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I've said this a lot to people in this hobby: HO is focused on realism O is focused on fun Some people in this hobby are really not friendly to beginners or people who model different scales, which is a shame. This hobby should be open and fun for everyone! Also, maybe try an On30 locomotive? O scale, but gauged for HO scale track to represent narrow gauge.
HO (post 80’s-90’s), N, and Z are definitely more for scale modellers, while G and O are more geared to people who want a fun train that’s somewhere in between a model and a toy. It is really weird to see people gate-keep either “branch” of modelling, at the end of the day we’re all still nerds who like trains
I agree,HO and n scale is way too fragile especially when I own plenty of them. And I’m not too qualified of dealing with delicate train models. O gauge and G scale is slightly more practical but I think I’m leaning towards o gauge.
Train fairs are a fucking scam. Last time i went to one and i got a Jeco Hg loco the seller promised for the loco to be running and digital but the loco had mached gears and no decoder
As a postwar Lionel collector and operator, I can’t agree more with your comment about how the modern offerings are out of touch with people who just want to watch a train run in circles lol. But yes, post more about your ongoing journey to the dark side of nonrealistic but fun O gauge trains!
Does any one remember Lionel's Film called "The wonderful world of trains" That film really showed people how fun trains used to be and not just realistic toys for Rivet counters
As somebody who has O scale, welcome to the club. I love my premium o scale equipment,but nothing gives me more dopamine than watching my Williams ten wheeler at full power yeet itself into Lincoln log.
Welcome to the O Gauge world my friend. As someone who’s been into O Gauge for a long time, it’s great to see others discover the magic of these trains.
I'm a rivet counter, and I can sort of see where you're coming from. I think that demanding quality for the prices most manufacturers are selling for isn't annoying though. When brass models in O Scale 2 Rail are cheaper than the newest 3 Rail Lionel offerings, and are often more detailed and run better (even on DC), it's hard to argue the value for money is good for new products in the hobby.
I've loved trains since I was a little kid, and I'm 70 now. I don't have any permanent layout because I have no room for it, but I own a set of HO, N and Z scale. Recently I bought a small set of O gauge from Menard's (I had to mail order it because there are no Menard's stores near me). I only rarely play with any of them, but there is film of all of them running here on the Tube. I enjoyed your video.
I got my start in O gauge when my dad bought a little layout jam-packed with scenery and a MTH train set to go with it. For my birthday I got the erics trains es44 which i was super happy to get. (I also ordered the matching caboose as well) I would say that O gauge is very fun to just mess around with. No matter how old, they will keep on chugging along like they are brand new.
Great video. I like how you are interested in a lot of the older items. I can’t remember the last time I heard somebody say they didn’t want fast track but instead wanted to old tubular track. I love it! I would love to see more o gauge content
Keep on training on,o gauge is fun,my grandpa has a o scale in a storage room in the basement/ground floor of his house,it consists of:1 steam locomotive with tender(the steam engine resembles the Blue Streak Freight set,but black metal,and has a 3 wheel driving configuration),the loco used to have bogie things on the front and back,but they had to be removed,the tender is nothing special,1 big black flatbed type car with walls(possibly a coal carrier,resembles the red flatbed type car,but of course,black)tanker,the tank part is grey,1 caboose,a billion straight and curved track pieces(im exaggerating,but there is a lot of them,they resemble the track your friend gave you,but cleaner and most of the pieces have black ties),and 2 switches(a bit rusty,but still functional,and even detailed with red and green signals,solid,not transparent,and no lights,which you turn to switch the track,it’s on a big black base,and is Less compact than your switches)
One of the fun things about O guage is that there are so many options. O guage trains have such a long history that one may choose from over a century of toy trains and they will all run on the same track. There are so many fine products from the long history of Lionel, but there are also great trains, rolling stock, and accessories from Marx, K-line, Pre-War American Flyer, Williams, and so many lesser known makers and it will all run on that track from Menards. It opens up over ahundred years worth of fun for the collector and operator.
