Another consideration to keep in mind is the distance between parallel tracks 'at curves' - particularly on small layouts like mine - to avoid 'side swiping'. I have two ovals - the outer is 042 and the inner is 031 - and whenever running two trains I prefer to run them in opposite directions. I'll always run my largest engines (eg. LM Big Boy, LM Challenger or LM Cab Forward) on the outer oval, but I have experienced (fortunately at slow speeds) that when running some Lionel 'standard 0' boxcars etc, sometimes - depending on the swing of the engine cab on the other track - there'll be some scraping of the two. Hence, my general rule of thumb is to initially run the trains very slowly - before speeding them up. 😱 😧
@Midnight Express posted:Next layout will be 0-54 MIN !
Personally, I'd recommend a minimum of O72, at least on any mainlines. If you do O72, 3.5" clearance from the track centerline, and at least 5.5" separation of concentric curves, you'll eliminate most of the contention issues. This will also allow you run virtually any O-scale locomotive or car, scale or semi-scale. The only remaining parameter is the clearance height, so far 5.5" above the railhead seems to be sufficient for all the cars and locomotives I've tried.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:Personally, I'd recommend a minimum of O72, at least on any mainlines. If you do O72, 3.5" clearance from the track centerline, and at least 5.5" separation of concentric curves, you'll eliminate most of the contention issues.
Well kinda. I left 3.5" of clearance from the center rail off the outside 072 curves on my layout. All my largest scale articulated locomotives (SP AC9, SP AC6, DMIR M3 Yellowstone) clear everything fine. I tried running a friends MTH Premier Big Boy on my layout and the smokebox front ran right into a wooden support inside a tunnel. So it turns out 3.5" is fine most of the time, but not always 
.
I did find out that the MTH Premier Big Boy has a greater overhang than the Lionel Vision Line Big Boy by at least 1/4", which actually amazed me! However, I ran the MTH BB around my layout, and it clears the post that's spaced 3.5" from the track centerline.
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088 and 096 would be NO problem at all for the LC+ BB. Can't speak for the scale version, tho
Thx Gunrunnerjohn! 072 is the ticket if I have the space in my next home.
The curve I illustrated above is approximately 90" diameter. It's all done in flex track, so I just measured across the whole 180 degree section.
A quick story of my own in regards to scale and curves dilemma on my layout. My layout is 3 loops, inner is 036, and the two outer loops are 048. It's all I could fit on my table!! I desperately wanted scale GS Northern Class 4-8-4 on my layout, both SP and WP. I have a K-Line by Lionel semi-scale GS-4 Daylight from 2009, and it's a nice model, but wanted the more realistic scale size. All the Lionel GS series say they require 054 curves, but I wasn't convinced of that. So I asked a friend that has a Vision Line GS-4 if he could run his on some O48 curves. Argh, he didn't have any O48 so I had to ship enough O48 sections to make circle to him. No biggy, just time consuming as he's in Kansas and I'm CA. He got the track, put some power to it and ran the Lionel Vision Line GS-4 around and around until he was satisfied there were no issues. Woohoo, man I'm looking for a GS Daylight Scale ASAP and found a NEW Lionel Legacy GS-2 from 2012 catalog. It runs great on my layout, I'm a happy camper. Then, after that I had been looking for a WP GS-66-77 for over a year, and one popped up on eBay for a great price. Said it was used, but if it was I couldn't tell, even the box looked new. However, it is from the 2004 catalog, so it's TMCC and not TMCCII (Legacy). It does have RailSounds 5.0 with dual speakers, sounds fantastic. It runs great, I'm totally happy with it. I'm working on a video of these GS Series, but taking longer than I had anticipated. I'll post it when I finish it. These have a little overhang but they look pretty darn good going around O48, check out the photos.
Note, all the switches on the two outer loops are O72 and not O48. I did test O48 switches with the GS's, and no issue there either. I just like the smoothness of O72 switches and they're the same length as O48.
These are my favorite steam locomotives!!! I'm beside myself they work on O48. I like the subtle differences between the SP and WP versions, like the number board position.
