After a long absence I am finally getting back to O gauge trains, and am getting a Lionel Corp RTR set. The set comes with 2600 series freight cars and I'm wondering can I add 2800 series cars to the consist, or will they not work together? (I seem to remember reading somewhere that the original cars would not work together). Thanks for your help.
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They don't like to play with each other. Their coupler heights are different.
Ron M
Thanks, Ron. I suspected as much but was not sure.
could there be some difference i don't know about with the later auto couplers? i just coupled a 655 boxcar to an 820 searchlight car and they not only couple perfectly, but the frame heights are very close. the biggest difference in the series' is similar to O27 vs standard O... the 2/800 series cars are ½" wider than the 2/600 series.
cheers...gary
There is enough 'slop' with latch couplers so 600 and 800 series freight cars could be coupled together. HOWEVER, with box couplers their heights are different and Lionel furnished (@$2.50 a pair) a Coupler Gauge Set, No. SE-1.
Ron M
ok Ron, you're right. even though they seem to couple together well, overall there is a slight downward slope to the line of the couplers between the 800 and 600 series cars. i can see how the addition of the 'box' would limit that travel. i don't have many of those upper-class 28xx or 26xx cars. 
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