More Fun With Non-Derailing Turnouts

One of the goals for my redesigned FUN Lines layout was to provide plenty of action with simple controls for my twin 7 year old boys. The inside loop of the layout features a common O27 track layout in a combination figure-8 / oval. This provides a great deal of operating possibilities in a small area with the option of using either of two reverse loops, a 90 degree crossing, and the option of simply running laps on the outside oval. However, when a simple wiring scheme is added to Lionel's non-derailing switch feature a new level of interest is possible with automatic, hands-free dispatching over the different routes.

Electronic Magic

As described in an earlier post (How Non-Derailing Turnouts Work) Lionel's O27 turnouts from the #1122 of 1952 through the MPC era's #5121 and #5122 turnouts all feature an internally-wired non-derailing feature. The wheels of the train itself become part of the electrical circuit to throw the points of the turnout in the direction of the oncoming train. What many operators do not realize, however, is that this same mechanism can be used to operate additional electrical circuits as well.

In this case, I have run two wires between the turnouts at the right side of the layout so that the binding post for the curved leg of one turnout is wired to the binding post for the straight leg of the opposite turnout. The result is that when a train engages the non-derailing feature of one of the turnouts the second turnout throws in the opposite direction at the same time. This works even though the two turnouts are from different eras of Lionel production (a #1122 of the Postwar era and a #5122 of the MPC era). The remaining turnouts are left alone. This causes the train to circumnavigate the layout in a complex pattern of in-and-out of the figure 8 while repeatedly reversing direction. While the pattern does repeat, it takes the casual viewer some time to recognize the pattern and so the train seems to be changing paths at will!

Which Way Will It Go?

Observe the video and notice how the train changes routes automatically. All of this action takes place with NO SWITCH CONTROLLERS wired to the turnouts. Only the automatic non-derail and the two wires previously described are used!

If you want the ability to turn the automatic function off at will simply add a DPDT (double pole, double throw) switch into the circuit between the two connected turnouts. 

Hopefully this will inspire you to create other new and exciting options for your layout. 

Happy Railroading!

Redesigning the FUN Lines

My rebuild of the FUN Lines (Fantasia, Utopia and Northern) O27 layout was about two-thirds complete when I came to a terrible conclusion: The redesign was all wrong for my needs. Actually, the redesigned track plan fit my goals for the future of my railroad perfectly. The problem was in satisfying modeling needs of my twin 7 year-old boys. I had attempted to quench their growing train desires with a 4' x 4' layout of their own, thus leaving the "big layout" to Dad and his plans - or so I thought - but as I watched them yearn to work and play with the FUN Lines more and more, I realized that a new design was in order - one that met THEIR needs instead of mine.

Setting Goals

One key to any successful model railroad is to start with the end in mind. One should determine as much as possible beforehand the type of railroad one intends to build. Will it be a "Tinplate" toy train layout, a modern scale-inspired "Hi Rail" layout, or something in between? Will it feature mainly loop running or imitate prototype operations? What type of track and power supplies should be used? What is the budget? All of these are important questions to ask before the first lumber is cut and the first screw is turned.

To make the FUN Lines more appropriate for my boys the following goals were set:

• Lower the table from 40" to 24" to be more child-friendly. A lower table means shorter arms can reach trains and accessories anywhere on the board. It also means shorter and less damaging falls for any equipment that might find itself leaving the table involuntarily.
• Simple track plan with lots of action.
• Mostly loop running with only a siding or two.
• Independent track loops with simple wiring and control schemes.
• Room on the table to incorporate a Carrera Go! slot car set and a K'nex roller coaster as well for more visual appeal. Our home is the gathering place for most of the kids in our neighborhood. I wanted a train/car/toy table that could entertain 4 or more little one simultaneously.
• Budget is tight, so recycle as much of existing benchwork as possible.

Construction Begins

The existing benchwork consisted of the "big layout" which utilized two 4' x 8' plywood sheets connected in an "L" shape with an extra 18" x 48" shelf attached to one side and a separate 4' x 4' table. The first step was to detach all sections from one another. The small table had 24" legs so I then cut the legs of the large layout down from their 40" height to match the smaller table. I reattached to original twin 4' x 8' tables in their "L" configuration and added the 4' x 4' section to one end, giving each side of the "L" dimensions of 4' x 12'. Meanwhile, I reinforced the entire perimeter with 2" x 4" x 12' studs because I anticipated the new 24" high table would be a tempting surface upon which to lean, stand or crawl. Also, the old 4' x 8' tables were originally constructed as a "temporary" layout more than 15 years ago and utilized only 1" x 3" and 1" x 4" framing which had begun to sag after years of use.

Next I temporarily set up the Carrera Go! slot car track. At its widest the slot car track is nearly 5' wide so I determined the proper location and reattached the "shelf" section to accommodate the slot cars. Then I removed the slot car track from the table.

Surface Prep

Now I had a hodge-podge of tables of varying ages and surfaces. One was only a few weeks old while two had seen the construction, destruction and rebuilding of nearly a dozen railroads over a decade and a half and featured remnants of several layers of scenery. To even things out I applied a coat of latex paint over the surface of all tables. With a limited budget I combined the remains of several household painting projects into one gallon. The resulting color is a bit more of a mint green that I desired, but this will all eventually be covered by other scenery.

Laying Track

I began with the slot car set. The Carrera Go! cars are scaled at roughly 1/48, so they work well with O scale trains. I reassembled the track, cleaned and vacuumed it thoroughly, and tested all electrical connections. This quickly gave me a means of occupying two boys while I continued work on the railroad portion of the layout. Also, I measured and located a suitable location for the K'nex roller coaster which also scales out to roughly 1/48 and provides added activity to the layout.

