Will it mate up with Atlas track? I will be rebuilding my layout and increasing the size about 50% to about 180 square feet on two levels. While I love the look of Atlas track I would gladly use lower cost tubular for at least half of the track needed as it will be hidden. No use paying premium prices for track no one will see. Plus tubular track looks great underneath the Christmas tree!
-Greg
Greg, the track looks to be overall the same as regular Lionel O, which sits higher than Atlas.
Atlas track does line up, height wise, with Lionel O27 track.
Or you can also shim up the Atlas to meet with regular O track. I think Atlas still makes the rail joiner to Lionel tubular track adapters.
Way to go Menards. This new "old-style" tubular track will surely fill a void as Lionel phases theirs out. Now how about considering the possibility of producing a line of manual switch tracks, say O36, 54 & 72? And make them as simple and no-frills as possible to keep the costs down. It sure would be nice to be able to acquire tinplate turnouts in the $30-$40 range (new ones, not junk found under the table at shows). Will be putting together a first time layout (4x8) for my brother's God son's starter set this Christmas season and it's always more fun when you can add a siding or two or a reverse loop. But the prices for tubular as well as fast track and real track switches (not to mention Ross Plate) can be very cost-prohibitive, especially for younger kids getting into this hobby. I'm sure if there were a way to make these affordable they'd sell like crazy.
I too think that a rubber roadbed just like Johnson's use to make would be a great addition. We ran Lionel "O" Gauge track with Johnson's rubber roadbed for years.
How did her boots get taller during the second test?
Mark
Mark,
These were actually two separate tests that took place on two different days and thus the wardrobe change.
It was discussed that during trial #1, our engineers forgot to account for the weight of the test subject’s boots and other clothes. This resulted in the structural failure you observed and also sent our engineers back to the drawing board.
The obvious answer for weight removal from the test subject, as occurred to the young fellows, was quickly rejected on moral and ethical grounds. Alas, we will never know if those few pounds of clothing would have made the difference!
Calculations were made and it was decided that two pieces of track would easily do the job. A few days later, trial #2 was conducted with the exceptional results you see, despite even bigger and heavier boots J!
It seems as though a train guy’s work is never done!
-Mark the Menards Train Guy
Just caught this little bit of humor. Shes seems pretty petite, don't think her clothes weigh all that much to have changed the test results
The missing size is 0-84. Most of us would never use it, but those who need the 0-96 would then be able to have a 72, 84, 96 concentric circle, sort of like Horse Shoe Curve, with 6 inch on center spacing so everything will be able to pass without contact. The Chicagoland Lionel RR Club in New Lenox IL will be using Ross track in these sizes for this reason.
I am happy to hear 036 will be available in tubular form finally. Great going Menard's, I have to plan a new layout now but it's great!
Yes Menards, since no one else will pick up the slack, Gray and Black Rubber Roadbed that used to be offered was the best!!!!! Maybe you can fill that void too :-)
Recently I was looking everywhere for rubber roadbed or homosote roadbed when I started building my grandkids layout. Even a wanted ad produced no results.
Gave up and used Fastrack instead. If Menards had some kind of grey roadbed I would have gone right down to the store and bought a lot of it!
If you want to try to bring a bit more realism to this kind of O-gauge track, I suggest making your own ties from wood. The metal ties of the track serve two functions: to hold the three rails together and to be able to secure the track to a sub-base. This type of track (Lionel or any other make) was not produced for realism. I had a bunch of O-gauge track from my layout in the 60's and I did not want to throw it away, but I did want a more realistic appearance. I made ties from 1/4" x 3/4" x 96" wood window screen molding. The molding is almost exactly the same width as the ties. I cut them to the length I wanted them which was close to the length of the metal ties, painted them black, and then spaced them between the metal ties. I then ballasted and voila...for old (or new Menards) three rail track, it turned out well.
And you can buy that molding at Menards!
BTW, looking forward to seeing more tests of that nature.
Go figure. Everyone clamors for someone to make some good quality, low priced products. When someone does, many start chiming in on the changes they want, all that ADD COST. I am amazed at the quantity, price and volume of product coming from Menards. You'd think more would be thankful.
Steve
To quote the Stones again: "I can't get no satisfaction.".
Didn't they also say,"You can't always get what you want, but if you try some time you get what you need."?
Jerry
So is this the pretty much the same as the current Lionel O gauge tubular? Is it compatible with it? The prices seem very good for the cases especially. Would make doing my shelf layout a lot simpler.
It will mate up with Lionel, K-Line O track, but not sure if the curves will be interchangeable or not from a degree standpoint.
Steve
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