10 Tips Every Beginner Should Know!

Once upon a time in America, Lionel, Marks, and American Flyer trains were THE toys that every boy and many girls wanted. With so many toy train operators in every neighborhood, operating tips or hacks were distributed far and wide and most became common knowledge in the toy train universe. But as slot cars, then video games, and other toys took over the market and there were fewer and fewer toy train operators to share information with, many of these common tips became lost knowledge. One of the reasons I began this channel was because I read many of the same questions over and over in online forums and that some of the old-timers in these online groups could be quite dismissive with everybody knows that type comments. Well these days everybody doesn't know these things. So on this episode of Toy Train Tips and Tricks, I will share some nuggets of information, whether you call them tips or hacks or mods, the 10 tips that I answer most often on these various message boards about traditional Lionel and Marks trains. So here we go. Number one, what is the difference between O gauge and O27 gauge trains? There are two ways to answer this, track difference and train differences. Regarding the track, both share the same gauge or outside width of one and one quarter inches. O27 track is shorter in height but the gauge is the same. The smallest available curve in O27 track is a 27 inch diameter circle, thus O27, but larger curves are available as well. The smallest diameter curve in O gauge track is a 31 inch diameter circle or O31, but larger curves are also available. O27 trains will operate on either O or O27 track. O gauge trains will also operate on O27 track as long as the particular items can accommodate the tighter curves. As for the trains, trains that were generally cheaper and less detailed, as in basic starter sets, were often described as O27, while more detailed and more expensive trains were often called O scale. Lionel, in particular, often made identical locomotives and marketed them as both O27 and O gauge trains. There are undersized cheap and less detailed O27 trains, and there are more detailed scale to mission trains that also operate on O27 track. The same is true for O gauge. So, since both types come in a wide variety of scale and details, the main difference then is that O27 trains are designed to operate on O27 and larger curves, while O gauge trains can operate on O31 and larger curves, and less specifically marked as O36, O42, O72, etc. as the minimum curve diameter for that particular model. So, feel free to run both types onto your railroad. Number two, why does my train slow down on the back side of my layout? When a train slows down as it gets farther away from your track power lock on, the usual solution is add more track lock-ons. On a small layout, it's often enough just to add an additional lock-on, then connect number one to number one, number two to number two, or red to red and black to black, and you're good to go. On a larger layout, you may need to use a power bus, running each wire from the transformer to a corresponding terminal strip, and then distributing the power to various points on the layout. As a rule of thumb, I try to have at least one power connection for every five to six feet of track. Number three, Lionel turnout chattering. So, you bought a Lionel remote operated turnout at a local show or at an online marketplace site, but when you put it on the layout, it either bounces back and forth, or vibrates in place, or just keeps throwing back in one direction. You need insulated rail joints. All Lionel remote turnouts made since 1952 have a built-in non-derailing switch action. This action is dependent on the metal wheels of the train making contact with the inside diverging rails of the turnout, throwing the switch motor in the proper direction. If these rails are not insulated, the switch motor will be continuously activated and will eventually burn out. Simply insert insulated rail joints for your type of track into the ends of the inside diverging rails. Your turnout should now function as designed. Number four, moving rail joiners. I just bought some new O gauge track, and I need to move the rail joiners from one end of a curve to the other. How do I get them out? Well, factory installed rail joiners are usually very secure, and it can be a challenge to remove them when you need to. My simple solution is turn the track over and use a small screwdriver to pry the rail ends apart just enough to loosen the grip on the rail joiner. Then remove the rail joiner with needle nose pliers or end nippers. Don't forget to use those same pliers or nippers to retighten the rail end and to secure the rail joiner when it's in place in its new location. Some of my cars keep uncoupling. How do I keep them together? Well, some folks glue the operating coupler shut, but an effective but reversible solution is simply to use rubber bands. You can get these in the beauty section of most dollar discount stores. Just wrap the band around the shaft a few times. In many cases, you can reinforce the coupler while still leaving it in operating condition. Before I continue, I ask that if you're enjoying this video as much as I enjoyed making it, please subscribe to the channel, like the video, and add your own comments about your favorite tips. Let YouTube know that you enjoy this type of content and tell your friends and neighbors about us. Now back to the tips. Mark's Fat Wheels. You just bought a Mark's O gauge locomotive, but it bounces or even derails when running through Lionel turnouts and crossovers. What's the problem? The problem is what is commonly known as a fat wheel used on many Mark's locomotives. The gear on these single reduction motor locomotives is the same diameter as the wheel, making the wheel assembly thicker or fatter than usual. These fat wheels will strike the guardrails on Lionel turnouts and crossovers. Unfortunately, the only solutions are to either use turnouts that do not have guardrails, such as those made by