The inner loop plan of the redesigned FUN Lines.
Plan made using Anyrail software.

For the train area I envisioned two independent track loops. The inner loop consists of O27 curves and turnouts making a "figure eight" crossing with the turnouts providing the option of staying exclusively on the outside oval. One of the inner figure eight tracks features a turnout leading to twin industrial spurs. The main feature of this loop is the center 90 degree crossing - always a hit with the kids - which gives the engineer the thrill of watching the locomotive nearly hit the caboose of the train as it meets on the crossing. Also, the outside turnouts serve as double reverse loops so that train direction may be reversed at will. I also plan to wire some of the Lionel turnouts so that the non-derailing feature of the turnouts will produce a complex automatic train routing circuit.

The 90 degree crossing requires that I abandon my usual practice of using only Marx turnouts on the layout because, while I have figured a means of modifying Marx turnouts to accommodate Lionel electrical pickups, Marx crossings are totally incompatible with Lionel pickups and Lionel crossings are incompatible with Marx "fat wheel" locomotives. Therefore, I am using Lionel turnouts on the inner loop and my small fleet of incompatible locomotives are relegated to the outside loop only.

On previous layouts I had always utilized O42 curves for both their aesthetic value and the ability to "crank up" the speed of trains with less fear of derailment. However, to add some operating interest to the outer loop I have included a long passing siding so that the operator may easily switch between two trains on the loop. The necessary turnouts for this plan precluded the use of O42 curves in favor of Marx O34 curves on one end of the loop and O27 curves on the opposite end as the loop must detour around the end of the K'nex roller coaster. Still, by using only smaller O27 locomotives and cars most problems associated with tighter curves will be avoided.

Each loop has a separate control panel with a conventional power pack and necessary turnout controllers. The outer loop will use Atlas electrical controls to switch power between the siding and the main line.

As of this time, the inner loop is complete and basically operational, although I have not added the remote turnout controls yet. Track is laid for the outer loop but it is not yet wired.

Eventually, operating accessories such as the classic Lionel cattle car, milk car and operating dump cars will be added. In the mean time, the boys are having fun with the cars and trains, and also with the various Hot Wheels and other vehicles delivering freight from the trains to various points on the layout. So far, the plan for the kids' layout seems to be a success!

- Happy Railroading!

How Non-Derailing Turnouts Work

One of the advantages of trains that use a three-rail track system is the ability to use the third rail in clever electrical circuits. Under normal circumstances the center rail is used as the "hot" power of the electric train circuit while both outer rails serve as the "common" side of the circuit. However, when one of the outside rails is electrically isolated from the other it may be used as an electrical switch when the metal wheels of locomotives and cars complete an electrical connection to the isolated rail. A common use of this feature is the non-derailing turnout.

Finding Common Ground

A Lionel service diagram showing the internal wiring of
a #1122-E turnout.

Since the introduction of the #1122 turnout in 1952, all Lionel O27 remote turnouts have been pre-wired for non-derailing operation, and it was a feature in Lionel's Standard O turnouts long before then. The wiring schematic as seen to the left is still the standard in today's Lionel remote turnouts. The two outside rails serve as the common "ground" of the track circuit. The inside rails however are electrically isolated by the frog on one end and by an insulated fibre track pin on the other. 

When the metal wheels of a car or locomotive complete the circuit from the outside rail to the insulated inside rail the turnout throws in the direction of the train to avoid a possible derailment. This operation works only for trailing point maneuvers [from diverging route to single route]. Since these turnouts are wired to receive power directly from the track this operation occurs even when no turnout controller is present. One should be certain that a train does not sit for long periods of time on these activation rails as continuous use may burn out the switch motor.

Other Uses

In addition to the safety of avoiding unnecessary derailments, the electrical properties of non-derailing turnouts can be used for other purposes as well. In the example on the left two turnouts are wired together so that they throw simultaneously either with a switch controller or by train activation by connecting the electrical posts controlling switch motor movement to one another. 

If connected together identically, throwing one turnout will result in identical motion from the other turnout. In this scenario one can select either Track A or Track B by simply throwing one turnout and the other will snap to a safe exit automatically.

For a bit more excitement the turnouts can be connected opposite one another so that when one turnout throws straight the other goes to curve. Looking at the diagram above, a train traveling from the top of the track layout reaches a curved turnout at the right side of Track A. Initially the passing of the train activates the opposite switch to throw straight for Track B. However the arrival of the train at the left turnout throws it safely back to the train on Track A and simultaneously throws the right switch to straight toward Track B. After completing the loop the train now finds the right turnout thrown towards Track B and its exit on the left side returns the right turnout to Track A for the next loop. In this way the train continuously and automatically switches between the two options on each loop.

Once this concept is understood it may be used for a variety of purposed in various track designs. The uses are limited only by your imagination! Layout visitors will be astonished at how the train automatically changes routes with no operator input. 

Happy Railroading!

Lionel MPC #6-8359 GM50

Lionel MPC "GM50" Locomotive from 1974

Recently I was fortunate to receive a like-new Lionel MPC #6-8359 "GM50" locomotive from 1974 as a gift. Not only does this locomotive have historical significance in real-life railroading, but also in the history of Lionel train production, particularly in the 1970's. Plus it also presents us with an opportunity to look "under the hood" and view the typical features of a Lionel MPC diesel of the 1970's.

