O-27 track with O-31 trains ?

DONT USE 27 INCH CURVES GO TO 54 INCH OR LARGER.  YOU CAN RUN LONGER TRAINS AND AT A GOOD RATE OF SPEED.  I HAVE BUILT SEVERAL LAYOUTS I AM TELLING YOU, YOU EILL BE ALOT HAPPIER.   KEN V

Ken,

I appreciate the advice, but my whole layout fits in a 12' x 12' room with all O-36 Fastrack... lots of loops and sidings in my "small" space.

The ceiling loop will also be inside the same  12' x 12' room and I figure I will be using the same Railking engines and cars that I run on the layout below.  Lots of trains in my "collection" so I don't have an issue with the small tight curves.

I'm really trying to figure out if the O-31 items will run OK on the "stretched O-27 curve in each corner... seems like it will work, but I'm hoping for advice from someone who has done something like this.  I could use Fastrack, but I figure the ceiling loops will be a bit quieter if I use good ol' fashioned O-27 tubular.

Ed

Hello Ed,

I don't have much help to offer.  But I have seen a railking subway run on O-27 that was rated for O-31.  It was run on  O-27 with out any half turn in the middle and it made the turns no problem, but you could notice th engine struggled more and sort of "drag" around the corner. 

The subways are fairly long so I'm sure if they made it, smaller engines would have no problem.  But more experienced runners will have to help out.

hope this info is useful for you.

Ed, stay with, at least, the 031 track.

Hi Ed,

Lionel tends to rate its engines requiring a higher turn radius than needed. Ie, they say 31 when 27 will work as well. I am not sure this is always true with MTH. I run tubular track - various radius curves - and beeps pulling ore cars is no trouble at all, except for the usual issues with beeps on switches. Railking engines work as well, the hangover as it turns was my key issue. Pulling the cars was not. I keep the speed low.

I adjusted my curve radius in ways similar to what you are planning and I found the easiest way to know was to test it. Put down some track, run the train and see how it goes. In the diagram you posted, you may find you may need to adjust the tracks with a smaller, custom cut section to make it look/operate to your liking. While the larger radius curves add to the realism/speed you can have, it is your RR, and after some testing you should find it will work as you are planning.

Ralph

Ed,

Depends on which engine. But, many "O31 engines" are only rated at the wider curve because they do not clear Lionel O27 switch machine housings. With no switches on your loop, lots of Railking engines will make the O27 curves just fine.

I discovered just how many engines can take O27 curves when I was experimenting with the door-sized Reading Central Railroad for OGR magazine back a couple years ago. For example, the Lionel F3s, GP7s and diesel switchers had no problem. Railking 2-8-0s, 0-8-0s, and 4-6-2s had no problem either. Just provide clearance between track and wall for lots of overhang.

Jim

Thanks guys, lots of good info!

I'm in the design stages and I wnt to cover all the bases before I start to build...I did look at Lionel O-31, but it'll cost me almost twice as much.  All of the other track systems are even more.

12' x 12' doesn't sound like much, but that's about 100 linear feet of track. 

100' of O-27= $150

100' of O-31 = $250

100' of Fastrack = $400

100' of Realtrax = in my experience, nice, too much "fiddling" to get it working.

I'd like to buy new so the track is clean and "tight" so I don't have to be climbing up and down over the layout for lots of "fixing" and adjusting.

I'd like 2 parallel curves at the corners, but O-27 track doesn't come in 36" curves and  with 42" curves, they aren't very parallel.... if only Fastrack came in O-31....

Any other thoughts welcome!

Ed

FT needs to come on O31 and O22 switches!

Go with O31!

Now, if you can get Marx O34 curves and switches, tht might be a help.  They were made in O27 profile.

I have two MTH engines rated for O31, I have an O27 loop for my marx trains and neither of my MTH engines will make it through the O27 loop.  Both of my engines are longer type engines though.