I have searched othe rposts and I have a simple question, I got out my old 1955 trains and set them up or Christmas, I purchased some track on ebay, what my problem is the 027 trains mainly the engines wont go around the track, it appears the curves are two sharp, I thought all track was the same, on the straight sections they work fine. Did I buy the wrong track? I believe I have 027 trains thanks
Having old O27 trains they should run on O27 curves. It is possible that the trains are O and require an O31 curve. Check that the track is clean and has good electrical conductivity throughout the loop. If the trains do require a larger curve the O27 profile tack is also available in 42" and 54" curves so that you can still use the straights that you have. Another try is to go with the O27 using curve-straight-curve-straight-etc and see if that works. The straights can be 1/2 straights. Good luck.
Can you tell us the numbers on the side of your engines?
Thanks,
Kurt
Since you bought used (I assume) track, could the rails be bent inward on the curves? Joe
The enging is a santa fe diesel purchased around 1953 #2333-20, I have the silver passenger cars that were poplar in the late 50’s and 60’s I dont have the number available but its the ones with people on plastic clear windows, When I roll that car on the new track on the curves it binds.
15 years ago i had my trains up and everything worked fine. but in a move I lost all my track, This Christmas I bought some on Ebay to set up frpo Christmas with this curve problem. Again they work fine on the straight track.
I also have an older engine. it was my dads cir 1930, lionel 257 a 2-4-0 enging that will not work either on the curves, but the last time I ran them it ran good on the tracks I used to have.
By the way does anybody know what cars went with that im trying to purchase them. I believe they were green. Any help is appreciated.
I have Lionel 2353 SanteFe Diesels and the 2531-34 Silver series aluminum passenger cars. Before I got some O27 - 42", I tried this method. It was a little odd-looking, to me, but it worked. (sort-of) Let us know.
Most likely you need some better curve tracks, either your curves are too tight or bent out of shape. Buy some 027 track with 42 inch curves, or use a half curve(027 curve) and a half straight(027 track) and a half curve to open the radius on the curves.
The #2333 is listed in Greenbergs but not the track size it runs on, the #257 is an O gauge engine and needs 31 inch curves or better to run good.
Lee F.
Your engine is a Lionel Santa Fe F-3, but not #2333-20 (I think that’s the frame number). The 2333 (both SF and NYC), the first F-3 model, was produced in 1948-49. Based on your timeframe, I suspect your F-3’s were #2353 (check the numberboards on the nose).
The #2353 had one motor on each truck. Starting in 1954, Lionel made some F-3’s with one motor on only one truck and included them in sets with O-27 track. The F-3 trucks should handle O-27 curves, although the double-motored versions might go through a bit slower.
The 2353 F-3’s were cataloged with two 4-car passenger sets, #2190W (1952-53) and #2234 (1954). Both sets included extruded aluminum passenger cars #2531 (Silver Dawn), #2532 (Silver Range), and #2533 (Silver Cloud). The earlier set included #2534 (Silver Bluff Pullman), while the later set included #2530 Railway Express Agency baggage). Both sets came with O-31 track. If you have these metal passenger cars, 31" is the minimum recommended track diameter.
As far as I can tell, no SF F-3 set included the 2400-series plastic streamlined passenger cars, which were designed to run on O-27 curves. However, my brother-in-law has a set with #2283 SF F-3’s (58-66) with green 2400-series passenger cars (48-49) so you never know what combination might turn up!
If your locomotive was new in 1953, it was probably a 2353. What counts is the number on the number boards at the front of the locomotive. 2333-20 is actually the part number of the frame casting, which was used for several different models. But all of that doesn’t really matter, because from the casting number we know that your locomotive has the earlier horizontally-mounted motors. These have center bearings (pivots) located far enough apart that the locomotive cannot get through O27 turnouts because the body collides with the switch machine. Apparently Lionel didn’t provide enough truck rotation even to stay on plain O27 curves either, judging from your experience.
Your cars are probably the 2500-series “Silver Whatever” extruded aluminum cars. These were meant for O31 track, but should be able to get through an O27 curve, if not a turnout. The one of that type that I have runs on O27.
I’m inclined to think that your former track was what is now called O31. It is a more heavily built track with slightly gentler curves than O27. It has been suggested that you replace your curves with the O42 track that has the lighter O27 profile. There is another alternative that is closer to the curvature of O31, but also has the O27 profile. That is Marx O34 track. It is no longer made, but you can find it at train shows and on Ebay.
(Chris, it looks like you got yours done while I was still typing. I think you meant 2383, not 2283.)
thanks for all your help, Iwas 5 in 1954 when I got my trains and now im getting them going again, was not aware that there were so many types of track, I was looking on ebay and it seems all they say is linonel 027 track nothing about radius, I have to check more3 into what I buy thanks again
You should go to your local hobby shop and buy the track new! Ebay is not always a good place to buy stuff. If you want to buy online try www.choochooauctions.com as they have all sorts of train stuff for sale and most people know what they are selling, I bought about six items there and extremely pleased with the items.
Lee F.