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I've always played with Standard Gauge, and I'm starting to muck around with some old tinplate O Gauge and I don't know what I'm doing.  I have a box of old tubular tinplate lionel O-gauge track.  (NOT O-27)  The curves are all the same radius.  I'm trying to figure out what size/radius/diameter these curves are.  I'm assuming old tubular O Gauge track is like Standard Gauge, and the curves are denominated in Diameter, not radius?

 

When I put 8 of them together, they make a circle, measured at the inner rail about 27" in diameter; measured at the center rail about 29" diameter, and measured across the outer rails a little under 31" diameter.    

 

I see old tubular track for sale called 27 curves and 31 curves.  Which are my old track pieces?

 

thanks

 

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31. This track uses the same rail as STG. The proper switches are 022. The Ross tinplate switch. The K-Line super snap switches. The K-line shadow rail and super snap track have this higher profile. 027 track is a lower profile.

 

There are kits available to convert 031 track with a 72 diameter to 5 rail track that can run STG and O gauge trains. It is thought the same can be done with 54 diameter O31 track using STG 57 track unassembled to make the kit. The kits are made by USA track. You supply the O-gauge track they suply the outside STG rails ties and insulators.

 

 

Okay, so I have 31 diam. curve pieces, measured to the outside rail.  Thank you gentlemen.

 

You mention switches.  What I want to run on this is old prewar Ives, Flyer, and Marx tinplate that I have on the shelves.  The Ives is fine, but the Flyer and Marx locos have big gears on the inside of the driver wheels that really seem to have a problem with the 022 switches.  Is there a good switch that will mate with this high profile tubular track which doesn't have such prominent guard rails and will let the Marx and Flyer drivers through?

 

Or for these locos should I go to 027 after all, i hear there is an 1121 switch in 027 that will work for this?  I would rather stick with the older high profile, sturdier O Gauge tubular.

 

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OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

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