THE BEST ... THE WORST in O Gauge - State Your Opinion!

I can see the moderators shutting this down very quickly.

That said, best Postwar engine would be the 675 / 2025 PRR K4. Good looking, well detailed, and a great puller. Absolute worst would be the plastic-motored Scout, a true POS if ever there was one.

I don't own any TMCC at all.

How about a thread that just talks about THE BEST.

Stu

Thanks, Art, for getting it started! Hope they don't shut it down--there's already enough grousing and complaints on the forum about current manufacturers and their products that make this little thread look harmless. Plus, I like learning about the products of the past--helps me learn what to focus on finding--or passing up--at train shows.

The best thing for the hobby in general and O Scale specifically is the NMRA standards that were established early on for all scales.    This gives mfg the information they need to make their stuff compatible with all other mfg if they want to.     In 3-rail that does not always seem to be part of their business model.

The worst thing for O scale was mfg starting with 1 1/4 inch gauge track for O.    This scales out to 5 ft wide.    the prototype is 4 ft 8 1/2 inches.    While 3 1/2 inches does not seem like much, it makes all our stuff have the wheels too far out.   On steamers, the cylinders have to widened and this shows up on some models.    This was done so early on, and their is so much stuff there, that a change is extremely impractical.

Yep...I can see this thread developing some problems....  We have enough negative comments so I am not sure if everyone is going to interpret what "the worst" means in terms of the OP's definition.  The mods will watch this one....

The very best aspect of this hobby is interacting with a wonderful group of people both in person and on this forum.  Model railroaders in general and O gauge modelers in particular are fabulous.  I am so grateful to be a member of the group.

I like to run trains using command control.  The worst part of the O gauge hobby is having to master and wire the layout to accommodate competing command control systems.  I wish that we had a standard similar to DCC where all the command systems could run the locomotives from any manufacturer.  There are work arounds but they don't always work well.  

The second worst part of the hobby are the claw couplers.  I wish that everything came with Kadee compatible couplers.  Kadee couplers are so much more reliable than the claws that it should be a no brainer.  Someone could figure out how to make an automatic Kadee compatible coupler if that is desired.

Overall, O gauge model railroading is the best hobby - period.   NH Joe 

The BEST:  Pride Lines Hiawatha.  John Davanzo was a master tool maker.  Runs like an Audemars Piguet watch.

The WORST:  Lionel 1862/1882 General.  Never had one that behaved well.  I'll attribute that to the pick up rollers and 2 position e unit.

Lou N

artyoung posted:

I can see the moderators shutting this down very quickly.

That said, best Postwar engine would be the 675 / 2025 PRR K4. Good looking, well detailed, and a great puller. Absolute worst would be the plastic-motored Scout, a true POS if ever there was one.

I don't own any TMCC at all.

You nailed it on the 675/2025 K4's, I absolutely love the couple I have.

Good.  New stuff is a lil much for me. Menards is really filling a niche   Love online auctions and train shows  

bad.  Nothing at all bad about trains.  I’m from central Illinois. I can find local lines...The rock, tp&w, c&im, Illinois central, but they are single engine Mpc era trains.  I just wish they were better runners.   If I could just find a dual motor frame to drop my favorite cabs on, I’d be a happy feller.  

Models:

"Classic:" Lionel 736 Berkshire. The best, hands down.

Scale: The Lionel N&W Y6b.

Worst: the insane amount of room O scale takes, especially all my toys in boxes. My bride agrees.

Best is horizontal motor 2343 f3 (not a steamer but still the best )

best steamer 675/2025 with Baldwin drivers(early ones)

worst probably scout but do not have one

Ok, I’ll bite the bullet, my favorite Steam Locomotive is the VisionLine Big Boy, with all the features most anyone would enjoy.  It’s scale looking, great whistle, great wheel slip effect, smokes great, all the sounds are fantastic. 

I cannot think of any trains I that are in the Worse category. I love them all. I prefer the scale look the best, over the toy look.  

I really think this is a cool thread, and folks from all ages should chime in, it’s a great Hobby, fun for everyone.  Happy Railroading 

Love those 225/2025 Pennsy locos. Good smoke, great whistles and good pulling power. Only Lionel I cannot abide are the Scout sets.

I would say best and worst track system is fastrack. Easy to set up, switches work flawlessly, and never had a derailment that wasn't my fault. It's just a little too loud.

I have to go with two separate sub-categories for the "Best of Post-war" listing.  The first would be the best running steam locomotive and like some of the others who have posted I have to agree that the early 675s/2025s can't be beat.  They run smooth as silk and are silent runners as well.  Even without magne-traction they are good pullers to boot.   In terms of the best looking I cast my ballot for the 746 Norfolk & Western Class J Northern.  It oozes nothing but class and in my opinion was by far the sleekest post-war engine Lionel ever made.

I have never owned a Lionel Scout locomotive but after everything I've read about them I'm glad I haven't so the scout gets my vote for the worst.

I have some command control motive power but not enough to offer an informed opinion.  To some extent I envy the guys who can because there are some magnificent looking engines out there. 

When I was getting back into OGAUGE, I stopped into an OGAUGE display in Williamsburg(it’s gone now) The guy was still setting up and let me in to see even though he wasn’t open to the public. We talked about an hour while he showed me around. Showed me six new out of the box locos one of the big players had manufactured in Mexico. Each had pieces hanging off from missing screws that fell off in the box. It was after that I discovered MTH locomotives, and K-line passenger cars and stuck with them. No, their not perfect, but I’ve only sent one MTH loco back right out of the box in 23 years.

The best: 3-rail O-gauge still allows for ultra-simple track wiring (no such thing as reverse loops, or wyes, in an electrical sense).

The worst: 1-1/4" track gauge in O-gauge means .073" (approx. 1/16") too wide for 1/48 scale fidelity - Heresy, by God!   (The world is coming to an end - arghhhh!!!!).

Fortunately, as much as I like scale and prototype fidelity (), I think I can still live with 3-rail and 1-1/4" gauge as far as O-gauge is concerned, thank goodness.  

Best....Room for every aspect of the hobby.

Worst...Lack of standardized electronics.

Best VL Hudsons worst consistent kinematic coupler performance.from. piece to piece.