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So I received my Big Boy and plan on getting it unboxed and running today. I think I got my track where I need it to accommodate the overhang issue I was worried about.
Sorry to get off my original topic but I'm wondering if this has a standard LC+ 2.0 smoke unit. It has the same generic 15 to 20 drop instructions for smoke fluid which I always start off with around 30 with no issues in my other engines when they are new. Would this engine be the same?Does the smoke fluid go into both stack holes or just where the wicking is visible, which appears to be the aft hole from looking at the pictures hokie71 provided?
Thanks
Brad
@B rad posted:So I received my Big Boy and plan on getting it unboxed and running today. I think I got my track where I need it to accommodate the overhang issue I was worried about.
Sorry to get off my original topic but I'm wondering if this has a standard LC+ 2.0 smoke unit. It has the same generic 15 to 20 drop instructions for smoke fluid which I always start off with around 30 with no issues in my other engines when they are new. Would this engine be the same?Does the smoke fluid go into both stack holes or just where the wicking is visible, which appears to be the aft hole from looking at the pictures hokie71 provided?
Thanks
Brad
If the LC+ 2.0 is the same as my 2009 LionMaster, and I believe it is, there is one smoke unit and it doesn't matter which hole you pour the smoke fluid in. I would say start with 20 drops to avoid possibly over filling the smoke unit and having smoke fluid leak all over you new locomotive! How exciting, new Big Boy on your layout.
@WesternPacific2217 posted:If the LC+ 2.0 is the same as my 2009 LionMaster, and I believe it is, there is one smoke unit and it doesn't matter which hole you pour the smoke fluid in. I would say start with 20 drops to avoid possibly over filling the smoke unit and having smoke fluid leak all over you new locomotive! How exciting, new Big Boy on your layout.
Thank you WesternPacific2217, now that I have it unboxed it appears it does not matter which hole it goes in. It appears the fluid just travels to the center between them. It did come with a funnel which surprised me because it doesn't seem to be a tight spot to get fluid. Maybe the funnel is to allow the fluid to be put as close to the center of both holes as possible? It is very nice looking. Everything looks great out of the box. Seems lubed well and no loose or broken parts. Will get it on the track soon.
Brad
My layout is a NY City urban 036 design. I got on the of these LC 2.0 Big Boys for a rare urban excursion for the city folk. This thing rearranged my scenery like Godzilla rearranging Tokyo.
Well I got the Big Boy up and running and WOW what a locomotive. It handles my o31 areas just fine. This is a nice machine and I am super happy with my purchase.
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised that the overhang wasn't as great as I expected. It really didnt overhang much more than some Railking 60" passenger cars I have except maybe at the back end of the locomotive. I guess the articulation of the drive wheels makes the difference. I thought when it crabs around the corners it would look ridiculous but it's like a smooth work of art. I'm an MTH guy a lot of the time but congratulations to Lionel on the design of this Big Boy. It's fantastic!
Not getting tons of smoke yet but it's good. I don't think I have got the wicking saturated enough yet. Scared to over fill. I have to remember even though the Big Boy is so big the smoke unit probably isnt any bigger than in the smaller LC+ 2.0 locos 😄 but I really don't think 15 to 20 drops is enough for these fan driven smoke units especially with bone dry battling inside.
Brad
@B rad posted:Not getting tons of smoke yet but it's good. I don't think I have got the wicking saturated enough yet. Scared to over fill. I have to remember even though the Big Boy is so big the smoke unit probably isnt any bigger than in the smaller LC+ 2.0 locos 😄 but I really don't think 15 to 20 drops is enough for these fan driven smoke units especially with bone dry battling inside.
I use more than that on almost any smoke unit except the tiny ones that MTH uses for whistle smoke and in their little switchers like the VO-1000.
@B rad posted:Well I got the Big Boy up and running and WOW what a locomotive. It handles my o31 areas just fine. This is a nice machine and I am super happy with my purchase.