The Real GM50

There actually was a Chessie System diesel locomotive painted gold and numbered "GM50". In 1973 the Chessie System, a holding company overseeing the assets of the Baltimore and Ohio, Chesapeake and Ohio and Western Maryland railroads was formed. To celebrate the new corporate identity a new paint scheme of yellow, blue and vermilion and incorporating a new "Ches-C" logo was created and was applied to new EMD GP-40-2 locomotives that were then being delivered to the new railroad system. Simultaneously, EMD (the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors) was celebrating it's 50th anniversary of diesel locomotive production. Since EMD was then delivering new GP-40-2 locomotives to Chessie System, and since the B&O would be celebrating its 150th anniversary as a rail carrier in 1977, it was decided that a specially-decorated locomotive would be painted to celebrate EMD's Gold Anniversary, and the B&O would be the recipient would be the B&O as part of its new locomotive order. Thus, the GM50 was created.

The short hood features
a simplified version of the
"EMD 50" logo.

MPC Sees An Opportunity

By 1970, the glory years of The Lionel Corporation had come to an end. Bankrupt, Lionel entered into an agreement with Model Products Corp, a division of General Mills, for MPC to produce Lionel trains under license. At first, MPC made due by producing retreads of Lionels' 1960's items in new paint schemes and focusing on the low-end and starter-set markets. By 1974, however, MPC began looking at the collectibles market as a new source of sales. One development in this new direction was the Spirit of '76 set featuring new tooling for a contemporary U-36-B locomotive with a prototype-inspired paint scheme, and newly-tooled wood-sided reefer cars for the Spirit of '76. Another was the GM50. Unlike the Spirit of '76, MPC did not create new tooling to represent the actual GP-40-2 locomotive, but rather chose to adapt the GM50 scheme to fit Lionel's existing GP-7 locomotive tooling. The result was a rather inexpensive gamble to target the collector market without investing in new tooling. It worked. Soon Lionel was producing commemorative and collectible trains decorated for special US Bicentennial celebrations, Burger King, Coca-Cola, Disney and others.

Locomotive Features

The GM50, like other Lionel
"Geeps", has no problem
navigating O27 curves.

Despite being targeted as a premium collector locomotive the GM50 is typical of MPC diesel locomotive production in that it lacks many features often associated with Lionel's Postwar-era trains. There is a single motor, like Lionel's Postwar "O27" GP-7's. There is no horn. There is no magnetraction, but two rubber traction tires instead. Some of the drive train uses plastic gears instead of metal. Electrical pickup is limited to a single pair of rollers on the power truck. The rear truck contains neither a motor nor electrical pickups.

The model does include front and rear headlights, operating knuckle couplers at each end, and a 3-position "E" unit for remote direction control. While the front and rear handrails are stamped steel, the side handrails are wire with plastic stanchions.

Lionel's model features a sharp
rendition of the Chessie System graphics.

In terms of pulling power, the GM50 and its MPC contemporaries are lightweights. With only a single motor and traction tires the locomotive can pull 10-12 modern freight cars on level track before the wheels begin to slip. Overall, if you are accustomed to modern locomotives with twin motors and diecast framesy ou will be disappointed. Also,the lack of any type of sound system may leave fans of modern production lacking as well. However, if you are looking for dependable, bare-bones power on a budget (most MPC era diesels may be found in excellent condition for $80 - $100) MPC models may fit the bill.

The Box

End flap of the GM50 box,

For collectors, a box can be even more valuable than the item inside. The MPC GM50 came in a red and white window box with styrofoam insert typical of the early and mid-1970's. The cellophane window is very thin and only lightly glued to the box. It is not uncommon for the window to be missing entirely after years of storage. In original packaging the locomotive should also be wrapped in a plastic sleeve. These are easily lost as well.




View of the top side of the GM50 box.

The box is decorated with illustrations of other Lionel locomotives, cars and accessories for those looking to expand their empires. Also look for the MPC / Fundimensions logos to date these items as MPC production. An item numer of 6-xxxx is also an identifier of MPC-era items.

Bottom view of the GM50 box.

Overall, these boxes provide no-nonsense packaging. Illustrations are used instead of photos. Simple red and white with blue illustrations are inexpensive but effective. A window allows you to see the item without opening the box while styrofoam provides cheap but effective protection on all but the top side.

Under The Hood

From time to time you may need to access the inner working of your locomotive for lubrication or bulb replacement. All MPC diesels of the era have similar features to those described in these photos.

- Happy Railroading!

To remove shell, first remove two
Phllips screws, one on each end of the shell.

Next, unlace the wire handrails from
the plastic stanchions on all sides. The shell
may then be lifted off the chassis.

Here is the locomotive chassis with the shell removed.

Here we see the features of the powered front truck.

The rear of the unit features a second headlight and the "E" Unit for reversing.

The underside details of the front power truck.

Tubular Track and Lockon Basics for Beginners

Here is a video made by Lionel's Customer Service department that can be viewed on Lionel.com. These tips apply to all makes of tubular track, not just Lionel. While O27 track is shown in the video, the same principles apply to regular O31 profile track as well.

O27 Tubular Turnout Roundup

If, like me, you choose to use O27 profile tubular track for your model railroad there are several styles of turnouts (switches) available. While none of these is currently in production, most are easy to find at train shows, online auctions and hobby shops that deal in used and collectible trains. Some feature automatic non-derailing or lighted switch-position indicators. Some run on transformer power while others utilize track power. Some are compatible with nearly all eras and manufacturers while others are strictly for post-WWII Lionel-style locomotives. Below is a short roundup of turnouts you are likely to find for your tubular track layout.

