O Gauge Wheel Flanges

The flanges on O gauge and O27 equipment are the same size, about 0.095" deep.  The rail on O27 track (and Gargraves, Ross and Atlas) is 0.215" tall so no worries.  Lionel and K-Line O Gauge track has rails that are even larger but all equipment can run on O27 rail height.

"O-27" is actually "newer" in age than traditional O.  The O-27 profile was introduced as a lower cost alternative.  There is less material used to make a piece O-27 than a piece of standard O which means it can be cheaper to make/buy.

Along with curves being too sharp you also need to worry about 027 size switches if you run the older pre war trains or Marx as the gears may get caught and cause a derailment at the switch. Lionel's 027 switches are also very bad for running large engines through them, it just won't happen as the switch housing will derail larger engines and rolling stock.

If you need an 027 compatible switch try using Gargraves or Ross switches with adapter pins, as these switches are low profile. These will not work for the pre war or Marx engines with large gears.

Lee Fritz

Along with curves being too sharp you also need to worry about 027 size switches if you run the older pre war trains or Marx as the gears may get caught and cause a derailment at the switch.

Hi Lee,

 I do not have any switches, and probably never will, but thanks for the "heads Up."

John

 Is taller profile track used to prevent derailment?

 Thanks,

 John

In the really old days most of the tubular track was run on the floor.  The heavier gauge steel was better suited as it could be stepped on with less issue of damage to the track (not so true for the person doing the stepping) and taller rails kept the gears and wheels above the carpet fuzz.  Since the track was "sturdier" it also handled set up and take down better.  I've mangled O-27 just trying to pull it apart.  Standard O tends to mangle your hands.  Taller track did support larger flanges which meant trains running fast on tighter radius curves were less likely to derail (they could go into spectacular roll overs).

 Chuck,

 Thanks for the little bit of a history lesson.

 I do remember seeing old pictures of prewar trains with the track layouts on the floors of the living rooms mostly ,the layouts where usually basic oval layouts, like mine, only my two oval layouts are mounted securely on my childhood Christmas Tree/Train platform that my father built when I was just youngster. (now 56 years old).

 I bet there were a lot of dirty carpets in those days.

 I am surprise that sparks from dirty tracks and contact between the tracks and the train wheels didn't cause the carpet or rugs to catch fire.

 Thank God for plywood!

Thanks,

 John 

Sparks from an electric train would only ignite something that was extremely flammable.  If you wanted to see fire hazards you need to look at the alcohol burning "live" steam engines from the middle of the previous century (Google "dribblers toy train")

 Chuck,

 I have a Bowman Live Steam Engine that I have a picture of in another forum.

 I can't believe these Live Steam Locos were meant for kids to play with back than.

 None the less, I still wouldn't trust the operation of an electric train on a carpet or rug flooring.

Maybe I am just too cautious.

John

My Live Steam Engine pictures are in the O Gauge Narrow Gauge Forum because I wasn't sure of the right forum to post it in.

John

You do have to watch pre-war and American Flyer O gauge equipment as those had larger flanges and aren't compatible with the lower profile O-27 track.

Some of the Williams scale brass offerings from the 1980's also have oversized flanges on the pilot trucks. I believe this was done to force these engines through narrow curves.  The flanges on some are deep enough to just touch on the ties of Gargraves track.

Hi Matt,

 I have two Lionel #266 pre-war sets with the #254 engines and two Lionel #252 engines that seem to run without a hitch on my O-27 track.

Thanks,

John