9:52 a lot of the more modern o gauge engines can run at reasonably prototypical speeds. I’d also reccomend going with a minimum curve radius of O 54 although I highly recommend o72 curves. The higher speeds won’t cause derailments, and if you ever get any larger engines, a lot of them won’t run on O31 (some of older “scale” sized ones can be found for reasonable prices at train shows and occasionally on the used market online). Great video. The old postwar and MPC stuff can be really fun
If you want to get really far down the rabbit hole, i recommend looking into lionel postwar operating accessories. Especially the ones that will unload cargo from the freight cars.
I got into O gauge when a guy who brings my family and I firewood brought me a Lionel O gauge train set, I've since increased it to several Lionel postwar, one Lionchief locomotive, and three Bachmann Williams locomotives. You should get a Bachmann Williams 4-6-0, I got one of my own, and even after doing a repair job on its tender, she's a good runner
I grew up on Lionel O gauge and only got into HO within the last few years. Even though I love my fancy new HO trains, there really is just something special about old Lionel. :)
Thanks for a great vid! O gauge has it's high points, not to mention some history to it. The first train set I ever played with was an old, hand me down Marx set that first belonged to my older brother. At some point someone gave me an old lionel engine and tender and some track. I still remember my dad showing me how to make the smoke work and playing with set with me, one of my fondest and earliest memories. It's been over 40 years since I had an o gauge, now I have a Marx wind up set in o gauge. Marx made nice sets, and I'm glad to be back into it. Best of luck to you!
Traditional O is about fun, a reminder that sometimes it's just nice to sit down and play trains. Would definitely watch more O gauge stuff if you do it. Do O-27 myself, lets me squeeze a lot of train action into a fairly small space. Big fan of the operating accesories like the loaders and dumpers, gives the trains something to do. Have you considered mounting your track to a board with some casters on the bottom so you can just stow a layout under a couch or bed so you don't have to keep taking it apart?
Understandable, was in that situation myself for the longest time until I cleaned out an old closet to make a little train room. Could always make it fold up, one side being the layout and the other being shelving or suchlike you could use when the layout's folded up.
I'm at that stage in life where I'm getting back into the hobby. Although I had HO, O, and G as a kid, I'm diving head first into O. There's just a level of fun in that gauge that the other's can't replicate. If I wanted something real, I'd go outside. I want to recreate the kind of operating and interactive layout that my local hobby shop had. PS: I just subbed, so I'd love to see more O gauge content!
Looks like your off to a great start! Love your general! I just got back into o gauge trains just this year after some 35 to 40 years! My start was with marx wind up trains. Now I have two wind up loco's and two electric ones. The fun thing about o gauge is that you can do what you want to and no one will really care. (at least for me) I wish you luck, and thanks for sharing!
Santa brought my father and I my first layout in 1949.Two Lionel post war sets, Pensy GG1, steam turbine.Still working in my garage. I'm 78.Thank you Mr. Cowen.Yes start the O series. I keep ordering from Menard's. Just got the movie theatre! I have a working drive-in.I play intermissions all night!
This video strikes a real chord with many viewers….it sums up the addictive nature of O gauge. You have a fun layout, and that’s what it is all about. Now add a Lionel 60 trolley, and you are well on your way!
In one of his books, Tom McComas writes an interesting story about your 8303 Blue Streak locomotive. Both the 8303 and what became known as the "Baby Madison" passenger cars were first produced in 1973. Lionel was actually considering mating the cheap plastic 8303 with some equally cheap matching passenger cars and calling it the... wait for it now...The Blue Comet! They even made prototypes! Thankfully long time Lionel employee Lennie Dean talked them out of it; saying they should save the Blue Comet name for a higher quality set. Which Lionel did in 1978, using a MUCH higher quality metal 4-6-4 Hudson and upgraded with 6 wheel metal trucks version of the Baby Madison cars!
