O gauge and O27 on same layout ?

Although I have an O Gauge layout all set up, and a lot of 027 in boxes, none of the 027 is on the layout.

I think what might work well is to have an 027 trolley line on an O Gauge layout. The trolley line could be elevated, it could run down the street, and/or it could be in the distance, further away from the viewer than the O Gauge lines. Arnold

Lionel 027 stands 7/16” tall, versus O rank at 11/16” tall, so you need a way to elevate the 027to same level, if transitioning from one to the other.  The other drawback is track pins are different diameter.  You need correct style pins, to accomplish this.  Just so you know what you are dealing with, so think it over wisely.

I have an 027 figure 8 in the middle of my train table, and a loop of Super O around the outside edge. I could connect them with a couple of switches, but have not done so. Adapting one of you tracks to the other is not a big deal. If you have plenty of track of both kinds, go for it.

I have an O27 trolley line, like Arnold was thinking about.  It's not real close to my O main lines, so the difference in rail height isn't noticeable.  My semi scale trolleys look better on O27 and the sharp curves enabled me to lay the track in a small space.

John

mackb4 posted:

 Just wondering how many here incorporate O and O27 on the same layout ?

My plans are to have O27 as a shortline and O gauge as main line that will interchange on my future layout.

Like to hear about and  see your ideas  

Having a short line with lighter is a cool idea.  Some O-27 locos are smaller, especially in prewar and that goes well with the short line idea.  Be careful about larger locomotives.  F-3's or a 675/2025 is too big but a 1654, 1656 or a 520 would look fine.  I'd make the interchange tracks O-27 so they'll look like yard track off the main line.

Malcolm Laughlin

I would love to add an independent, elevated 027 trolley line to my O Gauge layout, but mine is a long and narrow layout, and adding the trolley line would unduly clutter the layout, which already has many accessories.

Instead of a trolley line, I opted for plenty of accessories and scenery. I have recently removed a couple of accessories and added more scenery, which I now prefer. 

Layouts involve many choices. Sometimes less is more, IMO.

If young children will be engaged with the layout, more accessories and less scenery may be better, in order to entertain the kids. Arnold 

Almost all post war Lionel's run on both O and O27 track. Many steamers are the exactly the same except for the numbers (3 digit for "O" and 4 digit for O27, # 675 and # 2025 are the same engines except for the #, as one example).

All of the postwar diesels will run on O27 curves with no problems, I know this from many year's experience. Trainmaster FM's, and early F3's will hit the switch machine covers on O27 radius switches, however. 

I like the lower profile of O27 gauge track, and that is what Warrenville uses. Wide radius O27 gauge curves of O42, O54 and (very hard to find, made by only Kline, and then for only 5 years) O72 radius are used, however. Switches are O42 radius, O27 gauge, Lionel.

I've added over 2,200 balsawood ties and kitty litter ballast producing, in my mind, a great combination of the nostalgic look with a small touch of realism. 

I've used 027 for industrial spurs to simulate lighter rail.

Terry

One O27 closed-loop circumscribes Level Three, entirely. The Budd train navigates its tight O27 curves well.

Level Two has two inner closed-loops of O27 track, and two closed-loops of O27 that come straight out toward the viewing aisle onto old Lionel bridges and arch-under supports, and at that point change to a larger curve of Hi-Rail track.

The balance of the layout , five closed-loops, on Level One, are O72 or better.So the layout is a mixture of Lionel O27, K-Line Hi-rail, and Gargraves larger curves and straightaways.

FrankM, still playin' with trains after all these decades.

Oh, and P.S., there wasn't any way whatsoever I wasn't going to have a trolley-line, which the smaller gauge track allowed, once it was depressed into the silencer-board

that lay atop the 3/4" plywood.

like this?

or this?

NEVER   But then again, I don't build true-to-life type layouts.

walt

Frank, is the Budd RDC Lionel or K-line?  Lionel's appear to be longer than the K-line.

Yup, gotta run my wife’s ‘64 Scout Columbia 242 freight set.  

Why not? Go for it!  ☺

I use 027 for this trolley line, Lionel O for several main lines, Gargraves for the most recent additions to the table layout, including Ross switches.  The overhead layout is all Gargraves.

As you can see, the table layout consists of all three.  I don't care about being prototypical.  With so much track left over from three former family layouts, there is no way I was going to replace it all.  Also, a great deal of the lower two levels of the second to last pic, track and all, was salvaged from a corner of our old attic layout.  For me, it's the trains themselves that count the most and, the more the better!!

Jerry

I am running on a O-27 loop next to the ceiling. The next level down is a multi-gauge O-42 and standard gauge. The middle level is 42 Standard. The bottom inside is standard 52 and the outside is multi-gauge 72.

Scott Smith