I think the key to getting anyone in a hobby, trains or otherwise, is information such as this. Simple straight forward tips. As a lot of "gate keepers" in hobbies tend to shut new comers down.
Thanks for sharing and I appreciate you pointing out the forced perspective trick by using smaller box cars at the back of the consist. We are never too old to learn a new trick!
Outstanding presentation. Imminently practical information. Never condescending. I'm not a newbie but I'm no expert either and i honestly cannot stand asking a legitimate question only to be spoken down to by some rivet counter shouting the railroad equivalent of "get off my lawn!" Thank you good Sir.
The sad thing is for years model railroaders have had a reputation among a lot of the public as social misfits. Even sadder is the fact some model railroaders seem to work hard at reenforcing that stereotype!
Really great video! My tips and advice would be to analyze your living space before you set up anything for your train layout. Decorating Your train room is the same as organizing a living room or bedroom, you want to make sure that not only does your layout look good but also complement your train room from left to right. Think about where you want your track too be placed and where you want your scenery and accessories to be placed and displayed.
This is great. I am 66 years old and although I have loved trains all my life, I have never had a proper layout. I am not exactly rolling in dough, but I am going to give it a last try and am currently working on getting my supplies together. Being female didn’t help because so many old guys didn’t want to be bothered by a young girl asking “duh” questions. I can understand but it sure would have been nice for some help. Trains are in my blood, as my grandfather worked for the B&O, and my mom worked for the C&O and Railway Express.
Thank you for this type of content. Guys like me that didn't grow up with trains and did not work in real life around trains have a lot to learn when getting into the hobby. Content like this really is helpful.
I appreciate the weak coupler trick using rubber bands. I picked up a pack of 700 today at Dollar Tree for $1.25. These are really tiny, and being black, they are practically invisible once installed.
Hi Mike MPC Matt here again, I loved this video tremendously!!!! ❤ I mix up my longest 20 car train with all types of Lionel Modern Era freight cars provided they all have the fast angle wheels with needle point bearings. Some of the cars I have on this train are a 50 ft. Standard-O green C&IM double door boxcar along with MPC and later High Cube boxcars, MPC O-27 boxcars, O-27 flatcars, O-27 autocarrier,O-27 hoppers,(Quad and 2-bay) and the two types of O-27 tank cars ( 8000 gallon with single dome and the larger single dome with platform) You can also have the MPC 6464 boxcars and theirs likenesses, the Standard-O 2 bay and 3 bay hoppers, 40 ft. Standard-O boxcars, the Stardard-O Uni-body tankcars, and the Standard-O flat cars, gondolas, reefers, 40 ft. ACF cattle cars, and the Standard-O cabooses. Most of these Standard-O cars will go through the curved portion of an O-27 switch but there are exceptions but they all will go around the single O-27 curves with no problems unless your train has way to many cars on it then you would have to worry about tip overs. Another thing I would like to tell you is that there is a LTI catalog that on its cover is a picture of a long Lionel train with a Dash 8-40-C pulling a 20 car train of different Lionel LTI Standard-O and regular type cars. In the picture these cars are all mixed together in this long train. ( Oh by the way the engine in the picture is a semi-scale diesel) I guess the late Richard Khugn thought like the rest of us toy semi-scale guys at that time and liked to mix up his trains as well. Thank You for sharing this Mike and as always Happy Railroading!!!!
When you want to expand your railroad track is readily available from various manufacturers including Menards Lionel atlas MTH and more same with locomotives and freight and passenger cars but always check the box or website for minimum curve before you buy as some locomotives require bigger curves than those typically in starter sets
A great run-down of the basics Mike! Just to add a bit, what I do with unreliable couplers is lock them shut with a plastic wire tie. A wire tie's a lot more durable than a rubber band and can be easily removed with a pair of wire cutters if need be. Since I run on closed loops and don't do any switching couplers locked shut aren't a problem. Freight cars of different sizes? I tell folks to look at a real freight train, you'll see freight cars of different sizes in the consist anyway so don't worry about it on the model train. The only thing to worry about is the bigger the car the wider the curve that's going to be needed. Thanks for posting!
Nice stuff! Great advice for the beginners in the hobby. I relegate my Marx engines to my outer two mains, as they don't have switches. I plan on a small, 3x4 or so, second level, for my Marx, a short time in the future. It will have a cool scene, with some Marx accessories. As always, an excellent video..