Mark's, Sakai, pre-war American Flyer O gauge, or pre-1952 Lionel models, or restrict these locomotives to just running loops without turnouts or crossovers. Most Mark's number 666, 333, 1666, and 1829 steamers, plus most E7 diesels feature double reduction gearing that will work with Lionel track. But beware, Mark's motors are easily swapped between different models, so always check any Mark's locomotive before purchasing. How Reverse Units Work. You've had model trains in the past, but they were HO or N scale models. On these models, you change direction by throwing a switch on the transformer, and multiple locomotives always run the same way at the same time. But these Lionel engines seem to change direction every time they run on dirty track or over some turnouts, and multiple engines all want to do their own thing. What's going on? Lionel, Mark's, and other three rail O gauge locomotives use universal type motors, or CAN motors that are wired to behave somewhat like universal motors. These motors do not change direction by current polarity, as HO and N scale locomotives do. Instead, the orientation of the current around the motor field changes the direction of the motor. To accomplish this, special reverse mechanisms, often called E units, were developed to control the orientation of the motor field. Every time the reverse unit loses power, either by turning off the current, pressing the direction button on the transformer, or any other reason, such as dirty track, the reverse unit will advance to the next position. Mark's and cheaper Lionel locomotives have two position reverse, with a sequence of forward, reverse, forward, reverse, and on and on. Others have three position reverse, with a sequence of forward, neutral, reverse, neutral, forward, neutral, and so on. Some modern electronic reverse units are programmed to begin in forward as a default setting. Most classic Lionel locomotives, and virtually all modern locomotives, include a lockout mechanism so that an operator can disable the reverse mechanism. This comes in handy when running on dirty track, or when you don't intend to do much reversing. When to upgrade the transformer. Most starter sets come with a 25 to 50 watt transformer, just enough to power the train and any accessories that came with the set. When you add more lights and accessories, or more powerful locomotives, these beginner transformers will start to overheat after a short operating session, or the circuit breaker may blow frequently. Then it's time for an upgraded transformer. I recommend 75 watts as the bare minimum for any model train layout larger than a basic starter set. But the more power, the better. As command control options have become more popular, conventional transformers of all types have become more and more available, and at lower prices than in previous years. Old transformers are okay if they're in good condition, especially check the power cord for any defects. Also, make sure any transformer includes a working circuit breaker. By the way, this circuit breaker is not intended to protect your trains from electrical mishaps, but rather to save your house from burning down, so it's very important. New transformers are usually a better option as they have finer speed control, and usually some additional internal power surge and overload protection. Be wary of Lionel CW80 transformers though. Most of these are good performers, but they are notorious for having weak circuit breakers, so test a used one before purchasing. Modern reissues of the classic Lionel ZW transformer, both by Lionel and MTH, are considered the gold standard among many hobbyists. Three-rail reverse loops? This is another one that often confuses former HO and N-scale railroaders. For two-railers, reverse loops are an electrical problem because, without insulated block sections and polarity reversals, short circuits result as rails of opposite polarity run up against each other. For three-railers, however, this is never a problem. Even when reversing, the outside rails and inside rails never come into contact with one another, so there are no short circuits. Some mistakenly believe this is due to the use of AC current rather than DC, but it's in fact the third rail that makes this trick possible. Even American flyer two-rail AC operators have trouble with reverse loops, while three-railers never have this concern, whether using AC or DC power. Mixing large and small cars in a train? Over the years, Lionel and other manufacturers have made many different sizes of O-gauge rolling stock. Some of this was due to differences between scale models and undersized models, and sometimes this is due to differences in the sizes of the real trains. For example, a modern 50-foot boxcar is both longer and taller than a 1950s PS1 40-foot boxcar, for example. But you can include cars of different sizes in a single train, such as Lionel's 64-64 semi-scale boxcars and Lionel's undersized, scout-derived boxcars that are scaled closer to 164th scale. By the way, Lionel sometimes included both sizes of boxcars in a single set. My solution is a combination of forced perspective and separation. I place the larger, closer-to-O scale cars near the front of the train with the smaller cars near the rear, often with an undersized SP-type caboose. When viewed from the locomotive end, the progression of larger-to-smaller cars creates the illusion that the train is longer than it actually is. In the middle, I will visually break up the items with the insertion of a few gondolas or flat cars, cars of a different type that keep the eye from directly comparing the different sized cars to one another. When used together, these techniques help minimize any visual distraction created by differences in scale. So there we are, 10 quick trips that every new three-railer should know to help get a great start at our wonderful hobby and to minimize frustration. Keep watching this and other YouTube channels for more advanced tips and techniques. Keep the trains running, and we'll catch you next time with more toy train tips and tricks.