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised that the overhang wasn't as great as I expected. It really didnt overhang much more than some Railking 60" passenger cars I have except maybe at the back end of the locomotive. I guess the articulation of the drive wheels makes the difference. I thought when it crabs around the corners it would look ridiculous but it's like a smooth work of art. I'm an MTH guy a lot of the time but congratulations to Lionel on the design of this Big Boy. It's fantastic!
Not getting tons of smoke yet but it's good. I don't think I have got the wicking saturated enough yet. Scared to over fill. I have to remember even though the Big Boy is so big the smoke unit probably isnt any bigger than in the smaller LC+ 2.0 locos 😄 but I really don't think 15 to 20 drops is enough for these fan driven smoke units especially with bone dry battling inside.
Brad
Hi Brad, Just an FYI, my LionMaster Big Boy does not smoke at idle, and it isn't the most powerful smoker compared to other Lionel Steam Engines I own. Keep in mind though, and I forgot to mention this in earlier posts, that my LionMaster Big Boy from the 2008 catalog is a Legacy and I don't think the LC+ 2.0 as all the same features as Legacy.
Wanna compare, here's a link to YouTube video. There's some Santa Fe F3 Chief action in the video too.
@WesternPacific2217 posted:Hi Brad, Just an FYI, my LionMaster Big Boy does not smoke at idle, and it isn't the most powerful smoker compared to other Lionel Steam Engines I own. Keep in mind though, and I forgot to mention this in earlier posts, that my LionMaster Big Boy from the 2008 catalog is a Legacy and I don't think the LC+ 2.0 as all the same features as Legacy.
The early Legacy models indeed didn't have the same smoke features as the LC+ 2.0. The LC+ 2.0 models do have idle smoke. I suspect he just needs more smoke fluid, my little LC+ 2.0 0-6-0T needed closer to 35-40 drops of fluid to properly smoke from brand new with dry smoke units.
FWIW, I made a version of my Super-Chuffer II specifically for early Legacy steam to enhance the chuffing and add idle smoke. It also gives you rule-17 LED headlight if you want to install that feature.
Well it smokes wonderfully now. Idle and chuffing. It just needed more smoke fluid. Last night I added 20 drops (1ml). Let it soak in 10 minutes and added 10 more drops (.5ml) and let it soak in. Then another 10 drops (40 drops total at this point, 2ml) and it smoked ok for a few minutes and slowed down. I went ahead and shut it down. Today I added 20 more drops and let it sit for a few minutes to soak. It smokes great now. I think you would have to be super careless to over fill one of these modern fan driven smoke units except for the smaller smoke units GRJ mentioned.
Brad
I just ran my MTH Premier Allegheny for the first time this past weekend (a fair bit at that!), which is definitely bigger than the LC+. I actually bought it from Milt here on forum, and it is really awesome. I do 5 and 5 drops in each before running and all is good!
On lionel trains... I have an early 2000s? era steamer that used to smoke. It was a RTR set with an oval of tubular track + transformer. Now, I will put a few drops in, but no smoke comes out. Eventually, the smoke comes out from _everywhere_ EXCEPT the stack. Is the fan motor toast or something? It is super weird....
I just don't put smoke fluid in anymore, and run my two MTH locos with smoke off, as the wife gets cranky when I fill the whole downstairs with smoke (the daughter + grandkids LOVE the sync chuffing, and the diesel slight exhaust), complaining that it stinks. Whats the fun of having a HUGE steam loco, if you cant get steam?!
@gunrunnerjohn posted:The early Legacy models indeed didn't have the same smoke features as the LC+ 2.0. The LC+ 2.0 models do have idle smoke. I suspect he just needs more smoke fluid, my little LC+ 2.0 0-6-0T needed closer to 35-40 drops of fluid to properly smoke from brand new with dry smoke units.
FWIW, I made a version of my Super-Chuffer II specifically for early Legacy steam to enhance the chuffing and add idle smoke. It also gives you rule-17 LED headlight if you want to install that feature.
Hi gunrunnerjohn, I would be interested in your Legacy Super-Chuffer II, but I'll take it offline with you.