0:15 I got that same set for my first Christmas as a baby. Still have it and just used it this year under my own tree. Mine didn't have that paint on it, though. It was a flat black color and probably from a few years later, but it's still the same set.
As one who is on the forums quite often I try to help newbies out as much as possible. It’s the ones who come to a forum to sell their inheritance thinking they have gold that bother me most.
I see alot of O-27 track and switches for sale at the Great Midwest Train Show that I go to every month and I see it selling. I think that a lot of people who see the high prices of the newer trains want cheaper track to acquire to run those trains on and O-27 track was also available in O-42 and I believe O-54 in the Lionel Modern Era until Lionel LLC. replaced it with Fastrack. The O-gauge system of Lionel type of track is still available as used track and as new track in various sizes sold through the Menards stores. All of this track is cheaper than the Lionel Fastrack system.
For getting as much three-rail railroad in a small area 027's fine but remember what Mike said, trains built for 031 track MAY not run properly on 027, they won't hold the turns. That being said if you stay with Post-War vintage trains built by Lionel or Marx there shouldn't be a problem. Modern trains are a "maybe you can get away with running on 027, maybe you can't" situation. In my experience it's a 50-50 proposition. My advice would be to go with the widest diameter you have room for, it's hard to go wrong that way. I run on 031 track.
@@wayneantoniazzi2706 @ 027 Track is the goat.You can run anything on that track except Some Marx Trains.027 Track comes in four different Radius.027 Inch radius.042 Radius,054 Radius and 072 Radius.Now if you build your whole layout with using 027 radius curves you will have problems with certain engines.If you use 042 curves and up you can run anything.Right now I running a Santa Fe Lionchief plus 2.0 around 027 radius curves with no problems.And Lionel says the minimum curve for that engine is 031 or 036.They are wrong.The profile of 027 track is different from 0 gauge. 027 rails hold the wheels better.Infact they change the profile of wheels on Lionel Truck during MPC era to align with 027 track,Not ogauge track the rails are wider.Check out my Layout its 40 feet long X 12 feet wide.First level is fastrack the second is 027 Track.Two ramps two 90 degree crossovers,Five 45 degree crossovers.Two uncoupling tracks.Watch how my big engines take that 027 track.027 track is the best Track Lionel ever made switch tracks and all
Great video Mike. Question, when at a train show, how do you tell what radius a curve is? Can you tell just by looking at it?? Is it marked on the track somewhere?
It's not marked. Over time, you can tell by sight. O27 is usually brown ties, regular O is usually black ties. O27/O31 usually have 3 ties per piece. 4 ties or more is usually a wider raidius.
@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks oh ok thank you. ur like the 5th person i asked and the only one to answer lol. i thought for a sec i was just gonna have to guess lol
I just want to clear up the O gauge versus O-27 comments. This info here applies to Postwar items: Everything Lionel made in the Postwar era will run on O-27 track except the following: 773 Scale Hudson, 726 or 736 Berkshires, FM Trainmasters, Dual Motored F-3s, GG-1s, EP-5 Electrics, and Budd Cars. Also, you can probably add 2500 Series aluminum passenger cars and the 6418 (4) truck flat cars to the list, but I never actually tried them. Everything else will run on 0-27, including the Single Motored F-3s and the Turbines. However, a lot of these larger items look ridiculous on O-27 curves! Give them a wider radius wherever possible to do them justice! 🙂
@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks You are welcome! Thanks for posting the video! BTW I thought of one more: the Irvington / Madison / Manhattan passenger cars most likely won't run on O-27 track. Anyone please add any corrections or additions to this list. Happy New Year! 🙂
I had some leftover drywall compound and slathered it on as a road and crossing. Before the compound dried, I carved grooves for the train flanges. After it dried, I painted it with common craft paints.
My biggest beef when I got into O was the different sizes. undersized, semi scale, scale,ect. I wish manufacturers would be more clearer in the description of what size the car. Until you get a little experience, it’s hard to tell what is what size wish
It helps a lot to pick up some of the various 'Beginner's' Model Train Guides that had been printed over the decades. Even copies w/loose pages can be a gold mine of information.
I have the lionel o-27 polar express and when it goes around the corners it slows down and speeds up once out of the corners I think it's the traction tires as the inner rail is shorter than the outer would it be OK to run without them or take just one off or would it damage the wheel or track from the groove for the traction tire
DO NOT REMOVE THE TRACTION TIRES. There is a groove in the wheels specifically to accomodate the tires, so removing the tires will make the locomotive unbalanced. Physics dictates that there will be slowing on tight curves (friction). If you can switch to wider curves you will have better operation. The Polar Express Berkshires look really good on O36 FasTrack.
