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Howdy, y'all.

     I got started in Lionel 40 years ago, with a starter set that came with an oval of O27 track and a basic blue transformer. Anyway, I built up a modest collection and eventually upgraded my O27 track with 42" diameter curves.

     Unfortunately, 2½ years ago, lightning struck a tree and brought a humongous limb across our house. After I evacuated and had to temporarily stay in an extended stay hotel, someone got in and looted everything that wasn't a book. (This includes a few custom creations, my collection of 1/43 scale cars, my MTH black Southern F-M Trainmaster #6301, and other items that [i]magically[/i] became hard-to-find over the past decade.)

     Anyway, I've decided to rebuild my collection from scratch and so far I've replaced my MTH orange/green passenger station and picked up 5 pieces of rolling stock -- RailKing and Lionel Southern boxcars, a Lionel TTUX spline car set with "Southern Railway System" trailers, a rare Southern flatcar with trailer, and a frame for a 2000s Santa Fe two-level auto rack carrier. But what style of track do you recommend I invest in for a new layout, even if I don't have any more than a single oval with 42" curves? Classic O27, Classic "Standard O", or one of the newer "FastTrack" systems?

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This is a picture of my last TTUX unit (originally with SP trailers) carrying a Southern trailer and a hand painted trailer based on Optimus Prime's (with the indigo-colored container frame from the Nesquik trailer). In front are some of my resin-cast "layout cars".

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Sorry to hear about the looting.  If you're rebuilding your collection to include diesels with 6-wheel trucks, larger steamers, and TTUX cars, then O27 is definitely out - too tight.  Beyond that, it depends on the look that you want to achieve.  Tubular track is available in various curvatures, it's inexpensive, and easy to cut to custom lengths.  Fastrack has many options, but it's expensive and cutting custom pieces is challenging.  Gargraves track and Ross switches offer a more realistic look; flex track can be bent to any curvature, but the switches can get pricey.

Good luck with the rebuild.

@Lionelski posted:

O27 and O42 only.

Both were made by Lionel & K-line.

Warrenville uses Lionel's. Only one failure in about 35 years

Not worried so much about failures - my concern is obstruction.  The O27 switches have the throws/machines permanently mounted on the inside of the curve.  Lots of equipment can snag on them.  Can't speak to the O42 versions.

I'm not bashing O27 track - I've used a lot of it.  IMO, considering the availability and low cost of O tubular track, that's what I would use except for short equipment or a starter set. 

It depends on the look you want. For a classic Lionel look, stick with tubular track. For the most realistic looking track, GarGraves, Ross or Atlas. I have a mix on my layout. I like the look of the GarGraves much better, but I also appreciate the clickety-clack of 10" tubular track sections.

@Mallard4468 posted:

Not worried so much about failures - my concern is obstruction.  The O27 switches have the throws/machines permanently mounted on the inside of the curve.  Lots of equipment can snag on them.  Can't speak to the O42 versions.

I'm not bashing O27 track - I've used a lot of it.  IMO, considering the availability and low cost of O tubular track, that's what I would use except for short equipment or a starter set.

No snags with the O27 height O42 curve switches.

I run all postwar from the smallest to largest steamers, and  FM's, GP7's, GG1's etc, with no issues

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