Note: According to sources at Lionel, the company has not permanently discontinued production of tubular track. The company feels, however, that the current supply of tubular track is sufficient to meet demand and they have therefore ceased production of new stock until inventory levels require new production. Lionel intends to resume production of tubular track as needed at a later date.

Lionel

Pictured at left is a typical Lionel manual turnout from the 1970's. The basic design of this turnout was the same from the beginning of the Postwar era to current production. The main differences from one model to another is the mechanism housing (upper left in the photo). If this was a remote turnout the switch motor housing would occupy the smooth area seen at the top of this photo.

Most Postwar remote turnouts have lighted position indicators, either a rotating lantern-type (such as the #1122 and 1122-E) or red and green lights on the switch motor housing (such as #1121). MPC-era turnouts feature a position indicator that is designed to look like a dwarf signal, but it is unlighted. Also, most Postwar turnouts came with lighted position indicators on the switch controllers as well. Some MPC turnouts have this feature as well but others had this feature removed as a cost-saving action.

Lionel's remote O27 turnouts are designed to run on track power. This makes wiring easier, but the turnouts may not throw completely if the train is running at slower speeds and lower power. They may be modified to operate on transformer power if desired but this requires disassembling and rewiring the turnout. The nicest feature on Lionel's remote O27 turnouts is the anti-derailing feature that is pre-wired into the switch (except Postwar #1121) that helps prevent a train from running through a turnout that is thrown against it.

Locomotives and rolling stock generally run smoothly through these turnouts unless the locomotives are of the "fat wheel" design often used by Marx and in many Prewar Lionel (pre-1942) locomotives. These types will not run though them whatsoever (See The 5-Minute Marx Switch Fix for more info). Train cars do have a tendency to derail on these turnouts when a train is backing, especially when the train is long or when traveling at higher speeds.

These turnouts and their Postwar cousins are very easy to find and the remote versions can generally be found in good condition for $15 or less. Expect to pay a bit more for those with lights, original boxes or if they have their original controllers. Manual versions can generally be obtained for as little as $5. Lionel also made an O42 version of these turnouts, but these can be difficult to find.

Overall, Lionel's O27 turnouts are an excellent choice for tubular track layouts unless you wish to operate certain Marx or Prewar locomotives on your layout.

K-Line

A K-Line O27 remote turnout

K-Line turnouts include many premium features usually associated with O gauge profile turnouts such as lighted switch position indicators, pre-wired anti-derailing, and the choice of transformer or track power without the need to disassemble the turnout. Also, when properly wired the K-Line switch controller itself also provides lit red or green switch position indication. These turnouts are available as manual or remote in both O27 and O42 configurations. However, production of these turnouts was discontinued when Lionel acquired K-Line's assets and they therefore had a relatively short production life and can be more difficult to locate than the other turnouts described here.

Locations of guardrails (red) and "ramps" (yellow) on K-Line
turnouts.

A highly unusual feature of K-Line turnouts is a design that allows both modern locomotives and, to a lesser extent, older Marx and other "fat wheel" locomotives to pass through. On each route of the turnout the outermost rail features a standard guardrail to prevent train wheels from derailing on the rail gap near the "frog" of the turnout. The inside rail, near the frog, features a "ramp" design that allows "fat wheel" locomotives to pass as well, provided that the "fat" geared wheel is on the ramp side of the turnout. Thus, with a carefully designed layout a Marx or Prewar locomotive can travel around your layout, but only in one particular direction.

The downside of this ramp system is that it can make for a bumpy ride for all locomotives and cars as they pass through the turnout and over the ramp. I have not found this to be a frequent cause of derailments, but it can be visually distracting to see cars rock and bump through the turnout and heavy diecast locomotives often pass with a discernible "thud". Also, just as with Lionel turnouts, trains have a tendency to derail when backing up through these turnouts especially when traveling at faster speeds.

In short, if you desire premium electrical features and don't mind the bumpy ride, K-Line turnouts can be worth the hunt for O27 operators.

Marx Metal

A typical Marx manual metal turnout.

Marx manufactured two basic types of O27 tubular turnouts. Of the two, the metal design is not only more common but also the more functional design. These metal turnouts are found in a number of color variations, usually with black or aluminum colored bases. The motor housings for remote turnouts usually come in black or red. A less common version of the remote turnout features a lighted motor housing with red and green switch position indication.

Unlike all of the other turnouts listed here, these Marx turnouts do not have movable switch "points" but instead a large portion of the rails swivels from side to side. This not only allows all wheel types to pass, including the "fat wheel" type, but makes passage through the turnout as smooth as passing over any standard track section. Some non-Marx locomotives and lighted cars have difficulty passing through these turnouts as designed, but a simple modification allows virtually all makes of locomotives and rolling stock to pass through problem-free (see The 5 Minute Marx Switch Fix).

Marx turnouts may be wired for either track power or transformer power, but they operate best on constant transformer power. Also, Marx turnouts are not pre-wired for non-derailing operation, but this may be easily added by the operator using insulated rail pickups. Other than the lighted versions, Marx remote turnouts do not feature a switch position indicator.

In short, Marx metal turnouts are no-frills, but they are inexpensive, durable, and can be made compatible with nearly all locomotives and cars.

Marx Plastic

A Marx plastic O27 turnout.

