Lionel/Ives O locomotives by size

   I think it will depend on which turnouts you use. The main issue on-0-27 is the postwar turnout coils housing rubs on fuel tanks and long/low passenger cars. I don't think the early metal ones had that issue. 

 The next concern is coupler and truck swing, being limited by the steps or other obstruction. O gauge roller arms are sometimes longer, and therefore in curves they make a wider arc, and can fall off the center rail of 0-27. . (I've never had an issue with any slide shoes on any turnouts ever. (luck??))

I think Birks die or derail on 0-27, the rest of the "big ones" the lack of fit is fairly obvious .

I'd search with those things in mind.

I've done some smaller than 0-27micros in post war. If your custom bending curves to under 27" your pretty much limited to 4 or 6 drivers. About 0-24 is where problems with not enough truck and coupler swing on 0-27 design begin to get involved. Some 4 driver locos with pilot and trailing trucks will work down to about 0-15, but 0-17 is the min. for reliability IMO. 

 I have no pre-war Lionel to know for sure about those, but hopefully the above will help you some if a list doesn't turn up.

To clarify, a "micro" in the 'Thors Trains' sense, rather than the Carl Arendt sense. Here is a mock up of the layout with a sense of the size of the trains to be on it.

  Well thanks for the name (Carl Arendt). I'm always looking for ideas, and there seems to be quite a few attached to him.

  It looks as though you're pretty well rounded there at the head end already.

Maybe a cast 4 driver torpedo? I don't know if the low sides bump or not.(I think those are the turnouts that long&low will bump on). You can trim the housing and JB weld the gap to let some work. Color blend is nice.

  I think you should get another nice passenger outfit, in a different color, but with the same cream trim. Pull them with the other little electric if  you don't get an engine with them. I like the idea of the two styles of electrics, each in its own color passenger cars, but matching trim.

 Soot & cinders?....FRIEGHT! 

 A mail car/stock car/ boxcar/flat car or three? (basically just various cars to mix in); a crane car, searchlight caboose, and gondola? That would really be about all your little RR should ever "need" for anything from freight to MOW scenes.

Hey, maybe an oil burner!? (Vanderbilt tender)

 Those power houses are cool. I wish they had made them strong enough for large layouts too. I'm thinking about one for my lights. The biggest I've seen was a press board ed brick building Jefferson made.

I loved that its porch light turned on when you "threw the main".

I know you said Lionel/Ives, but some pre war A. Flyer O had much more of a "Lionel flavor" than Marx did, you might want to consider some of those too.

Marx and Lionel engines with lithoed Ives and AF cars would look great.

Marx/Joy Line made a engine that would look appropriate.

I use a customized Marx 898 to pull my prewar Lionel cars. It's about the same size as a Lionel 259. My layout is all O-27. Some day I'll get a 259.

Greg:

In size order, Steam: Some O gauge line, but mostly Lionel Jr and Winner Lines

289, 1015/1035, 1506, 1508, 1511, 257/258, 258/259, 1661, 1662, 1663, 1664, 1666, 1681, 1684, 1688, 1689

In size order electric:  There is a wide range that can handle 027, so these are Lionel JR/Lionel ives only

1010, 1030, 1651

This might not be all of them, my memory is not all that good anymore!

Rob English posted:

Greg:

In size order, Steam: Some O gauge line, but mostly Lionel Jr and Winner Lines

289, 1015/1035, 1506, 1508, 1511, 257/258, 258/259, 1661, 1662, 1663, 1664, 1666, 1681, 1684, 1688, 1689

In size order electric:  There is a wide range that can handle 027, so these are Lionel JR/Lionel ives only

1010, 1030, 1651

This might not be all of them, my memory is not all that good anymore!

Rob, This is exactly the type of list I was looking for! Even if it is not complete, it is a good start for my search. Thank you