I’ve been getting back into O gauge over the last few years. Buying stuff like the operating accessories from Lionel that we could never afford back in the 90s. Semi scale or postwar mostly but with at least one scale Hudson in the planning purchase stage. MTH Railking is generally a good buy and you get some unique locos like the streamliners of the 30s.
O-gauge for me has always been the one where you can get away with more silly stuff. I'd probably collect some, too, but I don't have much room in my house, lol.
You know what? I couldn’t agree more. Because I’m about to get started owning my own o gauge train set. The tubular track is way better than the fast track.
I had Lionel O gauge when I was a kid back in the '60s, a 1130 steam engine and some cars like the exploding box car that worked like a mouse trap spring when the missile hit it from my missile launcher. Such fun! Many years later I've been getting back into it. My childhood set is long gone, but I've found that I can get lots of the same stuff used on Ebay. There are apparently a lot of other guys bidding on it too, and they seem to have more money than I have, so I lose a lot of auctions. But every now and then I get something really dirt cheap because I guess nobody else wanted it. The things I get are usually advertised as 'not working', 'for parts only', 'does not run', etc. But I've found that most of the time all an old legacy engine needs is to have its motor brushes cleaned and its axles and gears oiled and it runs like new. Sometimes they come with missing parts, like the rear wheels and its hitch that connects it to the coal tender. I figured out that I can fabricate a hitch out of popsicle sticks and some wood glue that works just fine. I paint it black so it matches the engine shell and it blends in so well you would never know it was made of wood instead of metal. With a little experience I've figured out how to make all kinds of repairs on these engines and the majority of my 'does not run' 'for parts only' purchases run just fine now. Sometimes they don't even need that. My most recent acquisition on Ebay is a 8633 engine that was advertised as 'not running' and 'untested'. Nobody else bid on it so I got it for $13. (plus shipping which was another $13). When I put it on the track to see what was wrong with it, it took off and ran perfectly, no repair or maintenance or anything needed. Some sellers just don't know how to test these engines so they sell them for whatever they can get someone to pay for them, and a lot of buyers won't buy anything that is advertised as 'does not run'. Playing this game on Ebay for the past several years I now have nearly a dozen 1130 engines just like the one I had as a kid back in the '60s. And I have them all running. 😁
I still have my father's Lionel 262 steam loco and cars from 1931 that my grandfather bought for him. It runs great, and I love the ozone smell. Ever now and then l'll set up a "Carpet Central" làyout and run them.
I just joined your channel…I started HO….took me one year to convert…I agree with previous comments….MPC Williams K Line for engines easily available for engines affordable…Menards a God sent for track cars and buildings
I currently have a Menards Weathered Santa Fe Boxcar and a Reading and Northern Hopper. The couplings for both cars which I obtained in 2019 have this metal latch on the bottom which means you have to pull the latch to get the coupling to open. (Not Lionel-Style) I'm curious to see how buying new Menards freight wagons will turn out for me. BTW, In case anyone is wondering, Menards has their model trains in their stores for a few months up to christmas. But they are sold year-round online so that's good news.
I have a bunch of O gauge stuff at my grandparents house. Most of it’s pretty old, with a lot of extra track which is heavily rusted in some places. All the engines work great.
I would love to see more O gauge series. There are so many accessories to add that integrate easily into the track system and everything is just 2 wires
Modern O is expensive for sure, but I think your venture proves that as long as you stick with the second-hand market, it can be about the same or sometimes even cheaper than the smaller scales. I also recommend looking to Marx if you want more budget-friendly O Gauge items (For real! I only spent $4 on a caboose once).
My dad had a old o gauge train and tender but with not track, or a transformer or clip. But he was at Menards and he found the tracks and the train works like a charm! He also got the transformer from a eBay listing
Yes, until recently, you could get a O gauge set with 0-27 track and it would fit into a smaller space then your HO sets. Yes, the wider radius track looks better and you can run the trains faster on that curves, but it does take up more space. Just like the true to scale stuff. Hopefully is a month I will have a 45" by 162" set up in my kitchen area. Problem is I found that the floor has a problem and needs fixed ASAP, now by me, and maybe the foundation is in question as well. So this has delayed my next rain set up plans and I hate it... A set up like yours would fit in that spot.