The other Marx turnout you may find is the plastic version. Unlike their metal counterparts, these turnouts use movable points like prototype turnouts. They lack traditional guardrails but feature a special spring-loaded attachment that both serves as a device to help keep wheel flanges from derailing on the gaps in the rails in the frog and also allows "fat wheel" locomotives to pass by dropping out of the way of the geared wheels when they pass.

Unfortunately, while the switches do an admirable job of working with the "fat wheel" locomotives, the spring-loaded sections are a poor substitute for real guardrails and many locomotives and cars - especially larger diecast locomotives - will derail on these turnouts frequently. These switches work best when trains travel through them in the "trailing point" direction - meaning from one of the two diverging routes toward the single route. When traveling through the opposite "facing point" direction they are prone to derailments on the open frog.

The video on the left shows the operation of the spring-loaded attachments on the turnout. One attachment has been removed for clarity on the video. 

In short, while these turnouts are inexpensive and are also available in O34 variants, they are not a good choice for most operators as their design, while innovative, makes the prone to derailments.

Happy Railroading!

 

O Scale vs. O Gauge - What's The Difference?

One of the more confusing concepts for beginning hobbyists is understanding the differences between O Scale and O Gauge and how these differences affect our modeling choices. Adding to the confusion is the fact that many hobbyists, and even some manufacturers, use the terms interchangeably when they are, in fact, distinct and separate concepts.

O Gauge

In railroad terms, "gauge" refers to the distance between rails on the track. For example, the "standard gauge" (not to be confused with Lionel "Standard Gauge trains of the 1910's - 1930's ---That's another post!) used by the vast majority of North American and British railways is 4' 8 1/2". There are, however, other track gauges in use such as 3' gauge, Meter Gauge, 30" Gauge, 5' Gauge and more. In model railroad terms O Gauge (technically it should be 0 or "zero gauge", but that's another blog post!) refers to any train running on track that is 1 1/4" between the outermost rails.

A variety of different toy trains that use O Gauge track.

In the photo to the left we see a collection of toy and model trains that all use O Gauge, 1 1/4" track. Obviously, these trains differ in size, detail and their manner of reflecting reality, but they all operate on O Gauge track nevertheless. So as modelers, simply knowing that a train is O Gauge is not enough information to determine how effectively it will operate with other trains or in our overall modeling and operating scheme.

We also must consider whether the model is built to be operated on 3-rail or 2-rail track. 2-rail locomotives use a different method of electrical pickup than 3-rail locomotives and the two are not interchangeable. For rolling stock there are differences in wheel types, wheel flanges, and coupler types that make 2-rail and 3-rail O Gauge trains mostly incompatible. Why do we use three rails in the first place? Again, that is a topic for another article! In the mean time, just accept that we do.

O Scale

In modeling terms, "scale" refers to the relative proportion of the model to its real-life counterpart, or "prototype" as we say in the model universe. HO Scale models, for example, are built to a proportion of 1/87 actual size.  S Scale models are 1/64 actual size. O Scale models are built to a proportion of 1/48 actual size (or sometimes 1/43 actual size but again, that is a topic for another article!).

Another way of thinking about scale is to determine what measurement is equal to a "scale foot". This is similar to the scale of a map with such measurements as 1" to the mile or 1" to 100 miles. O Scale is generally thought of as 1/4" = 1 actual foot. However, we see quickly that by that scale our 1 1/4" track would be 5' gauge, not 4' 8 1/2". Frankly, most modelers ignore this discrepancy in a favor of the easy math of 1" = 4'.

When "Scale" Is Not Scale

Four different O Gauge boxcars. Each is "scale", but only one is O Scale.

O Scale is a wonderful proportion to work with for modeling. Details are easy to see and simple to construct. Trains are large and easy for kids of all ages to handle - even those who wear trifocals. The disadvantage, however, is that trains built to true 1/48 scale require a great deal of real estate to turn around realistically. Since very few of us have room for layouts large enough to accommodate track curves in excess of 12' in diameter, manufacturers have devised methods of making these trains capable of navigating tighter curves. One of these methods is the use of different "scales" with O gauge track.



In the photo above we see four different O gauge boxcars. Each of which is a "scale" model, but only one is proportioned to O scale. The New York Central car in the back left was made by Auburn Models in the early 1950's and was proportioned to be a true 1/48 O scale model of a common 40' boxcar. The yellow Chessie System car to its right is also more or less a scale model of a 40' boxcar but it is proportioned to a slightly smaller scale, roughly 1/50. This car, made by Lionel in the 1970's, is identical in size to the Lionel 6464 series cars of the 1950's to the end of Postwar production in 1969. Many hobbyists refer to this size - slightly smaller than true O scale - as "traditional size".

On the near track, the Southern Pacific car in the front right is a K-Line car based on 1950's to 1970's era Marx tooling. These cars, like most Marx 8-wheel cars, are scaled to 3/16" to the foot, or S Scale, but they ride on O gauge wheels. The Bosco car in the front left is another Lionel model, a "Scout"-type boxcar also built to approximately S scale proportions but on O gauge wheels. These front cars are typical of what many hobbyists consider to be O27 cars - those that can easily navigate the tightest of O gauge curves. However, all four of these cars, including the Auburn Models true 1/48 boxcar, can easily navigate O27 curves.

