Lionel Tubular Track - Brown Ties

It's Lionel O27 profile tubular.  Probably never used if the pins are a tight fit.  As far as putting it together- a good pair of gloves (mechanic's or leather) is a big help.  The track will be easier to assemble after you've done it a couple times... New tubular is almost always a bear to put together.

 

Try gently inserting a spare pin in each track and then removing it before assembling track section.

Denny 

I use a finishing nail punch to slightly expand new track to make it easier to connect, but I have a pair of needle nose pliers on hand in case I open it too far...

 

Dave

 

It is easier to connect one rail at a time than all three at once. Take a piece of track and using the center rail with pin, connect it to the next piece of track's left rail, then the middle rail, and then to the right rail. This will loosen the rails and the track will connect together easily. Using the punch system, you may over loosen the track and then have to go back with pliers to tighten.

I believe that brown ties mean it is a modern era product, not postwar. K-Line also made very similar bbrown tie track in this same general period. Look for manufacturer's name on ties.

  That's a good one!  And really no kidding...I was pinching myself but good applying bare-handed brute force on those metal ties...it still cracked me up!

 

I really appreciate the tips guys  I was about to reach for my awl, but thought that might be a bit overkill.  The finishing nail and/or single pin approach makes good sense.  I guess this small batch might actually be NOS as they say, because all the pieces I've tried so far have that incredibly snug fit I'm attributing to 'new' track.

 

They do have the Lionel name and trademark symbol stamped in the ties.  I thought I read where brown ties were anywhere from MPC on to the 90's, but wasn't sure if they were still making any.

Thanks again!

Robert

The brown (modern-era) ties have a different 'footprint' than that of the black (postwar) 027 ties. The brown ties 'curl up' on the sides whereas the black ties are 'flat'. I found this out when I tried to set up my postwar cattle corral with brown-tied track (it doesn't fit like the postwar track does).

Brown tie =027 Track(Lower Profile Rail and Ties) Black Ties = O-Gauge Track (Higher Profile ties and Rail)

 

 Both 027, and O-gauge track profiles have been available for many years, and are each still produced today.

 

Doug

My original set from 1959 came with black O27 ties. Then Lionel made grey O27 ties and finally brown O27 ties.

Thank you all!  I missed mlavender480's description of the Brown Tie being O27 right off the top, but I greatly appreciate the clarification.  I considered using it for the upcoming Christmas layout and the more traditional look, but may gift it to my brother who is more into the vintage models.

Robert

Great advice. Rubber-palm gloves give a better grip than leather work gloves. Be careful not to squeeze the rails out of gauge when you shove them together. Be glad you have tight new track because it's more work to clean and tighten rusty old track! Electrical conductivity should be excellent.

 

The rail ends look like they have sharp edges. I would smooth them off with a file so they don't possibly damage rubber traction tires.

 

You might want to spend some time figuring tracks plans with software before assembling that tight track.

 

Some of the later O27 track may have hollow aluminum pins which are easier to bend or break, so watch out for that.

I believe I also have some brown tied 027 Lionel track around here that has a woodgrain look to it.

 

Kinda odd that with O Lionel stayed with black.

I use MPC era Lionel O27 brown tie track.  I consider it an excellent product.  It is a durable thick walled tubular track with tight fitting joints for good conductivity.  It has a low prototypical profile, comes in O27, O42, O54 and O72.  It is easily cut, for modifying, with a Dremel tool.  Mates easily with better quality switches from Gargraves and Ross.  And, you can purchase neat looking brown ties from 3R Plastics to enhance the look. 

 

Plus, most RR modelers give it away so they can purchase the newer products.  So it is very inexpensive.  

Hi John, I also have some of the wood grain track. From early MPC starter set I think. The one at a time approach is right from the Lionel instructions. I usually just use the mating piece of track at 90 degrees to the other and use the center pin with a slow twisting motion. Once I press them together, I use track crimping pliers and crimp at the notch on the pin. Makes a nice solid mechanical connection that rarely loosens. Fred

Some of the old Marx track had o27 profile with black ties. I have some with o34 turns.  Don

Thats fairly recent O27 track. The insulator locator/retainer is an addition from not too long ago.

Wood and the others who have posted about its era and origin have it right. The brown tie 027 track you have is Modern Era Lionel. In my case, its low profile made it especially good to use for trolley track, before EZ Streets from Williams by Bachmann came along.

 

The fact that you can get Modern Era 027 profile track in wider curves is also an advantage.

 

Stamping the track with Lionel on it helps protect the brand trademark and differentiates it from similar brown tie track that was made by K-Line.

 

Ed Boyle

X-actly!  i find box shaped layouts with nothing but 90° turns soooo boring...

 

Some of the early MPC O-27 ties had "wood grain" in them

I also, being careful, make sure the crimps holding the tie to the rail, are tight, while keepin it i auage.

One word of caution, there was a time, I believe during the early MPC era that Lionel used crimped metal track pins rather than the solid steel pins.  They bend and break easily.  Whenever I find these in track, I pull them out and replace them with solid pins (I never throw away track pins, so have a parts drawer full of them!)

 

You can tell them by looking closely, you can see the seam line for the rolled metal.

Interesting thread, but I never saw Lionel O72 diameter curves in an “O27” profile, when was that made?

 

My original set from 1947 came with O27 track with black ties.  Over the years of buying used trains I have picked up Lionel O27 track with black, gray and brown ties.  And I have found two types of brown ties: one is the wood-grain mentioned earlier and the other is like the one pictured by Robert, a lighter brown without the wood grain.  They both have the wider version of the O27 ties which were first shown in the 1971 catalog.  Some are stamped “Lionel” and some are not (which means they could be K-Line?).  I believe the plain brown has been the standard Lionel production since sometime in the 1980’s or possibly earlier.  Some of the wood-grained ties are also stamped “MPC”.  Lionel only used the name “MPC” from 1970 through 1972 but chances are they didn’t sell out of all of the “MPC”-stamped track for several years after that. 

 

The black ties are definitely post-war and also pre-war.  Later versions only have one hole in each tie and the side without the hole is stamped “LIONEL”.  I’m not sure about the gray ties, as I recall they came with either late post-war or early MPC sets that I have picked up.

 

Bill

Interesting thread, but I never saw Lionel O72 diameter curves in an “O27” profile, when was that made? 

You are quite correct.  Lionel never made O27 track with O72 curves.  O54 is the largest curve.  My fingers just kept dancing.  Sorry...

 

But K-Line did make O72 curves in an “O27” profile.

Posted by Ace..

 

But K-Line did make it.

 

Interesting to know...  Thanks.

oh yeah they did, i have a butt load of O27 profile 72" radius track b k-line

Re the grey ties, I received a set for Christmas in the 60's which came with grey (or silver) ties.  I still have some of it.  That would mean late postwar period for that track.

I have a few sections of that gray/silver-tie O27 track, 4 or 5 straight sections. It came in a box of track that I picked up for $8 at a train show. I'd wondered what time period it came from.

The mention of woodgrain ties definitely brings back some memories of the last time I wrestled with these pins on my older brother's (MPC I think) Santa Fe Flyer Freight set, that I commandeered as soon as he lost interest...ca mid 70's.  Man I had a lot of fun with that train, I used to run it around and through my Fort Apache

 

Was the woodgrain painted on or was it a decal?  I seem to have a faint recollection of it peeling off like a sticker.

Thanks again,

Robert

 

 

I love the 072 curves for "easing" into smaller curves.