How many still use tubular track

@Oscale_Trains_Lover_ posted:

Not to get off topic, but can Atlas 21" Horizon cars really run on 0-42 curves? I would have never thought they could!

Bryce

They can based on the truck centers.  The overhang is outrageous!  I used to have a carpet central under my kids bunk beds when they were really young and I ran all tubular 027.  I ran my 3 car Amtrak set with my Williams scale GG1 that can also turn that tight a radius.  It was ridiculous but the bed covered most of the curves.    

I put Kadee couplers on my Comet II cars to solve that problem......

@GG1 4877 posted:

They can based on the truck centers.  The overhang is outrageous!  I used to have a carpet central under my kids bunk beds when they were really young and I ran all tubular 027.  I ran my 3 car Amtrak set with my Williams scale GG1 that can also turn that tight a radius.  It was ridiculous but the bed covered most of the curves.    

I put Kadee couplers on my Comet II cars to solve that problem......

Jonathan,

Thank you for this fantastic information! The overhang doesn't bother me that much and it is great to know that I can run these babies on 0-42!

Bryce

@juniata guy posted:

I'm all tubular on my permanent layout.

I've posted elsewhere on this but, my only regret with using tube track was going with 0-27 back in 1989.  What in the heck was I thinking?

Curt

Curt,

Your post gave me a real belly laugh. About once a month I'm standing in the middle of my layout pondering this or that when invariably I say, "What the heck was I thinking?" LOL

2014   Pappy! (rip)

I know exactly what I was thinking: $350 buys a new loco and this old track from my youth works fine. 🙄    I was warned and blew it off. Actually went smaller to 0-19&21"...not that that was a mistake either, but regardless, there is one thing skipped by the proponents chat might have grabbed .me....  I'd run on 0-90, 120 etc. but very prototypically and not my "colletor's collection" I.e. never ran much "as toys"..

I'd actually be able to highball those big curves at a stupid-sonic speeds

My 'test track' loop is comprised almost entirely of tubular track. Not out of any particular allegiance to it--I simply reused what I had on hand from my carpet-central days. Having a complete loop of K-Line 027-profile 072 curves helped a lot. 

---PCJ

027 Tubular. I like the classic look. Biggest regret is not wiring the 5121,22 switches to remote power to make it easier to deal with the solenoid buzz. This is not the last layout I'm going to build so next one will likely be GG/ Ross.

I use both O-31 and O-27 tubular track and switches on my layout. Track pieces are tightly linked by two interlocking 4" black cable zip ties, which insures good electrical contact.  I don't understand why some add wood/rubber ties for more "realism"--these are toy trains! Rick  

Lionel tubular track since 1957!

Is there any other type of track?

 Gargraves and Ross track looks great, However, my layout is somewhat "old school" based on a 1965-1970's, "look", therefore I chose to go with the 0-27 track. It ALSO looks great, and when it comes time to dismantle the layout, I won't have a ton of $$$ invested in track or plywood. 

The layout my son & are going to build will be all SuperO track with Ross switches.

I prefer tubular track on my display layout because of its simplicity and versatility.  I use the O gauge profile rail and have curves from 31" to 96".  I occasionally use Super O which I have custom bent to 54" and 72" curves for a little variety.

Rolland

But of course! 042 and 072 early MTH standard gauge track on Johnson rubber roadbed!

Too bad Johnson is not making their stuff anymore. It looked great and is a lot easier than wood or plastic ties and ballast.  It was also great for carpet layouts!

I have had no problems these past few years with Lionel O gauge track  prior I used Lionel super O never had a problem atlas and gargraves.

I went with tubular and the reason is because I collect mostly Lionel postwar. and having them on a original design item to me seems logical

I did use gar graves ties which they will sale you by the box ,also I painted the sides and added ballast I ddi use homasote to make a raised bed  under the track to keep all extra quiet

My widest is 4 foot so I original used 031 curves .. BUT running FM extra was a problem so I bought menards 042 I would recommend the 042 curves they still fit in a 4 ft wide table...and make the engines run smoothly around the curves. compared to the 031 curves  I did use K lines 042 for one section otherwise I have all 031 switches....    daniel

Tubular all the way:  everything seems to run just fine on it -- old and new -- so I have no intention of ever changing.  (That and I have a small fortune tied up in it all!)

My table has mostly Ross, with some GG, but I have a couple of bins worth of Postwar O27, a small bin of PW O gauge, and a small box of some Super O. I just like the old track so much that I thought it would be fun to have around in case I want to make a temporary set-up on the floor. I've always liked the aesthetics of tubular track, and if I ever make a larger layout, I always thought it would be fun to have a small section dedicated to being "Postwar" themed with tubular track, because I love the somewhat cartoony toyish look of it all, lol.

I used tubular O27 track except for a two inch piece of curved Marx 034 seen below (with the dark tie) between the two Marx 1590 switches in the left leg of my new Wye which was recently added to the old layout.  I had to use the curved Marx 034 to make the switches line up. 