The Challenge of Proportion

The challenge then, of 3-rail O gauge modeling, is to find cars and locomotives that are proportionally similar and run them together. This is mainly accomplished through time, experience, research, and a bit of trial and error. Unfortunately, most manufacturers offer models proportioned to various scales among their O gauge offerings. For example, Lionel's F-3, GP-7, and NW-2 diesel models are very close to true O scale. Their FA diesels, however, are closer to 1/55 scale. Similarly, Lionel made 4-6-4 steam locomotives that varied from true O scale, like the famous #700E, to the roughly 1/55 scale #2055 Hudson, and the 6-8-6 steam turbine locomotive scaled out to roughly 1/64 scale! Generally speaking, however, the smaller diameter curve the train will handle (27" vs 72" for example) the smaller the proportion of the model. Conversely, if you are looking to model true O scale in 1/48 proportion you will likely be limited to those models that can navigate O42 curves and larger.

Track Type: O or O27?

This diagram from a postwar Lionel instruction sheet
incorrectly identifies the diameter of Standard O curves
as 30" rather than 31".

Further complicating things is that there are two main types of O gauge tubular track: Standard O and O27. Both types are the same gauge (1 1/4") but the rails differ in height and length with Standard O having the larger dimensions in each case. O27 derives its name from the diameter of a circle of track measuring 27" vs. the 31" of Standard O. O gauge hobbyists refer to other curve diameters by number as well, such as O42, O54 and O72 denoting curve diameters of 42", 54" and 72" respectively. If you are not totally confused yet, consider that all of these track diameters are available in both O27 and O31 track profiles!

Which should you choose? It depends on your tastes and your needs. I choose to use O27 track because it is less expensive, readily available, and the lower track profile looks more realistic. On the other hand, Standard O track is more durable and mates with most brands of modern track systems and flexible track such as Gargraves and Atlas O. 

Whichever you choose, Happy Railroading!

 

A Simple Christmas Tree Layout

Here is the 2015 edition of my family Christmas tree, train and village. The village and train took me about an hour to construct from start to finish. Below are the materials I used and tips for your own display.

Laying The Foundation

Many hobbyists build a solid platform for their holiday trains and reuse them year after year. I have always intended to do this, but honestly I have just never had the time. Therefore, this year's layout, like all before it, is simply laid out on two snow blankets on the living room carpet. The blankets are 30" by 8', and I simply laid one on each side of the center line of the Christmas tree. Don't worry about any lumps as these just represent snow drifts or hills. The ski hills on my display are simply spots where the snow blanket must pass over the tree stand. In past years I have substituted a simple white bed sheet for the snow blankets with good results as well.

Choosing The Track

Unlike my permanent layout, I do not use tubular track for my Christmas display layouts. I use MTH Realtrax sections instead. Since I do not have any turnouts or crossings on my Christmas layout there are no compatibility issues with my Marx and Lionel trains. The MTH track is great for temporary floor layouts because the pieces snap together and hold together well and the molded roadbed helps keep stray carpet or blanket fibers out of the trains. Lionel's Fastrack would also be a good choice if you have that on hand. These track systems are more expensive than traditional tubular track, but I believe in this situation the advantages outweigh the costs and on a small layout the expense is not so great.

My track plan is a simple oval. There are no turnouts, crossings or other special track sections. Only simple straight and curved sections are used. Make your oval large enough to completely encircle your tree, but small enough to avoid your trains being stepped on or encroaching on the living area of the room. In my setup only eight curves and six straights are required, but your layout may vary based on the size of your tree and stand.

Some other innovative layout designs may be found at Thortrains.net.  This site was established by a long-time O27 operator and offers many great tips about many O27 train topics, although it has not been updated in quite some time.

Powering Up

Just about any transformer will work for a small display layout such as this. I am using a Lionel CW80 this year. This is a modern power pack that was commonly included in Lionel starter sets of the 1990's - 2000's. I am using only a single pair of feeder wires to the track as solid electrical connections are another advantage of the RealTrax.

Structures

There are literally dozens of brands of ceramic and porcelain Christmas village structures on the market in a wide variety of price ranges and scales. Some are as small as HO scale, while others are larger than O scale. Most, like mine, are slightly smaller than O scale, which makes them just right for traditional O27 trains. My village was purchased at an after-Christmas closeout sale more than 20 years ago but similar ones are available today at various craft and collectibles stores. Choose the style that works for you.

Another option is to use plastic structures like Bachmann's Plasticville line or old Marx plastic buildings - or the K-Line structures made from old Marx molds. These,too, are undersize for O scale, but look great with O27 trains. Plus, these structures can be used after Christmas on your permanent railroad as well.

Still another option is to use do-it-yourself cardstock structures.  A great variety of neat and easy to build Christmas structures is available for free download from Thortrains.net.  These structures can be downloaded for free and printed from your home computer. Simply print, cut out, and paste together. These buildings are fun and whimsical, and look great with O27 trains. My sons and I have made several of them for their layout.

Choosing The Trains

The choice of trains for your display are a matter of taste and reliability. I like to choose smaller O27 trains that have reliable engines and good-running cars that require very little attention. In the past I have chosen everything from Marx battery-operated sets to premium Lionel passenger and steam locomotive sets. My goals this year were colorful, whimsical and kid-friendly trains.

My choice of locomotives this year is the Christmas-themed North Pole and Snowflake "Beep" by RMT trains. The "Beep" is a fantasy 4-wheeled miniature version of a GP-9 locomotive. Its small size looks great with my Christmas village and its two modern can motors give it reliability and plenty of pulling power. It is also geared to run slowly, so even at full throttle the train will not leave the rails. When we tire of diesel power the back-up locomotive is a Thomas The Tank Engine by Lionel from the late 1990's. With forward-only operation, this locomotive is easy for my little engineers to control.

