Hello! Looking for the collective expertise of the group! Just got back into O gauge, and I have a small basement layout. There are three loops in a 5' x 8' space. I have a Lionel trolly set so it comes with a loop of 027 track. I then have a loop of Lionel Fastrack 036 and another one with 048. None of these are connected, there are no switches, so each is separately powered. I am currently using a KW for the 036 and 048 and a 1033 for the O27 track. I want to start getting some engines that I happen to like buy want to make sure that I don't run afoul of minimum radius issues and have to just put them on a shelf! I will probably get some small post-war switcher engines to run on the 027 and O36 loops, but I really like some of the FARR locomotives from the Lionel MPC era. I have read in two different places where someone said they run on 031 but someone else said you need 054 - obviously not something I will have. I have an opportunity to get my hands on the #6-8702 Southern Crescent 4-6-4 with its passenger cars; or I can just get the locomotive itself. I know that large passenger cars can be problematic with shorter radius curves and was going to look for the "baby madison" cars down the road.
I like the 6-3100, 6-8002, 6-8003 (really any Hudson, Berk, Northern) for the MPCs
I would think many of the post-war engines that aren't close to scale (which is what I am looking for anyway) would be okay other than some big ones. I am staying away from the command control stuff, like the conventional running only.
Am I on the right track here? Anything else I should be considering or thinking about?
Thanks!