Thanks for the info also the smoke unit doesn't produce much smoke I'm using bachmann smoke fluid I'm wondering if I need different fluid or a new smoke element
@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks Well, I should have said the drawing is correct. Mea Culpa. As a historical side note, the gauge of very early 'toy trains' (like Bing) was the distance between the centers of the outside rails.
Mike, is not a comment but a question. Is it possible for instance to take a 736 tender. And put a box type latch, coupler on it to pull older cars. Or would it be better if possible to put a monitor Lionel coupler on the first car and a 10 plate train I would like to pull some template, free cars and passenger cars with my older engines 681 or 736 if that is possible. Advise me what the best route would be. Or if it’s not possible, let me know
The question is how permanent you would like the solution to be. You could swap out the trucks on your tender with Prewar types with the old couplers, but that would be pretty permanent. Or, make an "idler car" out of one of the Prewar cars by swapping one truck with a Postwar type and knuckle coupler. A boxcar or reefer would be a good choice because they not only work for freight trains but also as "express" cars on passenger trains.
You should be fine, I have used small things such as a 2-4-2 penn railroad from some random set and I’ve used larger older things like a 671 and my CW-80 has been taking everything fine. I have multiple lights connected and 8 passenger cars all lit on the track with the 671 and it takes it. It should take whatever you’re running fine.
He's nots fully correct about the difference between o and o-27, the actual difference is 0-27 is not proportioned correctly to scale which makes them toys. While O scale is proportioned to scale more accurately to the real thing which makes them models Not toys.
Many "O27" trains are scale proportioned models. Many "O Gauge" models are undersize. Many models were marketed as BOTH O and O27. And don't confuse the terms "O Scale" with "O Gauge". They are different. Thanks for watching!
@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks I didn't say o Gauge. I said 0-27 and 0-27 are NOT SCALED correctly to true 1:48 scale only "standard O" is. There's o-27, there's "semi-scale" and then there's "standard o" 0-27 are toys that children play with And all are shorter than Semi scale. Semi-scale is compressed a bit as a compromise for model railroaders who don't qite have the space for true 1:48 scale. And then there's "standard o" which is true 1:48 scale proportions that are "prototypical" to the real thing. Lionel called it "standard o" and MTH called it "premier"
@@myrtistaylor5759 But not all O27 trains are out of scale. For example, Lionel's NW2, F3, GP7, NC5 caboose, twin and quad hoppers, and many more models were/are marketed as "O27" when they are scale-proportioned models. Likewise, the 671 steam turbine, 2025 2-6-2 and many others were marketed as "O" models when they are grossly under-size. And even "Premier" or "Standard O" models are not REALLY 1:48 scale. For that, you need to go to Proto 48. (And then there's the whole 1:48 vs.1:43 argument). But what beginners need to know is whether an "O Gauge" car or an "O27 Gauge" car can operate on the same layout. I know what you are trying to say, but for beginners it just muddies the water even more. Thanks for watching and commenting!
@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks F3s, NW2s and quad hoppers are to scale yes, but those are both short engines in real life. An F3 in real life is about 50 feet in length. So a true 1:48 scale f3 is short enough to be able to handle the curves on an 0-27 track. So that could be why they marketed it that way perhaps. And a GP-7 isn't much bigger than an f3 in real life either so their proportioned about the same in 1:48 scale. Their both EMDs. And yes a dual qaud hopper is scale but can go around an 0-27 curve because again, in real life that was a small railcar, so a 1:48 scale version can handle tight curves so it was put in with 0-27 starter sets.
@@myrtistaylor5759 Correct. So the blanket statement "O27 models are not scale" is not true. Nor is it true to say "O gauge models are made to scale". And since the terms "O27 Gauge" and "O gauge" tell us nothing about the relative scale of the models, it is both more logical and more useful to focus on curve diameter differences than scale proportion differences.
Mike I run mostly marx model trains I have o gauge trains and rolling stock o use marx trains on my 043 o gauge layout I couldn't hav had the confidence to run marx trains and o gauge trains on the same layout
Love your tips about trains .my grandfather. Had the allegheny
Set.1972 he would yell when we would run it fast .