The rolling stock for this year's display makes up a "mixed" train - one featuring both freight and passenger cars. The freight cars include a Lionel MPC "Lifesavers" tank car from 1978, which looks like a giant roll of candy on wheels, and a red Southern Pacific gondola car by Lionel MPC from 1977 which has been fitted with a Santa with sleigh and reindeer that I recycled from an old Christmas decoration. The passenger cars are Annie and Clarabell from the same Thomas set as our back-up locomotive. These cars add to the whimsy and fun of the railroad, and give my boy engineers a reason to stop the train at the passenger depot from time to time. Pulling up the rear is a red Western Maryland "safety" caboose, also by Lionel from the early 2000's. This is a lighted caboose that adds to the overall fun of the train.

Don't Forget Sound!

Nothing adds to the fun factor of a holiday train display like a whistle or horn on your train. If, like me, you have selected locomotives lacking on-board sound, you can use my BLUETOOTH speaker trick to add horn, whistle, chugging or even Christmas sounds to your train at a very reasonable cost.

Ready For Action

A train around the Christmas tree is as common a holiday tradition as pumpkin pie and sugar cookies. You don't have to spend a great deal of time or money on a fun and functional Christmas tree train. Plan ahead with reliability and fun in mind, and you are sure to have a wonderful time running trains around your tree.

Re-Construction Update on the FUN Lines

As many of you have noticed in my recent videos, my model railroad the FUN Lines (Fantasia, Utopia and Northern) is undergoing a remodel. Here's a little bit about my layout and future plans.

Layout Design

The overall footprint of the FUN Lines is a 12' x 8' "L" shape. In fact, it is constructed of two 4' x 8' sections with a small 2' x 4' outcropping. My current effort is actually the fifth layout to occupy this benchwork - in three different buildings - over the past eighteen years. It began life as a Christmas display in a retail store.

There are currently two main lines, with a third planned. The outside main follows the perimeter of the benchwork and features O42 (42" diameter) minimum curves. The inside main is a simple oval with a diagonal reversing line featuring a mix of O27 (27" diameter) and O34 (34" diameter) curves. The O34 curves were made by Marx in the 1950's-1960's. Several industrial spurs are planned on this inner loop. These two loops are connected with two sets of crossovers to allow trains to move back and forth between them.

The third line - not yet constructed - will begin as a spur off of the middle loop. It will then loop around the "L" shaped portion of the layout and climb up to an upper line, crossing over the middle oval via a Lionel drawbridge from the 1970's. This upper line will be a loop-to-loop design featuring a mix of O27 and O42 curves.

Track Choices

There are many wonderful and realistic track systems available from today's manufacturers and the modeler is faced with the dilemma of this choice. My choice was to avoid them all and stick with O27 profile tubular track. Why? First it was an inexpensive choice because I already had lots of it on hand. I have accumulated both Postwar (1946-1969) Lionel pieces, Lionel MPC (1970-1986) pieces, Marx and even K-Line tubular track. All of them work interchangeably, although some Marx straight pieces measure 10" in length instead of the customary 8 1/2" of the other brands. Also, replacement tubular track may be found inexpensively at almost any train show or meet, and even on eBay (but be careful of shipping costs).

I use O27 profile track as opposed to traditional O31 "O Gauge" track because I like the smaller rail height, which I think is more realistic, and because it is cheaper and more abundant than the larger-railed standard O31 track. I say "O27 profile" because while the standard curve diameter is 27", track with this rail type is also available in 34", 42", 54" and even 72" diameter pieces. These larger radii are becoming more difficult to find, however.

Turnouts (Switches)

The area where my railroad deviates most from common practice is my choice of turnouts (or switches, as they are commonly called). I use Marx old-style metal O27 turnouts thoughout my layout. First, I choose them for compatibility with other trains. All Marx trains and nearly all Lionel and other manufacturers will run though Marx turnouts without major issues - and the minor issues can be fixed with a 5-minute modification. Many believe that Lionel locomotives absolutely will not run through Marx switches - this is FALSE. My Lionel trains do it every time I operate my layout. However, most Marx and some prewar Lionel and American Flyer O gauge trains will NOT run through Lionel turnouts or those of other modern production.

Second, I find trains run over the frogless Marx design with fewer bumps, bangs and derailments than with Lionel and other modern turnouts. Modern turnouts have gaps in the rails that are protected by guardrails, but these gaps are opportunities for wayward cars to derail - especially when backing or at extreme speeds.

Third, these old Marx switches are a great bargain. They are durable, reliable and cheap. I often find powered turnouts for as little as $10 a pair.

A note of caution: I use the Marx metal switch design - NOT THE PLASTIC. I have found the later production Marx plastic turnouts to be unreliable for use with Lionel and other trains.

More To Come...

 

Adding Sound To O27 Locos With A Bluetooth Speaker

I have found an inexpensive, quick and easy method for adding sounds such as horns, whistles, "chugging" and anything else one can imagine to O gauge locomotives.  In fact, this method will work for any scale HO and larger. The secret is using your smartphone or tablet (or any other BLUETOOTH-enabled device that can play sounds) to a small wireless BLUETOOTH speaker placed inside the locomotive or in nearby rolling stock. The best part? The whole project can cost as little as $10!

