Buying the right track?

I think there are a bunch of options in which track to use. I went with flex track and straight fixed. Take the time to check out the different types and company's. Most provide how to videos. Also if I may add Ross is great and GarGraves. Take your time and do it right the first time. I speak from the experience of opps.

Thank you Bill . . . may I pick your brain?

I have a bunch of three rail O gauge Lionel track from my childhood, I'm 58. I'm adding to that, shopping for and finding plenty of O54 curves online. The prices don't vary by much, but as you said; don't want to make an "oops" to the tune of $100. Any advise you have is more than I know now.

Chris

Yes no problem. I might warn you its full of train smoke

Trainsmoke . . . you made me laugh. I'd like to fill my brain with train smoke! Thanks for you help.

I did what you are doing when I started this hobby. If price is a issue then go forward with what you have and add on to it. I change in mid stream when I looked at the different types of track that is offered. That was brought on by looking at other layouts and seeing the fantastic realizum that was out there.  Its what ever you like its your layout and that's what counts. Also when I started I just started laying track not much for thought on where I was going  other than running trains. So that also caused problems.  If you are interested I have o gauge track  from my dads layout plus switches and some 30 inch straight track. Will sell to you.

Thanks Bill, all good insight. I'm going to pull out all my track and see what I have and what I need. I know I need the O54 curves. I will probably need more straights and it would be cool to just buy yours . . . I'll let you know. I'm building a shelf around the 9' x 16' perimeter of my office/room about six and half feet off the ground - should be pretty cool. It's a long term project though, maybe get some track layed by Christmas or January. Thanks again for your help. I've posted on this sight before and nobody has ever offered me any help. Just figured I'd have to do it trial and error. I even asked the San Diego Model Railroad Museum (I live in San Diego) for some advice, they were about as helpful as . . . well, they weren't helpful let's just say.

A case of 24 sections of O-54 tubular is $45 at Menards.com.  It will mate with your old track and let you get started running your engines before investing in one of the Hi-Rail track systems.

If you are buying new. Trainworld and other on=line dealers will be having sales over the holidays.

Jan

Thank you very much Jan. I'll keep an eye out and shop around.

Chris

Thank you John,

Help me understand; the sections of "O-54 tubular" you mention, is that like my old three track Lionel? And when you say "Hi Rail track systems" is this something different from my old fashioned Lionel track? Forgive my ignorance, all I know is my Lionel track.

Your track that you have right now is tubular track, so called because the top of the rail looks sort of like a tube. Menard's 054 o gauge track will mate to it directly. Tubular track was pioneered by Joshua Lionel Cowen in the early 20th century and is a good, solid track system. I use it myself. The "54" means that a circle of this track measures 54 inches in diameter. Hi rail track systems like Ross and Atlas were developed more recently and were meant to look more like prototype track. I do have some Atlas track on my layout and it does perform well, but, I am 63 and have a lot of tubular o gauge track of various circle diameters that I have accumulated over the years and I will probably stay with it.

BTW, nice looking engine !

Tubular track can be made to look pretty realistic if that's what you want.

That eases my mind. I was afraid I'd be running the train on bad track. I'm going to stay with the Lionel track then. It's funny, I had no intention of getting into trains. About a moth ago I happened upon ten of these old, like 70 years old, Walthers hand made train cars . . . at least that's what I think they are. I'm restoring them, then I had to get an engine of course, and now I have to do the whole deal and run the thing . . . right?!

That's how I got back into O. Bought a train set, then needed something to run it on! 😄

West Side Joe,

I really like those railings on the side of your track. Are those something easy to find? Also, I'm going to build my track about six and a half feet off the ground on a shelf running the perimeter of my room; that's why I like your railing, if my train jumps the track I don't want it to fall.

Walthers did make O gauge passenger car kits back in the seventies, including a line of 17 inch long passenger cars kits that would negotiate Lionel track. They had wooden and metal parts, definitely for a craftsman. They also had interior detail kits  back then.

The Lionel Berkshires will run on a O42 curve, I had one.

what tencentrr said....Remembering when I got back into the hobby, the easiest and cheapest way to play around with layouts and options is to go "tubular"  to start.  It is cheap, adaptable, and plentiful. Lots on the auction site and Menards has good options.  After you figure out what you really want to do, you can stay with it or go with other choices like Atlas, Ross, Fastrack, or gargraves

This is all such great help! I feel much better now going with my Lionel tubing track . . . my next thing will be the transformer. But not there yet. Still have to put up the track. The transformer questions will come next year.

Like these?

Best advice I can think of besides what brand/type of track to buy is.........................

If you got the room for it, go bigger than O-54.  Got room for O-72?  If so, I'd recommend using that as a bare minimum.  Go bigger yet if you have even more room available.  The bigger the curve, the better your trains will look and perform.

Thank you Paul,

I'm going to measure it out and see how that would fit. I think I can go bigger. Thanks for that suggestion, never woulduh thunk it.

Chris

Mixed freight is right.  when I started I had the proverbial two 4x8 sheets of plywood so I was limited in radius. Wow, love those cars, what are they?  Did they come from antique road show?

Even better; Craigslist! I found ten of them and had no idea what they were . . . I just like old stuff; the rougher the better. Then I started researching them and was hooked!! I was lucky I didn't know what they were and neither did the guy selling them . . . just one of those lucky finds. The seller found them in the trash of a house he was demolishing. Man, what people throw away!

Your on your way. Have fun and enjoy.

@Polentz posted:

West Side Joe,

I really like those railings on the side of your track...

Those aren't railings. They are a representation of third rail for a subway train. It's too low and small to prevent a train from falling off.

I've seen many pics in this forum of shelf railroads like you want to build, and I don't think I've ever seen railings to keep the trains from falling off.  As long as your track is well installed, I suppose it would take an awful lot for an O scale train, with its size and weight, to leave the rails.

Oh I see it (third rail), now I like it even more! I suppose you're right about not falling off. Plus I'm just going to cruise it at a slow speed.

@Polentz posted:

This is all such great help! I feel much better now going with my Lionel tubing track . . . my next thing will be the transformer. But not there yet. Still have to put up the track. The transformer questions will come next year.

If you are going to secure the track, I wouldn't secure too much of it without checking the continuity of the circuits.  That will require either a transformer or a 9+ volt battery and at least a test bulb.  You might check each section of track to assure the center track insulators are in place and the pins are tight.  John

THIS is the kind of stuff I would never think of. THANK YOU SO MUCH!