I like O for booth fun and realism if you wanted love both. and on the opposite ends are Standard Guage for fun and HO for realism but O bridges that gap and you can really go any direction with it
The tubular track comes apart because it's supposed to be screwed down to a table. The LAME and expensive for no reason "FastTrack" is okay for temporary layouts and the good steel tube track is better for more permanent layouts
MTE!!! Please open up the tender on the blue engine and check the foam keeping the sound board from grounding with the frame. Even if the foam looks ok replace it with new foam. If the board hits the frame there’s no more sound as it fries the soundboard.
The preview of the Blue Streak got my attention. Yes, if you are not to picky you can get some nice working used things in almost any scale or gauge. Anyhow about the Blue Streak. You might already know this but on the sound systems of the 1970's to maybe the 1990's the electronic circuit board is setting on a piece of foam. It ages away and then the board will touch the metal bottom of the tender, then short out and die... So if you have not opened the tender you should and then remove the rotted foam and put in several layers of double sided tape, or other good foam or even cardboard. Be careful about getting it back together, that large capacitor has a spot it has to fit into inside the tender. Also many of these due to age the capacitors get weak and need to be replaced. Sadly due to the age of these if you never heard a good working one you would claim the sound of steam is just static or hum. That set was on the cover of the 1973 Lionel MPC catalog. I have several sets of the Blue Streak and a few more engines and tenders as well of that set. Other O gauge past brands to check out. MarX, Industrial Rail, RMT, Taylor made Toys, Atlas, Weaver, Williams, American Flyer, Ives, MTH, Kusan. You know many of these from that price guide you have there...
As somebody who does HO, O and Gauge 1; we need to get you into a Gauge 1. HO is good for detail, O is good for fun, but Gauge 1 is good for a true hands-on experience. You haven't run a model train, until you've run live steam.
Love menards o gauge trains and track. It's a great builder and very affordable for new stock. Does it have some issues, we'll some but not all. It's great stuff.
I wish there were a source for affordable tubular switches. Moving to a new house and thinking about building a layout in the basement... I want to run O-72 mainline curves, so it will probably run along the walls...
You know working with the layout I have here I was taking some of the track apart for that new line out track and I discovered some of our marx switches the clips for the track which is nails with the head cut off I'm serious whoever thought the idea of put nails for railroad tubular what you call them I just Call it classic Lionel track
😊 I know some of the clips on my old layout we're actually nails that someone just like roof nails not roof nails like nails you will hang up all the pictures on the wall yeah that kind of nail just trimmed it with like a grinder or some kind or some kind of sandpaper and put in the track that was it that's how our track was all together
I grew up with old HO stuff, and got into N gauge and been deep into that for awhile, I also got into G, and I wanted something in the middle lol so next thing you know I had a 1951 Lionel 2046 Hudson and a loop of track and it was over for my wallet after that!
I have a 12x4 ho lionel layout. A 4x4 027 lionel layout. A 27inch x 45 inch temporary Christmas 027 layout. And a 2x2 n layout. Enjoy all you scales. Great video
Ok I started with tubular track second year couldn’t run my engine cause the track shorted out, so I saw the light and switched to Fastrack no more shorts, third year I got track clips to keep the track from coming apart I had a o-31 oval connected to a o-60 oval by four switches. Is this expensive, yes but I love it.
I would say offer more O gauge content if you can. While I'm primarily HO scale, I do have O Gauge, S Guage, and N scale. So, I don't mind seeing other scales. Also, an important tip, enjoy the hobby for yourself. I've been part of fine scale modeling, and for most of the part, the only people that really notice anything are the small group of fine scale modelers. For most of the general public, it's just another train that looks neat. So, I ask: Who are you trying to please? The answer should be yourself and keep things fun to enjoy.