[msimpson]

Hi all,

As a side note to my usual 45 mm foolishness, I have bought a circle of Lionel 072 Fastrack for running my assortment of clockwork stuff. It looks like it could be extended to a figure 8 with another half circle of 072 curves, a crossing and some straights. Can anyone give me some guiance here

? I'm sure the information is available somewhjere, but this is outside my usual areas of practice.

Thanks in advance, Mike Simpson

PS And, of course, would run any 16 mm ng steam engines I should find along the way

.

 

[Spule 4]

SM32 wheel profile will not work on Lionel O pofile rail......found that out the hard way 20 odd years ago.

O72 is good for our ancent AF clockwork stuff, less likely to dump over.

 

[msimpson]

Hi Garrett,

I should back up and declare my ignorance of matters in gauge 0 -- I have spent time in gauge 1 and HO, but only noticed gauge O in passing.

I now have a modest assortment of O gauge windups -- Marx, Hornby, Ives, Hafner, American Flyer, and Schylling/Lionel, all newly in my hands since Thanksgiving, My immediate goal is running these, for which I have purchased (and await) the aforementioned 072 Fastrack.

My main interest is live steam on 45 mm track, both 20.3 and 7/8 scales. I would like to have the ability to run 16 mm live steam, whether my own or visitor's. Which leads me to further questions, if I may impose --

What do you find reasonable/reliable/practical for 16mm? As this is intended as a modest sideline, I would rather not start hand laying track or something similarly complicated. I understand your comment that 16mm doesn't like the Lionel tubular profile -- will tinplate run on more 16mil-ish track? And do you have an opinion on dual gauge track? I have a friend with a very nice layout of Sunset Valley stuff, but he says that the dual gauge turnouts (switches) are finicky.

I have been running on bullet-proof 45 mm track -- code 332 Aristocraft and LGB, not much like the stuff I see in Sixteen Millimeter Today.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions, Mike

 

[Spule 4]

Mike-

Schylling...lemme guess, the Zepplin? I got one from Cracker Barrel here by the house for $20. Fun stuff, but not a longtime runner. There is a fellow that put a prewar Lionel power chassis in one and added a small motor to run the rear prop.... Prewar tinplate is one of my soft spots, have resisted Standard Gauge...so far.

As far as FastTrack, do not have any, dad just got some with a GG1 set (to go with his 1948 GG1 set he got when recovering from polio) but have heard mixed things about it. From what I have seen, it makes G track look cheap!!!!

Anyhow, SM32/16mm track....

Peco make some OK track for SM32, but becoming unobtainium here in the US. TrackS-hack et al have it in the UK. There are reportedly some gauge problems with the flex when bent to tight radius.

When I was thinking of a loop of 32mm track for the Worlds Most Expensive Mamod, here in the US you can get from Sunset Valley Railroad 32mm spaced ties and an assortment of rail options (aluminum, brass, stainless, etc).

He will send a sample if you are interested. Nice quality stuff. The only odd bit is the ties are a bit skinny for SM32 modelling.

 

[Spule 4]

Sorry, forgot the link:

http://svrronline.com/

 

[msimpson]

Thanks Garrett,

I have talked to Peter Comley (?sp?) several times. I am trying to figure whether to dual; gauge a substantial portion of the main line or simply put an 8 or 10 foot circle of oO gauge down for the visitor.

For Shcylling, I have two, the Zepplin you mentionn (mine is the shiny silver, not the Lionel paint) and the Centenniel (1900-2000) handcar. As you note, they are short runners, maybe 30 seconds, but life is about the moment. Besides, both me and the grand children like them.

Thanks for the assist and best regafrds, Mike Simpson

 

[Spule 4]

Did not know they did a silver one! Gonna have to look for that one.

A friend always does the infamous movie qoute "Whoppie a Zeppelin" when he sees mine, but then, he is a smart a--

30 second running is good for those of us with ADD tho!

Good luck-

 

[msimpson]

The 072 track arrived late last week, while I was out of town.

Last night I had a wind up party -- Zeppelin and handcar ran fair (but fairly short), old Hafner and Hornby ran well, American Flyer ran well until I oiled it (after which it was too fast for the track), and I am awaiting a key for the Marx engines.

The clear winner was an old cast iron Ives (patent 1924), which consistently made nine laps at a somewhat scary velocity, or 170 feet.

It is a wonderful thing to be so easily amused as I am --

Regards, Mike

 

[Spule 4]

Model railroading at its most primal level......

 

[msimpson]

Actually there is a more primitive form, the old pull-trains, once floor trains for adults, now Thomas for children. Not a bad place for a kid to start. Or an adult to set the hook.

Regards, Mike