:-)
I think the key to getting anyone in a hobby, trains or otherwise, is information such as this. Simple straight forward tips. As a lot of "gate keepers" in hobbies tend to shut new comers down.
Thanks for sharing and I appreciate you pointing out the forced perspective trick by using smaller box cars at the back of the consist. We are never too old to learn a new trick!
I'm glad it was helpful!
I needed these tips in 1965. Thanks for helping me out to make my trains run reliably! 🙂
Glad to help!
Outstanding presentation. Imminently practical information. Never condescending. I'm not a newbie but I'm no expert either and i honestly cannot stand asking a legitimate question only to be spoken down to by some rivet counter shouting the railroad equivalent of "get off my lawn!" Thank you good Sir.
I appreciate the kind words. It's something I work hard to avoid!
The sad thing is for years model railroaders have had a reputation among a lot of the public as social misfits.
Even sadder is the fact some model railroaders seem to work hard at reenforcing that stereotype!
@wayneantoniazzi2706 which is precisely why I tell people that I am not a "model railroader." I play with toy trains. It's a lot more fun!
@@billintex001 A great idea and a great point!
There are many people like this in every hobby I've found. I have a number of names for them myself. 😊
13:46 I guess this was a test to see if we watch to the end! Well done, Mike. These tips,are universally important.
Thanks! And thanks for watching!
Really great video! My tips and advice would be to analyze your living space before you set up anything for your train layout. Decorating Your train room is the same as organizing a living room or bedroom, you want to make sure that not only does your layout look good but also complement your train room from left to right. Think about where you want your track too be placed and where you want your scenery and accessories to be placed and displayed.
That's very important! You don't want to regret your layout choices later.
This is great. I am 66 years old and although I have loved trains all my life, I have never had a proper layout. I am not exactly rolling in dough, but I am going to give it a last try and am currently working on getting my supplies together. Being female didn’t help because so many old guys didn’t want to be bothered by a young girl asking “duh” questions. I can understand but it sure would have been nice for some help. Trains are in my blood, as my grandfather worked for the B&O, and my mom worked for the C&O and Railway Express.
Welcome aboard!
@ 👋🏻
Thank you for this type of content. Guys like me that didn't grow up with trains and did not work in real life around trains have a lot to learn when getting into the hobby. Content like this really is helpful.
Glad I could help!
Thanks Mike. Some of us need to hear these tips since we’ve been away from the hobby for a while.
Glad to help! Thanks for watching!
I appreciate the weak coupler trick using rubber bands. I picked up a pack of 700 today at Dollar Tree for $1.25. These are really tiny, and being black, they are practically invisible once installed.
Hi Mike MPC Matt here again, I loved this video tremendously!!!! ❤ I mix up my longest 20 car train with all types of Lionel Modern Era freight cars provided they all have the fast angle wheels with needle point bearings. Some of the cars I have on this train are a 50 ft. Standard-O green C&IM double door boxcar along with MPC and later High Cube boxcars, MPC O-27 boxcars, O-27 flatcars, O-27 autocarrier,O-27 hoppers,(Quad and 2-bay) and the two types of O-27 tank cars ( 8000 gallon with single dome and the larger single dome with platform) You can also have the MPC 6464 boxcars and theirs likenesses, the Standard-O 2 bay and 3 bay hoppers, 40 ft. Standard-O boxcars, the Stardard-O Uni-body tankcars, and the Standard-O flat cars, gondolas, reefers, 40 ft. ACF cattle cars, and the Standard-O cabooses. Most of these Standard-O cars will go through the curved portion of an O-27 switch but there are exceptions but they all will go around the single O-27 curves with no problems unless your train has way to many cars on it then you would have to worry about tip overs. Another thing I would like to tell you is that there is a LTI catalog that on its cover is a picture of a long Lionel train with a Dash 8-40-C pulling a 20 car train of different Lionel LTI Standard-O and regular type cars. In the picture these cars are all mixed together in this long train. ( Oh by the way the engine in the picture is a semi-scale diesel) I guess the late Richard Khugn thought like the rest of us toy semi-scale guys at that time and liked to mix up his trains as well. Thank You for sharing this Mike and as always Happy Railroading!!!!
Thanks for the tips!
You are very welcome Mike!!!
Great video. The only coupler problems I've had are the MPC couplers, and your trick works perfectly.
Many folks have trouble with some Menards couplers as well. I have had occasional problems with Lionel PostWar through LTI.
