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O27 question

1.1K views 13 replies 10 participants last post by  BigAl56  
#1 ·
So is O27 a dead gauge as o is supposedly the same just higher track ?
Is this the correct thread area for 027 questions??

Anyhow I read that they are interchangeable somewhat
if you put shims under 027 track
same track with and eng run off 3 rails?


Thanks
Noobie Jamie
 
#2 · (Edited)
I have some O27 in the attic, but am not an expert. I think it's interchangable, except O27 stuff can run on a tigher curve. True O scale may not handle the curve radius. If I recall, it is made for 31" curves. And, as you said, the height is different, so while it's the same gauge track it may not mate exactly, and may require a bit of effort to connect the 2 together.

Is O27 dead? I don't think so.
 
#4 ·
There is a way to cheat with O27. I recently converted my layout to older track and it turned out to be O27. But I can still run my large FM on the curves. I did put a straight piece in the middle of the curves to help with overhang on large engines. It does seem to help.
 
#5 ·
So is O27 a dead gauge as o is supposedly the same just higher track ?
Is this the correct thread area for 027 questions??

Anyhow I read that they are interchangeable somewhat
if you put shims under 027 track
same track with and eng run off 3 rails?

D
Thanks
Noobie Jamie
ifferences between 027 and Lionel O gauge track:

027 is a 27” diameter, O gauge is 31”

Pins and rail stock are thicker and taller between the two. The biggest issue is thicker pins as 027 track can be shimmed

027 was a less expensive line of trains, generally, than O gauge

Smaller transformers from the 027 line may not have enough power to run O gauge engines.

O gauge engines weren’t designed to traverse
027 curves, although most can
 
#7 ·
So is O27 a dead gauge as o is supposedly the same just higher track ?
Is this the correct thread area for 027 questions??

Anyhow I read that they are interchangeable somewhat
if you put shims under 027 track
same track with and eng run off 3 rails?


Thanks
Noobie Jamie
Welcome to the site. You can mate o/27 to O track, you just need to shim up the o/27. They sell transition pins to mate the 2.
Or you can make your own.
A little info here for you. How to clean.
Track 101

The difference between the 2,
Image
 
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#10 ·
O and O27 are the same 'Gauge' as in the distance between the rails.
There are physical differences in the construction of the track however. As others are pointing out, O27 is lower and the curves make a tight 27" diameter circle that some large postwar and many modern engines and cars cannot navigate. O27 was made to be the starter track for Lionel. It's less expensive and made flimsier of thinner metal stock. O27 is not being manufactured anymore. Menards is selling new O track however. If you are a newbie coming into this hobby I strongly recommend O track over O27.
However no matter which track you go with they are both the same guage.