A Return to O scale


NYO&W

NYO&W

Member
Just getting back into O scale.

I’ve unpacked the set my Dad ran for me in the late 1950s, which haven’t been run since the late 1970s. I have 2 parallel loops, the inner one has a turnout with a siding. My layout is 5 feet x 9 feet with no frills scenery (a few structures standing here and there). Right now I’m in the process of cleaning, lubing and test running things as I pull them out of boxes.

Pictured below is the GG-1 during an early test run. Thanks for looking!
 
well i dont much care for the green color but eww yaa, GG-1 so sexy, i have one in HO scale and cant wait to get one O scale once my track is finally planed and underway
 
There's an Antique store here in downtown Arcadia that has about $75,000.00 worth of O & O standard for sale if you have unlimited funds.
 
O gauge all the way, even though recently ive been wavering between 3 scales trying to figure out what i want, but im think O is just so much more attractive to me ;D
 
Some nice old motive power there. Just make sure you tear it down and clean out any of the old grease and lube the gears and drivetrain before running it for any period of time. I've been using automatic transmission fluid for my HO engines and it should work well for Lionels as well. Just make sure it's Dextron III so it's safe for palstic and just use a few drops in each gear box. It's easy to go overboard and have so much lube it attracks dirt and crus. The engine wheels and track will also need a good cleaning.
 
Thanks, Good Advice.

UP2CSX said:
Some nice old motive power there. Just make sure you tear it down and clean out any of the old grease and lube the gears and drivetrain before running it for any period of time. I've been using automatic transmission fluid for my HO engines and it should work well for Lionels as well. Just make sure it's Dextron III so it's safe for palstic and just use a few drops in each gear box. It's easy to go overboard and have so much lube it attracks dirt and crus. The engine wheels and track will also need a good cleaning.
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Thanks for the excellent advice, Jim! I spent last season cleaning and lubing my motive power, as you suggested before I even unpacked the track. I then made a circle of test track to break them in again. Wires on both my steam tenders needed to be soldered before I could operate those. For my layout, each piece of track was individually cleaned before I laid it and I dissassembled and serviced the switch machine before installing the turnout.

The trucks on each piece of my rolling stock will also get a wheel cleaning and lube before entering service. A few of the cars and the boxes they were packed in are in rough shape since I was not the one who packed them so many years ago, but over all things are not too bad.

The GG-1 does have an issue with the horn. I placed a D cell battery in it, as required, but instead of a horn sound all I get is a cranking noise. Any thoughts?

Thanks for the compliment, MrTrain.

Hey, midnightchief. Just like you I have operated various scales. I currently have an N scale layout right next to this one. Returning to O scale is like returning to my roots in this hobby.
 
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oh you said it there, i grew up around HO actually so ive been collecting that most my life, but most of my uncles run the big boys the big bad O's once my parents bought me my first Lionel this Christmas it was all down hill for me :D so my main layout will be O but i plan to make a fun little layout in N to practice some scenery work on the cheap :D.

oh and i got to say, thanks for bringing some activity into the O gauge forum area, its been very dead lately.
 
ok boys im looking to the more experienced 3 Railers, im looking for my turn radius/diameter, Im wondering what the minimum turn a large engine/rolling stock with go on, i was thinking of going big with O72 but the turn will cut off about 1 foot on width on my lines so im thinkin of going slightly tighter so i can expand the oval's width out that extra bit.

Anyways if you understood what i just said feel free to leave some input :D
 
midnightchief said:
ok boys im looking to the more experienced 3 Railers, im looking for my turn radius/diameter, Im wondering what the minimum turn a large engine/rolling stock with go on, i was thinking of going big with O72 but the turn will cut off about 1 foot on width on my lines so im thinkin of going slightly tighter so i can expand the oval's width out that extra bit.

Anyways if you understood what i just said feel free to leave some input :D
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I'm not really one of those more experienced 3 Railers but I'll take a stab at it. I have noticed in many O scale catalogues and product reviews in model railroading magazines that they will often indicate the mininum radius requirements for locomotives. If I were you would base it on the largest motive power you ever hope to run on your layout. Hope that helps.
 
ah you are right my friend, i nabbed up my Lionel catalog not 2 feet away from me, if im correct the 4-8-8-4 is most commonly the longest engine on the lines which requires a min of a 36" diameter curve, so it seems ill be alright with maybe a 54" diameter turn which makes me very happy because im sick of my engine rocking to much from these tight O27 turns :p
 
My Other Motive Power

Here are 2 photos of the rest of my O scale motive power, 2-8-4 Berkshire No. 736 and 2-6-4 PRR No. 2035. You can see some of my HO rolling stock in the background. I still collect HO pieces that I like but currently have no dedicated layout.

Thanks for looking!
 
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Nick, regarding that GG-1 horn, I think it was a simple piezo electric buzzer. It's probably lost the diaphram over the years. If you can get to it without wrecking the engine, I think you can get a replacement at Radio Shack since it should be a standard 1.5 volt model. It won't sound much like a real GG-1 horn but it will make some noise. :)
 
makes me want to pull out the postwar and play awhile. dont know which engine to grab first, if only i could make up my mind. wish i had a gg1. well i guess i will pull the turbine and the f units.
 
UP2CSX said:
Nick, regarding that GG-1 horn, I think it was a simple piezo electric buzzer. It's probably lost the diaphram over the years. If you can get to it without wrecking the engine, I think you can get a replacement at Radio Shack since it should be a standard 1.5 volt model. It won't sound much like a real GG-1 horn but it will make some noise. :)
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Thanks, Jim. I guess I better remove that D cell battery before I forget it.
 
ajo.25 said:
makes me want to pull out the postwar and play awhile. dont know which engine to grab first, if only i could make up my mind. wish i had a gg1. well i guess i will pull the turbine and the f units.
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That's how I'm getting so involved again. I wanted to check out what was in storage...just can't bring myself to put them away now! ;)
 
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