When you want to expand your railroad track is readily available from various manufacturers including Menards Lionel atlas MTH and more same with locomotives and freight and passenger cars but always check the box or website for minimum curve before you buy as some locomotives require bigger curves than those typically in starter sets
This is the exact reason I watch these vids. Great info that you can use. Great job!!! 👍
Awesome, thank you!
VERY informative, thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
A great run-down of the basics Mike!
Just to add a bit, what I do with unreliable couplers is lock them shut with a plastic wire tie. A wire tie's a lot more durable than a rubber band and can be easily removed with a pair of wire cutters if need be. Since I run on closed loops and don't do any switching couplers locked shut aren't a problem.
Freight cars of different sizes? I tell folks to look at a real freight train, you'll see freight cars of different sizes in the consist anyway so don't worry about it on the model train. The only thing to worry about is the bigger the car the wider the curve that's going to be needed.
Thanks for posting!
Good point!
Nice stuff! Great advice for the beginners in the hobby. I relegate my Marx engines to my outer two mains, as they don't have switches. I plan on a small, 3x4 or so, second level, for my Marx, a short time in the future. It will have a cool scene, with some Marx accessories. As always, an excellent video..
Sounds like fun!
0:15 I got that same set for my first Christmas as a baby. Still have it and just used it this year under my own tree. Mine didn't have that paint on it, though. It was a flat black color and probably from a few years later, but it's still the same set.
Many versions of that set were made over the years. A good runner.
Learning all the time!
Great presentation
Thank you!
Superb presentation.
Thank you!
Glad you liked it!
Excellent video!
Thank you very much!
OUTSTANDING VIDEO. Mike, you always produce very relevant and informative videos. I always enjoy the content you produce!👍🙏🔥❤️💪🇺🇸
Thank you so much! I'm glad you find them helpful.
Great videos, the info is always interesting and informative.
Glad you're enjoying them!
As one who is on the forums quite often I try to help newbies out as much as possible. It’s the ones who come to a forum to sell their inheritance thinking they have gold that bother me most.
Yes, some think their 6456 Lehigh Valley hopper can put their kids through college. Thanks for helping the newbies!
I have a double loop and a 110 watt transformer and the lock and feeder tip is gonna be helpful, thank you
Glad I could help
Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction
1:13 O Gauge vs O-27 Gauge
3:14 Lock ons and Feeders
4:00 Lionel Turnout "Chatter"
4:57 Relocating Rail Jointers
5:39 Rail (Un)Couplers
6:24 Marx "Fat Wheels"
7:41 Reversing Units
9:34 Upgrading the Transformer
11:17 3-Rail Reverse Loops
12:10 Mixing Rolling Stock Sizes
13:43 Outro.
I have tons of o27 because I would get a new set for Christmas every yr so I still got boxes of o27 track never been used
We all accumulate it. Especially curves!
I see alot of O-27 track and switches for sale at the Great Midwest Train Show that I go to every month and I see it selling. I think that a lot of people who see the high prices of the newer trains want cheaper track to acquire to run those trains on and O-27 track was also available in O-42 and I believe O-54 in the Lionel Modern Era until Lionel LLC. replaced it with Fastrack. The O-gauge system of Lionel type of track is still available as used track and as new track in various sizes sold through the Menards stores. All of this track is cheaper than the Lionel Fastrack system.
Good tips. 027 Track is the way to go.
For getting as much three-rail railroad in a small area 027's fine but remember what Mike said, trains built for 031 track MAY not run properly on 027, they won't hold the turns. That being said if you stay with Post-War vintage trains built by Lionel or Marx there shouldn't be a problem. Modern trains are a "maybe you can get away with running on 027, maybe you can't" situation. In my experience it's a 50-50 proposition.
My advice would be to go with the widest diameter you have room for, it's hard to go wrong that way. I run on 031 track.
@@wayneantoniazzi2706 @ 027 Track is the goat.You can run anything on that track except Some Marx Trains.027 Track comes in four different Radius.027 Inch radius.042 Radius,054 Radius and 072 Radius.Now if you build your whole layout with using 027 radius curves you will have problems with certain engines.If you use 042 curves and up you can run anything.Right now I running a Santa Fe Lionchief plus 2.0 around 027 radius curves with no problems.And Lionel says the minimum curve for that engine is 031 or 036.They are wrong.The profile of 027 track is different from 0 gauge. 027 rails hold the wheels better.Infact they change the profile of wheels on Lionel Truck during MPC era to align with 027 track,Not ogauge track the rails are wider.Check out my Layout its 40 feet long X 12 feet wide.First level is fastrack the second is 027 Track.Two ramps two 90 degree crossovers,Five 45 degree crossovers.Two uncoupling tracks.Watch how my big engines take that 027 track.027 track is the best Track Lionel ever made switch tracks and all
I like O27 myself.
