Lionel and Tube Track

This subject has come up frequently on the Forum lately. There is so much tubular track available in the marketplace, I don't think anyone has to worry about inventory in the foreseeable future.

I have to agree about tubular track, go to any train show and you can buy it in large quantities if you have the money.

Lee Fritz

Buy it?????????

I have dealers giving it to me,

because they cant sell it and are sick of

carrying it around. I have boxes of tubular

track.

(I just cant wait to start laying some of it,

as soon as I clean out the garage of my wifes stuff,

but that's another story!!)

Let me know if you want to sell any of the track, as I am planning on doing some more track work within the next year and can use some tubular track.

Lee Fritz

I don't know why this comes as a surprise to anyone.

With the beginners all being steered toward Fastrack or whatever comes in the other brands' starter sets, and the vast majority of "professionals" using Gargraves, Atlas, Fastrack... anything BUT tubular, sales will decline.

Once a product ceases to be profitable, you have to cut it from your line even if it makes a few people mad.

Like Popi has mentioned, train shops have PILES of tubular track just sitting there. When I pop in and buy a stack of O27, they eye me up like they're thinking, "What's he buying *THAT* stuff for?"

Train shops have cases of the stuff that have 10 years of dust on them.

Lionel discontinuing tubular track won't have any noticeable effect on availability for a very long time, and by the time that time comes, you'll have graduated on to "better" "more scale" track, and you won't care.

From one of the other threads on this subject, it was my understanding that Lionel is not going to stop making tubular track. Just limiting production. They are just making batches of it at certain times. Every few years I think was mentioned. If a batch sells out, you will have to wait for the next batch to be made.

Found the thread explaining production of tubular track: Lionel Tubular Track 

the 3rd post down on the 2nd page explains it.

"Lionel discontinuing tubular track won't have any noticeable effect on availability for a very long time, and by the time that time comes, you'll have graduated on to "better" "more scale" track, and you won't care."

Matt, I agree with your statements until you got to the "better" part. Is tubular track the most realistic to other track options available, certainly not. Tubular track is very durable and has served our hobby the longest. Many of us grew up with this track and actually prefer to use it. Call this sentimental or whatever, but for us, it is a "better" track option. Combined with Johnson Roadbed, it looks good and has some of the best sound control qualities available in our hobby.

went to a train show in Northern NY one year. After we set up Friday night, the local hobby shop owner opens his shop up for us to browse and have a few sodas.

I needed some track for two loops I was running on the floor. he had a box full,

Asked him what he wanted for it, He said take it, get it outta my hair.

I saw what was mentioned in that catalog differently than most here have posted apparently.

I see this as Lionel as scaling back on production due to saturation on the existing market, not due to lack of interest or with the intent to phase it out.  No different on how Lionel and others have scaled back on other offerings as well.  As others have stated, there is a plethora of O and O-27 tubular track, new & NOS alone occupying dealer shelves, never mind what's out there on the secondary market.  Plenty enough to choke a horse hundreds of times over. 

Sometimes you need to let the water drain out before you refill the tub again.

Brian, I agree with you on good ol' Lionel tubular 100%.  Love the look and the

durability, etc.  I'm a 1940's-50's kind of modeler and it's perfect for me!

     Hoppy

I love the sound Lionel makes on tubular track.  

I grew up with tubular track and loved it.However even as a kid I hated the switch tracks.Many of my trains de railed going through them,and I wished they had a lower profile look they are to bulky.OH back to the point,there are guys on here from time to time,that will give it to you for free if you pay the shipping.

I agree with you, Jim.  I'd be fine with Atlas or Gargraves, but tubular was the least expensive to use.

I'd like to find these dealers who give away new track.  Here in my area the three hobby shops have list price on it.

Like many others I still use Lionel tubular track on my O Gauge layout.  However, I use post-war tubular which was manufactured in the the United States.  This track is much sturdier than the current track produced in China which in my opinion is pretty flimsy stuff.  For the non-believers just put a piece of post-war USA made track in one hand and the current production in the other.  The contrast is stark.  The older track is much heavier and more rigid while the China made product is very light and its outer rails can easily be pressed in with pressure applied with your thumb and index finger.  I can't do this with the older track.

  Recently, on a small tinplate layout I constructed I set up an elevated section with the old Marx metal elevated trestles.  Many people who use these metal trestles routinely use Lionel tubular rather than the Marx track.  When pressing in the new China tubular into the elevated sections virtually every section I used lost its shape and became somewhat distorted causing the trains to track poorly and to sometimes derail.  I went back and used old post-war USA made tubular and they pressed into each section perfectly and the pressure did not distort the track at all.  There was no difference in the width of these two track sections and even though I am certainly not a metallurgist it was clearly evident that the newer product just does not have the strength and durability of the older track.  So, for my use I will stick to the old tubular, so if Lionel would terminate production of the newer product it really would not bother me too much because there is plenty of the older stuff still available.  Also, for any concerned forum member who reads this post this is not a China bashing post simply an observation on current and past materials used in the production of tubular track.

what I have done is to use the tubular track I have for our rail yard on the layout.

Also I have used it on the shelves to show off the locomotives and rolling, the rest Lee can have if he pays the shipping!!!!

Well... if 'ya just gotta' have tubular track: I have cases of like-new O27 straight track (and some 042 curves) that I will sell 'ya CHEAP.