I am all in for O27 so I could jam in more track on a medium size layout.  I operate three loops, two are relayed and I can run 5 trains at a time on my .  I used 31 Marx 1590 switches as they do not require track voltage to operate, take less space and have a lower profile than others.  They are also inexpensive costing average of $5 a pair.  I have only worked on two of them in 35 plus years too.

Charlie

As per my post from 3/2017 above, I am still using Lionel tubular track with Ross switches on my newer layout started about a year ago:

Looks great.  I love the way you have ballasted the Ross Switches, they look great and combine perfectly with rest of the track.  I was always a little worried about the irregular base on them.  

Cheap to buy, easy to assemble, easy to fix and works well with accessories.

So many cool layouts!   I have a ton of gargraves track and switches but I keep seeing these classically styled layouts and I keep thinking I want a tube track layout instead.  Lol.   

All are beautiful!

I started out with Lionel Postwar 027 track and switches, have enough of it for a large layout with lots of switches, and still have it in boxes under my layout.

Around 1998 I changed to Lionel Postwar O Gauge track and 022 switches, which I much prefer to 027. 

I know some of us prefer 027 and others prefer O Gauge. IMO, O Gauge track is sturdier and less likely to warp than 027 track  resulting in fewer derailments, and I believe 022 switches are far superior to the 027 ones. I love the 022 voltage plugs that enable the switches to be powered independently from the track, and I prefer the lighting and appearance of the 022s.

I also know that both Postwar switches have a toy-like appearance, but I like that.

Arnold

I've used different types of track systems since 2010-11 that I've been doing O, and for a while I was 100% "Totally Tubular!".  Did many a temporary floor layout such has the one in the picture below from 2013.  This is ironic since as a kid in the 70's I disliked my cousin's O trains with tubular track (I did HO then).  

In recent years I've been going towards a more scale look (except for the holidays) so I've sold off all my tubular and integrated road bed track.  Still like the tubular look and always enjoy seeing photos on this forum. 

Is there another track system...?

All of the kids layouts we build are either 027 or 031 tubular, we have boxes of the track which gets donated quite often to the club.

I find it works well, and easily used with the simple trains and landscaping we do on the doors. I did one layout with MTH track and it was ok but the necessary power plugs and switches made it a one off, we get little of this track donated and we always try to include one siding for variety and to keep it interesting. 

I'm an old Guy who runs old trains on old tubular O Gauge and O27 track. During this Virus Crises I removed almost all (16) of my Lionel O22 switches. Some of these switches were causing problems ( they were in hard to get at places,) with my Prewar and post war 1940's & 50"s trains. By removing all those switches I gained two new tubular track loops. I ran my Lionel Trolley on the loops and they ran fine and looked pretty cool running through town....I got some good deals for Lionel Trolleys on E-bay now I have a bunch of them zipping around my layout.

Gene: I always like seeing your layout, it seems I tend to notice something new, every time! I'm a big trolley and Interurban fan, too. I like your elevated line, it looks nice. I also never grow tired of seeing that balloon floating along, just below the clouds!

Rusty

The Austin Tinplate Trackers started out with Lionel tubular back in 1992 when we started. When K-Line Shadow Rail / Snap Track came out we made the conscious decision to keep tubular but convert to K-Line because it looks more realistic. When K-Line went belly up we bought all we could find and have over the years stock piled a lot of K-Line to ensure we can keep our layout uniform. We do use some Ross switches though. We have a 4 track mainline modular layout and build about a 60 x 60 ft layout. Our corner modules are 5 ft square and the largest curve is a combo of 120 / 96 and our minimum curve is 72. We do have some interior trackage that is temporary for shows and we use Gargraves and Ross for that.

@Diverging Clear posted:

Gene: I always like seeing your layout, it seems I tend to notice something new, every time! I'm a big trolley and Interurban fan, too. I like your elevated line, it looks nice. I also never grow tired of seeing that balloon floating along, just below the clouds!

Rusty

Thanks ....Gene

I have been collecting k-line shadow rail/supersnap track. Love the look and it's a lot quieter than roadbed track.

I really wanted Atlas, however they did not make std. Then looked at Gargraves. They quit making std. I wanted both O Gauge and std on my layout, and I wanted O84 and std for bottom. I could not decide if I wanted std or O gauge on elevated loop.

So, with the help of USA Track, I made my own O84, with Std72 USA loop inside. For the elevated loop, I made 5 rail track with a 54 radius, thanks to Steve Eastman and USA track. I am very happy with results. Sometimes, what we think we want is not what we really want or need, if that makes sense?😄

Joe Gozzo 

Altho I love Atlas O, I have a ton of 027. That's what I grew up with, Lionel, Sakai, Marx, some Williams, K Line.

Would love to use Atlas, but the cost of such track on a layout of any size at all is prohibitive. Am without a layout at present but hope to start construction in a couple of months, and will stick with my old Flyer 40" from 1941. Much better than O-27 or O-31.

My layout is 027 profile track with 054 and 072 curves. All switches are Ross. The Ross track is taller than the 027 track. The short height of the 027 profile track makes the trains look more massive than Gargraves or Ross. The 027 profile 072 curves have no problem handling my Premier SP AC-6 cab forward or ATSF Texas.