Lionel O gauge

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oplholik

oplholik

Member
Need some advice here. I am wanting to do an overhead train with O gauge Lionel, putting up boards around the room below the ceiling, as if working on my N gauge layout isn't enough. I want to do a 50's era diesel with two A units and a B unit, freight. I'm looking at the Thundering Rails Train Set on the Walmart site for $128.00 to get started. I realize that by buying every thing individually at the LHS would probably get me better quality as far as the Locos go, I just can't afford to go that route. A set like the one mentioned would get me a good start as far as the loco and rolling stock goes and I could add a non powered A and B unit later. So a couple of questions to begin with. 1. Just how many cars will a powered loco pull on a level surface? 2. What is a suitable track to use, the standard cheaper snap track, K-Line tubular? Any advice and comments are welcome as I don't want to step off into this cold. Thanks.

Paul O.
 
The old-style tubular track is certainly cheaper than any of the other O track out now. I did upgrade to Lionel's Fasttrack, which looks better and easy to wire (using connectors, you can easily attach feeders and a bus). The problem with Fasttrack is that it is expensive, and I haven't found a computer layout planning program that has the Fasttrack specifications in it.

Don't skimp on the radius/diameter of the curves. Most train sets come with O-27 or O-36 track. O-36 is ok, but get the largest diameter you can get. Not just for looks but also function, especially if you end up later getting longer cars or 6 axle diesels or the like.

As for what can a loco pull, it depends on the locomotive and the rolling stock. I've got an Atlas O GP35 that pulls all my rolling stock (about 15 cars) easily.
 
I used Gargraves flextrack and made 072 curves from a template I made with my Lionel Fastrack. I run big steam and multi-unti consists so the bigger the curves the better. I would reccomend nothing smaller than 054. Also... I highly reccommend some type of roadbed under your track, even if you use the Fastrack. I did NOT, and it is very loud directly on the MDF shelf I custom cut. It's hard to have a conversation without yelling when the train is running.

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ICG/SOU said:
The old-style tubular track is certainly cheaper than any of the other O track out now. I did upgrade to Lionel's Fasttrack, which looks better and easy to wire (using connectors, you can easily attach feeders and a bus). The problem with Fasttrack is that it is expensive, and I haven't found a computer layout planning program that has the Fasttrack specifications in it.

Don't skimp on the radius/diameter of the curves. Most train sets come with O-27 or O-36 track. O-36 is ok, but get the largest diameter you can get. Not just for looks but also function, especially if you end up later getting longer cars or 6 axle diesels or the like.

As for what can a loco pull, it depends on the locomotive and the rolling stock. I've got an Atlas O GP35 that pulls all my rolling stock (about 15 cars) easily.
Click to expand...



Thanks for the comments, and thanks to Laidoffsick for the pics. I want to use the cheapest track possible as I'm not concerned what it looks like, since you won't see it. I was wondering about what to use as a roadbed since it will be loud without. I'm going to a couple LHS's next week to look around at different things and get ideas. Thanks.

Paul O.
 
Since it wont be seen, I'd get sheets of Homasote and cut it to fit on your shelf before hanging it up, that way it's very easy to do. If you're looking for the cheapest way to go, probably a roll of cork and cut it to fit.

My loop is about 75 feet with a passing siding. I pull about 30 boxcars with 1 steam engine. Or when I run an F unit lash up, ABBA with 2 powered units, I pull 14 scale length passenger cars. 1 unit will pull em, but too much load will tear the traction tires right off.

I can give you this advice:

Take your time with the track work, use as big of a curve you can fit, if you do use turnouts, use big raduis turnouts, run at least 2 sets of feeder wires, and secure the track with screws........BECAUSE trains hitting the floor from 7feet in the air is NOT an option! lol ;)
 
Lionel O Gauge Ceiling Layout

My Father-In-Law is big into the HO on the East Coast and bought my son the Lionel Polar Express O Gauge set for Christmas couple years ago. Since then I kind of got interested in the hobby and commenced to build him a ceiling layout for his set. Works pretty well and even had to move it already from one house to another. Started with 1X10s and some decorative wagon wheel shelf brackets picked up from Lowe's. Looks pretty good actually just not much room to add details/scenery. Fact of the matter is, it's at the top of the room so you can't see much anyways. I've also added a couple of freight cars and am working on throwing in couple of switches for additional rolling stock storage. Big thing to remember is that the power pack sent with the sets is not intended for much expansion. I'll be upgrading soon.
 
FasTrack looks like crap on the actual layout, and so does tubular track, but fastrack would be an awesome choice (end the easiest) for a ceiling run. I would go wide radius for a ceiling layout too, as otherwise on the tight curves the train may very well hit the floor.
 
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