Hi - Getting back into the hobby after a long Hiatus!

Hi Chris.  I'm in the same boat as you...recently getting back into the hobby from years of N.  Only difference I waited til the kiddos were 17 and 26. Back and joints are too stiff for trains on the floor...time to set up a proper table...Missus said so. And O27 here too.

I hear you there, I was in HO as a kid, had a horrible experience with a modular club in my hometown, so much so I left the hobby in disgust.

I was always into 1:1 scale trains, though.

HO to me always seemed too small for the level of detail I wanted. I dabbled in G for a few years but gave up due to the crushing cost of everything in that scale. I eventually sold all that stuff and felt zero regret afterward as I knew I'd never have the room or the money to build even the small switching layout I'd envisioned.

But once I fell in with some train fans locally where I live now who were into the 'op session' scene where operations on layouts were done close to what real RRs did (and none of the layouts were in loops), I decided to build a small layout for what I'd always dreamed of, once the prototype I wanted was being made in a scale Id never previously considered but completely love now.

O is an odd scale in that there's such a huge difference between segments. You have me on an end with O scale Narrow Gauge, through O scale standard gauge, then 3-rail (and a big split among them, between toy-like and more realistic layouts). I can't think of any scale that has such a wide range of differences within it.

Thanks guys - I didn't realize there were so many sub-cultures in O... wow..

Listening to the Notch 6 podcast right now at work...

You don't know the half of it yet.

O is like shrimp in Forrest Gump...you got:

tinplate

postwar

On30

On2

O27

O 3 rail Hi rail

O 3 rail kinda scale

O 2 rail

O 2 rail brass

O 3 rail brass...

Did I miss any?

• On3
• On18"
• Proto 48

I'm sure I'm missing a few, too...

Welcome to the forum Chris - glad you found us.  It sounds like you're going to have a ball with the trains and the kids.

Hi Chris,

  Welcome.

  One thing I would recommend. This time of year, hopefully, you can find some type of train show in your area. Your kids should enjoy it and you can look for some extra cars, 027 track, etc. You could make it a sort of annual event before the holidays.

Tom

Chris,

   Welcome to the OGR, the best forum on the Net.  Nice to have you here, I have had many 027 layouts in the past using conventional tubular track.  Lots of fun!

PCRR/Dave

Chris, If you need cheap and nice quality train cars, you can buy them pretty good from Menards. Welcome to the Forum and you will have fun with us helping you and hopefully getting help from you.

Proto:48 - wherein they actually change (narrow) the gauge of the track to an accurate 56.5 inches, as North American O (there is Euro O, and It has a couple of flavors, too) gauge scales out to 60" in N. American O scale of 1:48 (1/4" scale). Proto:48 narrows the track so that the 1:48 and gauge are in sync.

The "five foot gauge problem" exists in both 2- and 3-rail customary N. American O.

(Of course, if you were to model Russian railroads, or most railroads of the American Confederacy, which do/did use an actual 5' gauge, no problem...)

There was/is(?) another "O" scale that left the gauge alone but increased the size of the models from 16/64 (1/4") to 17/64 so that the track gauge was a proper scale 56.5". This was called "Q" gauge/scale by some. I have heard that Lionel's Pre-War scale Hiawatha 4-4-2 was built to "Q" scale. Dunno.

I believe that French/British "O" is 1:43.5 (making the track gauge correct - like "Q"), 

but the Germans use 1:45(?).

(Of course my understanding is that the British run their "OO" scale trains on HO track, which is the wrong gauge for their 56.5" railroads, so there's a whole other conversation.)

I'm sure that it gets worse.

Chris, I'm glad that you decided to jump back into trains.  Welcome to the forum. 

Your son and daughter are at great ages to operate and enjoy O gauge trains. 

The PE Lion Chief set was a real good choice. Fast track is ideal for a holiday layout since it is sturdy, relatively quick and easy to set up, and stable, even on carpet. 

You should find a lot of 027 tubular track (and switches) available both here on the Buy/Sell forum, and also at area train shows.

As far as your basement layout goes, check out (search) the layout forum here - you'll find a wealth of information there, all kinds of tips and techniques,  and learn about various tools for creating a track plan, some of which are free.  There are several experts who can help you if you need it. 

Or just get some track and a few switches and have at it, designing as you go.

I really like your plan for the PE movie, book, and train setup with Izak and Aryanna. It should be a lot of fun and just could be something they will remember forever.  Enjoy!

tinplate
postwar
On30
On2
O27
O 3 rail Hi rail
O 3 rail kinda scale
O 2 rail
O 2 rail brass
O 3 rail brass

LOL Lee...MAYBE we got the entire gauge/scale scene covered.

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone!  I took about 2 1/2 hours and cleaned out a nice size area in the basement.. Now I'm even more excited!

So - Is there a "cheat sheet" to understand (assuming o27 gage) which trains work with which controls / transformers?  

For example - The ZW transformer works with which trains?  I understand that the LionChief is more like a radio control system.. .but how do the older trains work?  And, what if I wanted to run both - what would I need?  Can the LionChief trains be run with the old transformers, or only the lionchief setup?

I know - total newbie!!  Feel free to point me to resources so I can start wading through this control quagmire!

Welcome aboard, Chris! This is a great place for info. opinions and vast knowledge.

Generally, starter sets use small transformers. Bigger layouts need more power. Let us know what size layout you are considering and we'll offer advice.

A ZW transformer will run just about anything. But around 2000 the ground rules changed. Lionel and MTH introduced command control. New electronic reverse units and sound systems required a "Bell" button to send negative DC and access some features. Older transformers don't have "Bell" buttons.

Look for Lion Chief PLUS (+) because that system works with transformers and command control. These sets have "wall warts" that plug into sockets and supply 14v - 18v to the track. Hand-held remotes run the trains.

Older "conventional" trains controlled by transformers will take off at top speed on command control track voltage. Lionel's Trainmaster Command Control (TMCC; signals are broadcast through the air) and Mike's Train House Digital Control System (DCS; signals are broadcast through the rails) have settings that vary track voltage to run older trains.

Hi-tech command systems get complicated. Start slowly. Ask questions. Get your feet wet and we'll help you navigate deeper waters.

Do what you like and have fun.

Check lionel.com and the Lionel U Tube videos. Great information.

Thanks again guys!

I do CAE work (Computer Aided Engineering) - and as such, I tend to have spans of time where I'm waiting for an analysis to complete... so I started sketching up some rough ideas.

Here is a first stab at a layout - I'm looking for long continuous runs... I notice Menards (Thanks Tim!) has O31 packs of straight and curved track - so I used that as a guide...  Here's what I came up with for my available area..  

Please forgive the crudeness and non-orthogonality - just used a small 6" scale and eyeballed some of the lines...

O31 idea by Christopher Purdy, on Flickr