How many still use tubular track

I use tubular for an under my couch board.  Tubular track has always been on the limited side.  But for a wider selection of switches, you'll have to check out Ross switches.  You'll also need to figure out if you want O or O27 tubular track, as they are different.

I use tube track and nothing else. I've been doing so since 1947. My track is all made in USA. I do use switches which are all made in USA before 1942. Ask the folks over in the Tinplate Forum for more ideas.

I built my layout with tubular for a number of reasons, and I am quite happy with it. For switches, I agree with the recommendation for Ross. Their line of tinplate switches is limited, but absolutely top quality and made in USA. K-Line also made some good tinplate switches, some of which were later made by Lionel under their own name or as K-Line by Lionel. I'm using K-Line 042 switches on my layout. RMT now has the old K-Line Supersnap line of tubular track and their website shows they expect to have 031 and 072 switches this fall.

 

I don't think anyone is making curved switches with tubular rail. You could always get a Ross curved switch and connect it with adapters. 

All tubular as that's what I had when I finally started to build my layout. Also strictly conventional control.

I'm using both O and O-27 track with O42 radius and switches, some Marx O34. The later K-Line O42 switches are great but almost impossible to find at a reasonable price. One nice thing about tubular is its somewhat forgiving in alignment and easy to cut the needed fitter sections.

I'm adding the rubber ties and plan to balast the track eventually.

Scotie

I still use it for many of my trackside accessories like the 497 coaling station and the 12767 steam clean and wheel grind shop. Unrealistic as it looks, it is quite easy to clean and Lionel engines with Magne-Traction run best on them.

I'm all tubular on my permanent layout.

I've posted elsewhere on this but, my only regret with using tube track was going with 0-27 back in 1989.  What in the heck was I thinking?

Curt

My layout is tubular o gauge, and some of it dates back to my 1950s layout, which I have recreated the feel of...mucho Plasticville also.

Tubular all the way, both O & O27!

 

 

I strongly dislike the look of tubular, but I do not think it can be beat for simplicity,

reliability, and compatibility...these last two being my gripes with some of the better

looking track.

I use it for my rail museum. 

While we have used Fastrack for the last few Christmas layouts, we'll be using Lionel O gauge tubular this year and creating a layout patterned after the classic Lionel display layouts complete with 022 switches and Lionel accessories.

It's a little more of a pain to deal with but the fact that the operating accessories all mate perfectly to it perfectly without modification is nice in comparison to Fastrack.

Surprisingly, my kids really like the look of the vintage stuff.

 

Strictly tubular, simply 'cause it's soooo tubular, man.  (I learnt that in the late sixties, during the Hippie tymes)   

Probably still the most popular O-Gauge track system in use. I have used it since my first set many, many years ago. Combided with Johnson rubber roadbed, one of the best track systems in our industry.

I use it on my postwar layout, standard gauge, and xmas layouts. The Johnson roadbed works well. I also use inside mountains on regular layout.

 

Bob

 

Curt,

There's nothing to be ashamed of. I read somewhere not that long ago that there is a company making some wide-radius 027 track. The company is having trouble with Lionel over a patent from what I understand. Lionel never planed 072 switches using 027 track? I'm trying to follow this one. We need a low-profile track system.                                                

Also, consider, if you decide on tubular track, Ross Switches that have a tubular version. They are far superior than anything in the marketplace.

Lets see..the shelf is all Lionel 0-27 with a few Marx O-29 or 30s(?-bigger than 0-27 smaller than 31"dia). While in the living room, elevated and inside tracks are both 0-27, middle track is O. Outer track is Super O which although it has the copper strip for the center rail, and isn't round in shape, it is hollow so is still tubular. Personally I love Super O and think it has the best look of any 3 railed track made, with the possible exception of gar-graves or similar with wood ties. And finding 0-27 is soooo easy. But... the reliability/durability/options of Standard O cant be beat.

 

In my engine yard.....subway level and storage tracks

 

 

 

 

...........and of course, on old layouts

 

 

 

 

 

Peter

I started building our layout with tubular because it was the cheapest of all expensive options.  I use O27 track.  I have a long double dogbone which features an outside 54" and inside 42" mainline.  All O27 42" path switches for that.  Then I have a corkscrew that runs up to the top level and its all O27 with O27 path switches up there.  For realism, I cut and paint my own 1/8" by 1" ties.  Pros: Cheap and easy to cut and fit different lengths of track with a hacksaw.  Low profile rails.  Cons: Switches unrealistic and running off track power, also the frogs can catch the side of a wheel and cause an arc.  This can be remedied by putting one coat of Plasti-Dip on the frog.  All-In-All for my not retired teacher budget, a better choice.

O gauge tubular and Johnson roadbed for me.  I will, however, use Ross switches

(the new tinplates), as Lionel seems to have missed the mark on their switch

product (how can they have gone this long without correcting the problems?)

 

     Hoppy

HAVE A 4X8 O gauge layout with 031 curves in tubular, with homemade black ties to fill in the gaps, the set is just for my prewar trains & never had any issues. Installed 2 manual 042 postwar switches & my steamers fly through them. Decent track. My permanent layout will be scaletrax. Good luck!