Here's how it works:

Selecting A Speaker

First you need a BLUETOOTH speaker small enough to fit inside your train. I found one called a Groove Cube at my local Wal-Mart for $9.99.  This speaker is shaped like a cube and is just over 1.25 square inches in size. This is small enough to fit inside an O scale tender, boxcar, locomotive cab, and even a Lionel gondola canister. It will also fit inside an HO scale boxcar. Despite its small size the speaker is rated at 2 watts of output and features excellent sound quality. In my testing I have found the volume of a typical diesel horn sound to be comparable to the output of a Williams "True Blast" horn. In web searches I have found other speakers that are slightly larger with up to a 3 watt output, but I have not yet tested any of these.

Speaker Placement

You probably will not want to permanently install your speaker in your locomotive or rolling stock. This is because you will need access to the speaker to recharge the battery via USB cable, and to access the power on/off button. So far I have been successful just sitting my speaker in place loosely, but I imagine I might use Velcro tape to make some mounting positions more permanent. The speaker does not need to be located in the locomotive itself for satisfactory sound results, but may be placed in the first car behind a locomotive instead.

Selecting Your Sounds

Your options are limitless for providing sounds to play in your train. Many sound files are available on the internet as free downloads. You can record your favorite locomotive with your camera and create a sound file from that as well. The easiest option, and the one I have chosen, is to utilize sound collections already provided by other model railroaders. For an Android device, visit the Google Play Store online and search under "Model Railroad Sound" or "Train Sounds" and you will find a number of great apps that provide steam and diesel locomotive sounds - and most of these are FREE! Similar apps are probably available for Apple users as well.

Summary

If you are looking for an inexpensive way to add sounds to your locomotive fleet - whether you want a simple horn or whistle, or a sound to replace an old Lionel "Mighty Electronic Sound of Steam" unit, or you want to play Grand Funk Railroad sounds from your Marx 999 - THIS is a cheap, quick, easy and effective solution!

Introduction

Fun With O Gauge, 3-Rail Trains

Have you ever thought about getting started with O gauge three-rail toy and model trains but thought they were too expensive? Today's offerings from Lionel, MTH, Atlas O and others feature amazing advances over the traditional trains we think of from the 1950's and 1960's, but the price tag can be equally impressive as well. Sometimes a single high-end locomotive can rival the cost of a typical mortgage payment! However, if you are interested in trains that are fun and durable, but not necessarily high-tech you can still have a fun, affordable O gauge layout.

A Great Time For Traditional Operators

While the high-tech, high-detail segment of the O gauge market has been the focus of most manufacturers in recent years, there has rarely been a better time for operators of "traditional" or "conventional" 3-rail trains in terms of variety, quality, and budget. While the high-tech digital command control systems are amazing, they come with the disadvantages of cost and compatibility. One manufacturers' trains may operate on another's operating system, but often not with with the full complement of features without costly and complicated system upgrades and fixes. Meanwhile, with conventional control the trains are not only (usually) less expensive, but a train built by Lionel in the 1930's can run on the same layout as a train built by Marx in the 1950's and Lionel MPC in the 1970's. Meanwhile, when a command control locomotive malfunctions it usually requires an expensive trip to the local dealer or back to the manufacturer for repairs. Conventional locomotives can generally be maintained and repaired by anyone with a basic knowledge of how electricity works.

Variety, Variety, Variety

The name everyone associates with 3-rail trains is Lionel. This is for good reason as Lionel has represented high-quality and highly-desirable toy and model trains for over a century. With few exceptions other than coupler types, every O gauge Lionel train made is compatible with every 3 rail other O gauge Lionel train. Lionel's "Postwar" trains (1946 - 1969) were once the most coveted by both operators and collectors for their high quality and the nostalgia of the Baby Boomers who were the main collectors of these items and in previous years commanded equally high prices. Today, as many high quality new trains are available and the Boomers are liquidating their collections for retirement cash, Postwar prices are more affordable than ever and even operators of modest means can acquire these well-built models. 

Likewise, trains of Lionel's MPC era (1970 - 1986), though generally of lesser quality than Postwar trains, commanded high prices because, at that time, Lionel was the only mass manufacturer of 3-rail trains. Today, with many manufacturers making quality new trains and the reputation of poorer quality has made Lionel MPC prices plummet. However, there are still some gems to be found in the MPC line for operators to acquire and enjoy at bargain basement prices.

Another name to know for 3-rail trains in Marx. The Louis Marx Co. made many inexpensive but durable trains from the 1920's to the 1970's and they are all compatible with one another. Also, with the proper choice of track systems and accommodations for different coupler types, Marx trains and Lionel trains can run on the same layout. Better yet, Marx trains are inexpensive, durable, and easy to repair. I used Marx as the first trains my young boys operated as they were simple, durable and inexpensive - in short, PERFECT for kids to play with!

Other names to know in the 3-rail train world include Auburn Models (AMT), Kusan, K-Line, RMT, Williams (and Williams by Bachmann), American Flyer (pre-WWII) and others. In short, there is a whole WORLD of O gauge fun out there!

The goal of this blog is to provide inspiration, information, tips, tricks and strategies to making your journey into 3-rail O gauge railroading a success. I hope you enjoy it and come back often!

A Small Layout for the Kids

A Small Layout for the Kids

Here is a 4' x 4' layout I built yesterday for my twin boys to run their trains on. I already had the table, so I added some extruded foam board to help deaden the sound, painted it green with some acrylic paint and a foam roller, added the track, wired it, and added the trains. The boys then added their own vehicles and structures to make a great layout for play. The track is a mix of Lionel, K-Line and Marx sections I had on hand. The switch (turnout) is an old Marx manual, and note that the Lionel steamer has no problems whatsoever running through the Marx switch - something many say is not possible! I hope there is some inspiration here to get you started.