Good tips!
@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks Hey if it works for you, great! Nothing succeeds like success!
Nice video. Enjoyed! These transformers are aggravating trying to find one that you "might" can trust.
The one thing I really miss from three rail is painless reverse loops.
:-)
Great video Mike. Question, when at a train show, how do you tell what radius a curve is? Can you tell just by looking at it?? Is it marked on the track somewhere?
It's not marked. Over time, you can tell by sight. O27 is usually brown ties, regular O is usually black ties. O27/O31 usually have 3 ties per piece. 4 ties or more is usually a wider raidius.
I have a question. What ports do I connect the track to on the transformer. There's always 4 or more ports on those higher power ones
U and B work best. U and A if you need more voltage. The range for each combination should be marked on the transformer.
@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks oh ok thank you. ur like the 5th person i asked and the only one to answer lol. i thought for a sec i was just gonna have to guess lol
Great video! I just got a Lionel “rock” gp20 shell number 1980, what chassis can I get that will fit it? (I don’t mind if it isn’t the original)
The GP-20 shell should fit any MPC era GP7, GP9, or GP20 chassis
@ Thanks for the tip!
I just want to clear up the O gauge versus O-27 comments. This info here applies to Postwar items: Everything Lionel made in the Postwar era will run on O-27 track except the following: 773 Scale Hudson, 726 or 736 Berkshires, FM Trainmasters, Dual Motored F-3s, GG-1s, EP-5 Electrics, and Budd Cars. Also, you can probably add 2500 Series aluminum passenger cars and the 6418 (4) truck flat cars to the list, but I never actually tried them. Everything else will run on 0-27, including the Single Motored F-3s and the Turbines. However, a lot of these larger items look ridiculous on O-27 curves! Give them a wider radius wherever possible to do them justice! 🙂
Thanks for the feedback!
@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks You are welcome! Thanks for posting the video! BTW I thought of one more: the Irvington / Madison / Manhattan passenger cars most likely won't run on O-27 track. Anyone please add any corrections or additions to this list. Happy New Year! 🙂
Mike, is there a specific track pin for O gauge/scale track?
Part #6-5551
@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks Thank you, sir! Keep up the good work!
How did you make the curved crossing @13:37?
I had some leftover drywall compound and slathered it on as a road and crossing. Before the compound dried, I carved grooves for the train flanges. After it dried, I painted it with common craft paints.
Thanks, I’ll have to try this on my layout!
You should do tips for getting into Lionchief
I have a decently sized layout
I don't own any LionChief, so I stick with what I know!
My biggest beef when I got into O was the different sizes. undersized, semi scale, scale,ect. I wish manufacturers would be more clearer in the description of what size the car. Until you get a little experience, it’s hard to tell what is what size wish
That is true. There is no industry standard - even within the same brand.
It helps a lot to pick up some of the various 'Beginner's' Model Train Guides that had been printed over the decades. Even copies w/loose pages can be a gold mine of information.
@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks 💯exactly
@@OliverT-qt1gn Good tip!
I have the lionel o-27 polar express and when it goes around the corners it slows down and speeds up once out of the corners I think it's the traction tires as the inner rail is shorter than the outer would it be OK to run without them or take just one off or would it damage the wheel or track from the groove for the traction tire
DO NOT REMOVE THE TRACTION TIRES. There is a groove in the wheels specifically to accomodate the tires, so removing the tires will make the locomotive unbalanced. Physics dictates that there will be slowing on tight curves (friction). If you can switch to wider curves you will have better operation. The Polar Express Berkshires look really good on O36 FasTrack.
@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks Yep, that locomotive does not like tight curves!
Thanks for the info also the smoke unit doesn't produce much smoke I'm using bachmann smoke fluid I'm wondering if I need different fluid or a new smoke element
@dirk1992august I have an 0-8-0. It isn't a strong smoker unless you turn the throttle WAY up to Ludicrous Speed.
Um, at [01:23] you said "[...] same gauge, or outside width [...]".
