Different sizes in O gauge tinplate?

Lionel also made 10 series and 100 series freight. Flyer freight is different. Early Ives freight is different also. This is in standard gauge.

The big stuff in O-gauge is 800 series and 2800 series freight. 2800 series is the same as 800 series except the addition of a box coupler. There are 3 or 4 types of smaller freight cars. This is all Lionel. Ives and Flyer made there own stuff. Not sure if there are transition cars in O-gauge like Standard Gauge.

  Your designations for sizes are true if you restrict yourself to Lionel but be aware that O gauge tinplate in general has sizes ranging from S gauge and slightly smaller to 1 gauge and all of it was built to run on O tinplate track.

Robert S,

    You are absolutley correct this is why it's so hard to get modern switches that will

run most all Tin Plate trains.  The 2600 series Tin Plate actually runs on 027 track quite well, switches included, although it really is an O guage train.  Most of the Tin Plate Trains came with at least 2 different kinds of couplers, making things a little more complex to purchase, especially for guys just getting into Tin Plate.  The great thing is all this Tin runs great on both FasTrack & RealTrax, along with Conventional Tubular.

PCRR/Dave

RE: Dave's comment saying: "The 2600 series Tin Plate actually runs on 027 track quite well, switches included, although it really is an O guage train.".

If 2600 series cars are the smallish ones like in my newly released Christmas set, the cars do NOT handle 27" curves.  Not even close.  That surprised me because the cars are really short.  I have the Baby Blue Comet with the 2800 series passenger cars and it does handle 27" curves.  That's why I was so disappointed when the 2600 freight cars derailed going around the first, and every other one that I let it try, 27" curve.

Here's a picture of my 2600 series cars, the 2nd one gives a comparative size difference between 2600 and 2800 cars:

- walt

I should have also said this: the red engine and tender with NO CARS does handle 27" curves, barely.  The cars - NO.

- walt

Walt rapp,

    You are correct sir, I should have qualified my statement by saying the original

Lionel 2600 rolling stock runs on 027 track quite well, the new MTH repro does not. 

However the original Lionel 2600 runs great on MTH 031 RealTrax, try your new MTH 2600 Rolling stock on the 031 and see what happens, just that little difference might mean a lot for actual running. The length of the couplers on the new MTH rolling stock seems to be different.

My original Lionel 263E Work Train will actually run on 027 track at normal speeds, the 810 Crane Car does have trouble however.  It amazes me the original 263E engine and tender will actually glide thru the 027 switches, they have enough metal in them to accommodate the big Tin Plate engines.   I do not suggest you run on 027 tubular track however, I do believe it would wear your train, stick with the O Guage when running your Tin Plate, it is engineered to run in that manner.

Walt did you get your BB Comet 263E Engine & 12 Wheel tender back to run at Christmas time, or were you left without it.  Just wanted to see how things worked out.

PCRR/Dave