My first electric trains were Marx with the O34 diameter track.  After confirming exactly which train set I started with (a separate story), I went on the bay to recreate my childhood trains and the track pieces for a layout.  I have been pleasantly surprised by how easy it has been to re-acquire those trains and the 34" diameter tubular track they ran on with a bit of patience.  So for shear nostalgia, I hope to build a Marx O34 tubular track layout before too long.  Although it had five ties per section and the 34" diameter it was close to O27 in construction and appearance but closer to Super O in track geometry.  It was probably one of the few things Marx made that was arguably "superior" to its Lionel counterpart (if you consider O27 the Lionel counterpart).

"O" Gauge Tubular to the Max! 

 

Jon

Hello Coastern

 

I have always used tubular track on a cork base sprayed gray.

I started my first major layout as in adult in 1983, and have always used tubular track. When I used Lionel, I would add wood ties under the rails.

As for the switches I use Lionel. Suggestion, call a Lionel dealer for availability.

 

When I started, the tubular track, is a technology, that made rail sounds before all the current Cab #1 & Legacy. When the trains run on tubular track, it makes a classic sound as it run over the jointer pins.

 

  See photos below. Click to enlarge.

 

I use tubular, atlas and Ross.

I use tubular track, with a twist... it's all two rail for my windups.  A lot of original Marx, with some other mfgs such as Flyer, Ives, Bing, even Lionel (yes, Lionel made two-rail, O27 profile tubular track for their clockwork trains).  However, my mainline is Lionel O42 (O27 profile rail) with the center rail removed to complement the other clockwork track:

 

 

 

Tubular for me as well. Besides being able to make any size piece I need, I just like the looks of it. To me it says TOY TRAINS !

I use all tubular! It works great, even with Dcs. My favorite feature of tubular is making custom rail sections as needed with basic metalworking tools.

Here's my layout, still under construction (obviously) but running on four lines, three 0 gauge and one Standard Gauge. I prefer to run Standard Gauge on tubular track, and the inner 0 gauge loop kind of had to be tubular to go with all my postwar and repro accessories.  I like having all the track one thing or the other, and I had quite a bit of Lionel and K-Line tubular track already, so that's the way I built it. The Standard Gauge has 87" curves; the 0 gauge loops are 072, 063, and 042. I'm not a fan of the "racetrack" arrangement, but when you have to put big curves in a 13-foot square space, that's what you get. 

 

 

I use O Gauge for my Christmas platform, and O 27 for my permanent layout.

cheap, plentiful, classic look.

Pappy:

I have given some thought to pulling out the 0-27 curves and switches on my layout and replacing them with a minimum 0-42 or larger if I can find it.  I still have to resolve how to tackle a curve in a tunnel as well as the impact on scenery and buildings before I go any further though.

 

Actually, how to do all of this is one of the things I am most likely to contemplate in the evenings when I'm running trains and sipping on a sweet tea. 

 

Curt

 

I use tubular, some 027, 031, 048, and even a couple of pieces of 072. It looks toy. No way around that. I add wooden ties, that helps a lot. And it's cheap......... But I have a small layout. There may be better, 3 rail track (function wise), but it's still all 3 rail. And the best I've seen still looks like 3 rail track. And IMPO if you want realism in O you need to go to 2 rail. I used to hate Lionel, for the track. But now I have a different view of things, and lean more to toy look, although not as much as say a postwar display layout. It works good. Fairly easy to work with. And did I say CHEAP............

Started with Lionel tubular, had no problems with it. Then I decided to go Gargraves track and Ross switches. No problems with the track or switched there either. However, the old Lionel track is easier to work with, an more forgiving of imperfections in the layout. The joints are stronger. Easier for the grandson to learn on. So, now we have a mix of both.

 Yes sir,on my 18 year old temporary layout and will use on my permanent layout.

 

 May even go 027 on the permanent.I've been buying 072 radius when I can find it,just in case I do decide 027.

 

 

I use a mix of tubular and Fastrack; however I prefer the look of 0-27 track on wooden ties.  It appears to be just about right for profile and doesn't cause problems with the flanges.  The only issue is switches, so I have to keep this for the inner loops where I run the small stuff.

 

r0d

I have been using tubular track since the late 1960's, so why give up on something that works great? I have a couple of 022 switches from the 1950's that still work but I like the new style by Gargraves better because of the room the 022's take up.

To make my track look better I use rubber ties by 3R Plastics and Moondog Express(no longer in business).

 

You can cut tubular track to fit, not so easy with Fastrack or Realtrax!

Like others have mentioned I use another brand of switch because Lionel keeps making DUDS in tubular track switches.

 

I have Gargraves track and Lionel style 031 & 042 curves. I like to use 027 at times too because it mates right up to Gargraves with just adapter pins and is the same height.

I am thinking of going to Ross Custom switches because Gargraves 042 switches don't work to good with my MTH engines.

 

I bought some K-Line switches in 042 and want to see how they do with my MTH engines.

 

Lee Fritz

Windup Guy -

 

That is a gorgeous 2-rail tubular layout and engine terminal.  The locomotives and trains in the engine terminal scene also look great.  Thanks for sharing - I never would have imagined this level of layout building was possible with "wind-ups."

 

If I recall correctly, Marx called their wind-up line "mechanical trains" as opposed to their electrically powered trains.

 

Peter Gentieu

My layout is all tubular.

 

The only time I don't use tubular is under the Christmas Tree, when I use fastrack

I have a bunch of 45 year old tubular s track because I don't have a place to store it. I also have an American Flyer set that has been in storage for 45 years. As I don't have any layout or table yet. In 2005, I bought all fastrac I prefer that as it snaps together easily and comes apart easier.

 

Mike Maurice