Gauge or gage is the distance between the insides of the rail heads.
Correct. I think most folks understood my meaning, but thanks for pointing that out!
@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks Well, I should have said the drawing is correct. Mea Culpa.
As a historical side note, the gauge of very early 'toy trains' (like Bing) was the distance between the centers of the outside rails.
Mike, is not a comment but a question. Is it possible for instance to take a 736 tender. And put a box type latch, coupler on it to pull older cars. Or would it be better if possible to put a monitor Lionel coupler on the first car and a 10 plate train I would like to pull some template, free cars and passenger cars with my older engines 681 or 736 if that is possible. Advise me what the best route would be. Or if it’s not possible, let me know
Please disregard the word monitor and the number 10 that’s supposed to be the word tinplate
The question is how permanent you would like the solution to be. You could swap out the trucks on your tender with Prewar types with the old couplers, but that would be pretty permanent. Or, make an "idler car" out of one of the Prewar cars by swapping one truck with a Postwar type and knuckle coupler. A boxcar or reefer would be a good choice because they not only work for freight trains but also as "express" cars on passenger trains.
I just got a brand new CW-80… should I be worried about it?
You should be fine, I have used small things such as a 2-4-2 penn railroad from some random set and I’ve used larger older things like a 671 and my CW-80 has been taking everything fine. I have multiple lights connected and 8 passenger cars all lit on the track with the 671 and it takes it. It should take whatever you’re running fine.
@ alright thanks
MOST of them are okay - and if you bought it new at a shop it should be under warranty if there are any problems.
Yo solo quería un tren para Mi árbol de Snoopy, Sin imaginar el gran mundo por descubrir...
He's nots fully correct about the difference between o and o-27, the actual difference is 0-27 is not proportioned correctly to scale which makes them toys.
While O scale is proportioned to scale more accurately to the real thing which makes them models Not toys.
Many "O27" trains are scale proportioned models. Many "O Gauge" models are undersize. Many models were marketed as BOTH O and O27. And don't confuse the terms "O Scale" with "O Gauge". They are different. Thanks for watching!
@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks I didn't say o Gauge. I said 0-27 and 0-27 are NOT SCALED correctly to true 1:48 scale only "standard O" is. There's o-27, there's "semi-scale" and then there's "standard o"
0-27 are toys that children play with And all are shorter than Semi scale.
Semi-scale is compressed a bit as a compromise for model railroaders who don't qite have the space for true 1:48 scale.
And then there's "standard o" which is true 1:48 scale proportions that are "prototypical" to the real thing. Lionel called it "standard o" and MTH called it "premier"
@@myrtistaylor5759 But not all O27 trains are out of scale. For example, Lionel's NW2, F3, GP7, NC5 caboose, twin and quad hoppers, and many more models were/are marketed as "O27" when they are scale-proportioned models. Likewise, the 671 steam turbine, 2025 2-6-2 and many others were marketed as "O" models when they are grossly under-size. And even "Premier" or "Standard O" models are not REALLY 1:48 scale. For that, you need to go to Proto 48. (And then there's the whole 1:48 vs.1:43 argument). But what beginners need to know is whether an "O Gauge" car or an "O27 Gauge" car can operate on the same layout. I know what you are trying to say, but for beginners it just muddies the water even more. Thanks for watching and commenting!
@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks F3s, NW2s and quad hoppers are to scale yes, but those are both short engines in real life. An F3 in real life is about 50 feet in length. So a true 1:48 scale f3 is short enough to be able to handle the curves on an 0-27 track. So that could be why they marketed it that way perhaps.
And a GP-7 isn't much bigger than an f3 in real life either so their proportioned about the same in 1:48 scale. Their both EMDs.
And yes a dual qaud hopper is scale but can go around an 0-27 curve because again, in real life that was a small railcar, so a 1:48 scale version can handle tight curves so it was put in with 0-27 starter sets.
@@myrtistaylor5759 Correct. So the blanket statement "O27 models are not scale" is not true. Nor is it true to say "O gauge models are made to scale". And since the terms "O27 Gauge" and "O gauge" tell us nothing about the relative scale of the models, it is both more logical and more useful to focus on curve diameter differences than scale proportion differences.
Mike I run mostly marx model trains I have o gauge trains and rolling stock o use marx trains on my 043 o gauge layout I couldn't hav had the confidence to run marx trains and o gauge trains on the same layout