war?  Post-war? Modern (Post-1970)?  Functional ones or candidates for rebuilds?  

Or are you just looking for rebuild and maintanance information?  There's a lot of expertise here, but you've got to nail down to us just what you're after. 

[pennytrains]

The Rivarossi 0-8-0 Indiana Harbor Belt locomotive kit leaps to mind as far as mass produced O Scale kits.  The loco and tender were the base kit, but there was a separate motorizing kit by Rivarossi that could turn the model into a functional 2 rail locomotive.  As far as rolling stock goes, there are scale models from Athern, Atlas, InterMountain, Red Caboose, Walthers and Weaver.  Some Kusan/Auburn/AMT cars came as kits as well but they're generally 3-rail semi-scale.

[palallin]

Rivarossi also made kits of the 0-6-0 (not an American prototype but can be "Americanized" somewhat with optional parts), 4-6-0 (Casey Jones' Ten Wheeler), and the 4-4-0 (by far the most expensive).  Motorizing kits (pricey) were available for all, but the motors were small and underpowered for heavy work.  NWSL used to make a better motorizing kit for the 0-8-0, at least, but they are OOP and hard to find.

We are told that nobdoy builds kits anymore, least of all 3Rail O folks, so don't hold your breath waiting for new offerings.  Some kits in the '30s and '40s could be built center-rail pickup, and the Lionel 700E was offered as a kit (suffix "K"), but there is nothing inexpensive about it now!

There are a few loco kits obtainable, but assembling them is a truly craftsman job requiring significant tools, time, and talent.

[Leverettrailfan]

Ditto pretty much all that’s been said. Generally 'kit built' stuff was most popular with the scale modeler, so kits for 3-rail O gauge weren't ever an extremely common thing.

Pittman made 1/4" scale trolley kits (at some point you could also buy them fully assembled I think) that could be configured with scale wheels for 2-rail operation, or 'tinplate' wheels (non scale flanges) and center rail pickup rollers for 3-rail operation. Unassembled kits pop up sometimes on eBay but, I think due to the versitile nature of the models (scale vs 3-rail), you won't likely find the power system included in a kit, and I see the kits show up more often than the drives do. I have a LVT freight motor and a brill car, they're very nice runners, but I'd say they're probably a pain to assemble for someone without dexterous fingers and good eyesight, there's a lot of tiny screws involved.
If you could even count it, there's the prewar Lionel "Bild-a-Loco" and Dorfan's diecast electric locomotives, but those aren't exactly kits as much as models designed to be taken apart and reassembled, and any that still exist unassembled in their original boxes are best left that way.

It seems to me your best bet for rolling stock is to take scale car kits and fit them with 3-rail trucks. As for locomotives, definitely slim pickings.

-Ellie

[BigAl 956]

This is pretty much a 'ready to roll' hobby. Lots of kits on the HO side but in the O world 99% of everything comes built out of the box. If you are looking for inexpensive, Menards offers rolling stock and now engines at entry level prices. 

[Flintlock76]

"Steve in Maryland," are you still out there?  Has any of this been of any use?