Welcome to the world of Lionel and O and O27 gauge Trains.
Topics on this Page Include:
Forward - Neutral - Reverse
Lionel Trains: Passed From Generation to Generation
Play Value
Accessories
Starter Sets
All About Track
Glossary
People often ask 'why don't they make things like they did in the old days'? Well, Lionel does, and has been for over 100 years.
Only Lionel, K-line and MTH O and O-27 gauge trains have a forward, neutral and reverse system allowing the use of operating milk cars, log dump cars, coal dump cars and many other accessories while the train is standing still with the power on. Other scales, including large scale (or G scale) and HO, do not have a neutral and cannot be stopped with the power on. These scales cannot, and do not have operating cars (like the famous Lionel Milk Car) to work with accessories. The fun of the operating cars and accessories is simply not available in any other gauge and is lost, FOREVER. This is one of many features that have made a Lionel Train the gift and toy that lasts a lifetime.
Passed from Generation to Generation
Lionel Trains are passed from generation to generation, and re-appear every holiday. The O and O27 Gauge trains were designed to be handled and played with by children, survive collisions and work as well when they are 50 years old as when brand new, your children may be teaching their grandchildren how to run them.
Lionel and O-Gauge provides the ultimate in maximum play value for your children and the entire family, control is simple and straightforward, allowing children to run an entire system by the age of 3 to 5 years. Fathers, uncles, mothers, aunts and guests will all enjoy running them; they will be the feature of the Holidays. Sometimes you may have to put your foot down and reserve time for the children to run them! Send the adults to bed so the children can play with the trains.
You can add unlimited amounts of equipment fully simulating real railroad operation, with the added feature of combining the new sets with almost any old O-Gauge trains and equipment made since roughly 1920. New computer technology has been blended with old-fashioned Lionel quality and durability. Lionel has always been a product that works and will last through the end of the holidays unlike most toys in this modern “wear it out and throw away” world, which are often broken by the end of the holidays.
Packaged starter sets are manufactured by a number of companies in addition to Lionel, all usually include everything one needs to start: transformer, wire, small oval of track, locomotive, and 3 or more cars. All usually offer substantial cost savings over the price it would cost to purchase each component separately. Starter sets will range in price from approximately $ 100 up to $ 1,600 to accommodate any budget. There is no real difference in the reliability from the lowest to the highest price
Instead, the increased prices are for more equipment, more features, replacement of plastic trucks with much more expensive metal trucks with springs ('trucks' are the wheel assembly), and a number of other extras.
For Locomotives and cars as you go up in price, there is a gradual transition from the most contemporary designs allowing low cost automation, back to the designs of the 1940's and 50's, primarily involving hand crafted assembly, and highest possible durability. Such designs include Lionel’s most traditional and most powerful locomotives. Another very important feature entering the cost considerations is magne-traction, invented by Lionel in 1950 and only available through Lionel. Magnets in the locomotive create magnetic forces to increase pulling power, increase adhesion of the locomotive to the rails, and reduce chances of a locomotive tipping over on a curve.
Sets up to $ 400 don't have magne-traction but instead use a rubber tire for traction (The rubber tire was originally an American Flyer brand innovation and is now used widely by most manufacturers, including Lionel, so that much lower priced locomotives can be offered). The rubber tire system is very reliable but is not as good as magne-traction. Lionel sets above $ 400 have locomotives with magne-traction and are unbeatable with all the best of the 1950's. They are hand assembled and many are identical to the same models from the 50's.
Lionel 0 and 0-27 trains run on any and all manufacturers 0-Gauge track, 0-27 gauge track or the new Fastrack. If you are a first time buyer, please do not let this section confuse you - Lionel is easy to put together, it’s indestructible, and is an amazing gift that will last for years to come. Just pick your set, and put it right on the rug under the tree. No assembly is required; sets are ready to run with everything you need in one package. Read this again after you have your set and want to expand, and you will fully understand everything (95% of all our LIONEL set buyers expand - it's so much fun).
0-27 track has a basic diameter of 27 inches, with additional diameters of 42, 54 and 72 inches available. O-Gauge track has a basic diameter of 31 inches, with additional diameters of 42, 54 and 72 inches available. Fastrack is the first new Lionel track system in 75 years, has a basic diameter of 36 inches, snaps together and has a ballasted track bed and ties. At the end of the holidays you can hang an oval on a hook in a closet without need for disassembly, and you will never have to pull a pin to construct a reverse curve. Adaptor tracks will allow conversion between 0-gauge and Fastrack. Before 1970, Lionel sold sets containing either O or O-27 track, hence the name O-Gauge and 0-27 sets. (The locos and cars were the same). From 1970 until 2002, sets shipped from the factory, which contained track were provided with 0-27 track. Beginning in 2003, sets shipped from the factory (with track included) contain 36-inch diameter Fastrack. Conversion tracks will be available to allow use of Fastrack and 0-Gauge track on a layout. Our special Train-Station sets (and our TS15CC and TS15 track packages) were supplied with 42-inch diameter 0-Gauge track. (42-inch diameter is new and we recommend using it wherever possible).
O gauge is a heavier track, made with 3 times as much steel than 0-27 track. In addition, 0-Gauge switches have lights on the switches and on the remote controllers. The lights show routing for the trains and add interest and capability; O-27 switches do not have any lights. Any set can be converted to 0-gauge simply by replacing the 0-27 track with 0-Gauge track. Most people convert to 0-gauge when moving the train to a permanent layout from under the Xmas tree (expanding to or beyond a 4x8 foot table and/or when increasing the number of switches beyond one or two pairs). Either type track will last forever and are the indestructible sizes for little children. For either gauge, a full circle requires 12 sections of 42-inch diameter and/or 16 sections of 54 or 72-inch diameter track. Regular 0-27 (27 inch diameter) and 0 gauge (31 inch diameter) require 8 sections of curved track for a circle.
Our K-1 book has over 30 pages of layouts plus many other suggestions, operating instructions, etc. It is an invaluable resource. We also carry K-line snap track, which has the same tubular rail as regular Lionel, and is excellent for people who like the look of scale size ties and track that snaps together. The most important advantage of the K-line snap track (and Gargraves and Ross too - see below) is the two outer rails are insulated from each other, enabling these tracks to be used for block systems and elaborate signaling systems on elaborate layouts (Block systems will enable you to run several trains on one loop without a collision). Gargraves track comes in 3-foot lengths and is bendable into any diameter. Mating pins permit interchanging with regular 0 and 0-27 gauge. We also have Ross track for more advanced layout designs. We do not maintain most Ross on the web site at this moment because too many people order it wrong, let us help you with your order. We have experienced staff that can paln and build a layout for you.
You can call us (Dave Shaw, Doug Waller, Doug Dressler, Dan White or Bob Hansen) at 973-263-1979 or e-mail the webmaster (Steve Morris) at info@train-station.com with any question you might have about Lionel trains, track, or accessories.
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