The Great Train Expo is in town and I’m looking to expand my layout. The track I have now is what came with my 1950 Lionel 4-6-4 . I also have a Polar Express set and I’d like to eventually put together enough track to run both sets simultaneously on two loops (40” x 60” Fast Track surrounded by roughly a 6’ x 6’ loop of tubular track). I’d rather run a second Fast Track loop but it is beyond my budget to do so.
I see used straight sections going for about $.50 each. A 27” diameter curve is really too tight for the train to reliably stay on track. Is O27 height track available in larger radii? If not should I go completely over to standard O?
O27 profile track is available in larger diameter curves. Marx made 34" diameter curves. Lionel and K-Line made (makes) 42", and 54", and K-Line also made 72" curves. I’ll go out on a limb and guess that the only used stuff you’re likely to find is going to be the Marx O34 (aka wide radius).
A few years ago I bought a circle of the Marx curves for $2, and it’s not uncommon to see it sold by the circle for less than $5. (I looked all over for it for years, and once I found what I needed, it just kept turning up)
Neo Fender, there are drawbacks of some sort for almost every track type out there. Classic Toy Trains did an article a few years back where they ran a comparison between the major track types available today, and 027 track did not fare all that bad in those comparisons.
I gather your money is tight, so in that regard, 027 track is the best bargain out there and will give you the most track for your dollar. As far as used 027 track, try to find stuff in the best shape you can. A Scotchbrite Scrubber will help in cleaning. You can also wipe down the rails with WD-40, letting that set overnight and then use the Scotch scrubber on it, then wiping it clean. The WD-40 will give the rails a coating that will help prevent any future rust from appearing.
As far as the track radius, a simple low cost fix is to place either a full or a half straight between every section of the normal 027 curve track. If you get a bargain on some track, you could even cut half-straights yourself.
Switches have always been the weakest point of 027 track. The newer ones, made since 1970, have a large switch box housing that will limit the sorts of cars and locos you can run. But most “traditionally” sized stuff goes through them fine. If you don’t like the modern switches, another alternative is to buy used 1024 manual 027 switches. They’re made on a sheet metal frame and with a little cleaning, they work just great. You can almost always find them on eBay, and I pay usually around $3-$8 for them each, depending on their condition.
Usually the most common flaw is that the paint is chipped off the indicator, but that is easily fixed. I’ve had no serious trouble with either kind of 027 switch, but the 1024’s are American made and I find them to be a little less trouble than you might sometimes run into with the newer 027 switches. I test the used 1024’s first for power on every rail… once in a while I end up s
It may not look as good or may take a little more room but try a curve straight curve for a 90 degree turn in 027. Not as fancy as a larger radius, but worth a try?