# Question on 0-31 & 0-27 Track



## ilikedis (Jun 25, 2012)

Can you mix track for an engine that requires 0-31 curves with 0-27? 

Example..0-31 curves and 0-27 straights?


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## BigAl56 (Dec 14, 2011)

Yes you can use O27 straits. But O and O27 track are different heights. If you are going with O track for the curves it's best to stay with O track for the straits.


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## ilikedis (Jun 25, 2012)

Can you run an O train on O27 track? What kind of problems do you run into?


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## BigAl56 (Dec 14, 2011)

This comes up a lot this time of year. Here is a link to Lionel's page on the subject.http://www.lionel.com/ForTheHobbyist/AboutGauge/

You can run most anything on Lionel O-31 or larger track, but Lionel O-27 (the 27 means 27"diameter circle) track has a tighter turning radius and many of the larger locomotives and cars will not make the tighter turns.

O27 was originally introduced over 70 years ago to be a cheaper starter-set track. The true track for Lionel trains is "O" track. That being said there are lots of discussion topics on the subject. Start with the link above to get familiar with different Lionel track sizes.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

And the O27 switches are not very friendly on lots of prewar stuff.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Given that O31 is pretty cheap if you shop around, I'd forget about trying to use the O27.


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## njrailer93 (Nov 28, 2011)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Given that O31 is pretty cheap if you shop around, I'd forget about trying to use the O27.



agreed. It's a shame though, I have a million of them laying around... and not enough fastrack =(


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## Texas Pete (Sep 28, 2011)

Here's what one fella did with O-27 -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Rhu9OjhQl4

Pete


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## BigAl56 (Dec 14, 2011)

Did you notice there were no steam locomotives on that layout? I always had a hard time keeping steam locos on the track on my O27 layout. Thats one reason why I retired almost all of my O27 and replaced it with O. Used tubular track is very inexpensive regardless of the size. You can still get a good price on eBay for your used O27 and that will help subsidize the cost of converting to O31.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Texas Pete said:


> Here's what one fella did with O-27 -
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Rhu9OjhQl4
> 
> Pete


That's one busy layout!  I think it was a contest to see how many trains he could get running, and I'll bet he's a winner.


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## njrailer93 (Nov 28, 2011)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> That's one busy layout!  I think it was a contest to see how many trains he could get running, and I'll bet he's a winner.



lol yeah. it was actually featured in ctt's magazine this month. theres a very good article about it.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

In that YT link, he's got two trains running on each of two loops, chasing each other, but never catching up. (The flat-deck loop, and the raised, folded-over figure 8.) How is he doing that? Simply TMCC, or some more sophisticated sensor / relay system ???

TJ


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## Texas Pete (Sep 28, 2011)

tjcruiser said:


> In that YT link, he's got two trains running on each of two loops, chasing each other, but never catching up. (The flat-deck loop, and the raised, folded-over figure 8.) How is he doing that? Simply TMCC, or some more sophisticated sensor / relay system ???


Not TMCC, which is kind of sophisticated in itself, IMO. As I recall it's a block setup, the "sensors" being insulated rails. The block behind the lead train is turned off, probably by a relay (I don't recall), so that if the following train catches up it stops until the lead train is clear of the next block, which then releases the following train.

Pete


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Thanks, Pete ... pretty clever ... a bit "old school" (which I like!), but still quite clever!


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## erkenbrand (Dec 6, 2010)

With my next layout I'm moving from O27 to O31. O is definitely worth the little extra cost.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I'm re-thinking my O31 now, it's too limiting for a lot of the stuff I'd like to have. I have already planned on O42 for the ceiling tracks, but I'm going to have at least one loop of O72 that will run most anything.


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## erkenbrand (Dec 6, 2010)

My basement space is pretty tight so I really can't go beyond 031. But I agree, John, if I had the space I'd go with at least a loop of O72 so I could run whatever caught my fancy.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Well, I'm still negotiating for the space to make the loops bigger.


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## servoguy (Jul 10, 2010)

I think that is Dave Smith's layout. He is on the CTT forum.


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## Handyandy (Feb 14, 2012)

areizman said:


> Did you notice there were no steam locomotives on that layout? I always had a hard time keeping steam locos on the track on my O27 layout. Thats one reason why I retired almost all of my O27 and replaced it with O. Used tubular track is very inexpensive regardless of the size. You can still get a good price on eBay for your used O27 and that will help subsidize the cost of converting to O31.


My layout is 39"x80", two loops, it's O27 and I have nothing but steam locos. I run old Marx and Lionel locos over Lionel and K-Line switches. No problems with derailments either. I must be doing something wrong! :laugh:

If it weren't for O27 I'd have no layout. Running any kind of trains is worlds better in my opinion than having boxes of stuff that never gets to run at all.


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## erkenbrand (Dec 6, 2010)

Handyandy said:


> My layout is 39"x80", two loops, it's O27 and I have nothing but steam locos. I run old Marx and Lionel locos over Lionel and K-Line switches. No problems with derailments either. I must be doing something wrong! :laugh:
> 
> If it weren't for O27 I'd have no layout. Running any kind of trains is worlds better in my opinion than having boxes of stuff that never gets to run at all.


+1 It's all about running the trains. 

I ran on O27 for a long time with postwar Lionel and never had any big problems. But now that I have the option of remodeling my basement and making more space I'm going to step up to the larger rail. I didn't have enough space before, and O27 worked out just fine.


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## servoguy (Jul 10, 2010)

There is another option with O-27 besides replacing all of it. Marx made some 34" radius curces and switches in the past. I believe that wide radius curves and switches are available from Lionel that mate with O-27. Some guys like the O-27 because it is closer to scale size than O-31.


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## billshoff (Nov 4, 2011)

Anybody tried this gadget that lets you run two trains on the same track?

http://www.azatrax.com/twotrains-onetrack.html


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

You can get Lionel O-42 switches for O27 profile track. There are also 42" curves for O27.


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## servoguy (Jul 10, 2010)

And if you are really desperate, you can take a O-27 curved section and bend it to any radius you want. It's a bit of work, but I did several many years ago.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Well, you can get 42" and 54" curves, and given the availability of Marx 34" curves, you should be pretty well covered. I doubt most folks would want to start bending track to try to make custom curves.


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## BigAl56 (Dec 14, 2011)

They already have a gadget for running two trains on the same track. It's called Lionel Command Control.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

areizman said:


> They already have a gadget for running two trains on the same track. It's called Lionel Command Control.


I think MTH makes one as well.


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## rogruth (Mar 6, 2012)

njoffroader said:


> agreed. It's a shame though, I have a million of them laying around... and not enough fastrack =(


There is no problem with O-27 track.The problem is O-27 curves.O-27 style tack can be had in larger curves,0-42,o-54,etc.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

rogruth said:


> There is no problem with O-27 track.The problem is O-27 curves.O-27 style tack can be had in larger curves,0-42,o-54,etc.


And besides that, the main problem would be the O/27 switches like TJ mentioned.
The O/27 curves should be no problem running most prewar trains, it would be the switches causing the problems.


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## servoguy (Jul 10, 2010)

The Marx metal switches and the Lionel 1121 switches will work best with prewar trains and/or Marx fat wheel engines.


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