O27 track, switches, and accessories, have all but disappeared from the “available as new” market. That is a shame when you consider you get more bang for your buck with limited real estate layout sizes. Or with larger layouts, you are able to have some real exciting complex layouts, you just cannot do with O gauge. We here at TinMan 3 rail recognize this and will do our best to keep O27 alive and well by supplying, not only common O27 items, but also new innovations and fun stuff. We welcome any suggestions or ideas from our O27 friends and customers.
TinMan’s Favorite
Being in the business of selling reconditioned track, we see a lot of used track in different conditions. Some are missing parts and bent, Some are rusted so bad, they are pitted, can’t be salvaged. Some are hard to tell apart from new. The most difficult track to recondition is the badly stained tracks.
So how does it get that way in the first place? The same reason real train tracks are shinny on the top and black on the sides. The grease, oils, and other lubricants that we use on our trains to keep them running at their best dribble down the sides of the rails. Unless we want to spend our valuable train time, cleaning it off, the sides of the tracks are going to stain. These stains do not affect the electrical characteristics of the tracks in any way. On the real train tracks all that gunk that leaks down on the tracks, from wheels, bearings and gears actually ends up protecting the track from rust! Then add some dust and grit, and you have shinny tops and stained dark sides.
Enter TinMan’s favorite. This track is designed to be used! We think they are better than new at less than 1/2 the price. This is track that we paint. The tracks are painted with Rustoleum flat black enamel. The paint is then removed from the tops, resize the tubes for proper pin fit, if necessary.
At this point the pins are removed, and replaced with our new stainless steel pins, (because we have found the original steel pins will often rust or corrode inside the tubes of the track). The tops of the tracks are then given a final cleaning and polishing, using out newly discovered method, and they are ready for you. The pictures do not do the track justice. The tops and sides of the rails are bright and polished, and look brand new. They are tested for proper electrical continuity and tight fitting pins.
This is a track that will be as rust resistive that you can find, will require a minimum of attention while in use, and stores very well. We like to say this is track that your great great grandchildren can remove from storage give it a quick wipe, and put it down on a layout and run trains!
All the tracks we sell, for each order of 8 pieces we will install a very special power tap on the tracks for you. Here’s how it works, First we grind off a small portion of the finish
Next we tin the place where we ground off the finish
Then we solder the wires on the track, and add a sealer/strain relief using black hot glue so you end up with what is shown which happens to be an O27 track
A word or so about brands of track we sell. Our mission is to provide top quality track to last for generations. The tracks by and large are NY Lionel, however could also be K line, Atlas or even Marx. All of these companies manufactured excellent tracks.
TinMan’s Favorite for O27 gauge
Curved tracks selections
Note, all curved tracks are sold in group sizes that make a circle (or 4 corners) when put together, if you need quantities other than specified, let us know and we will accommodate
Special tracks selections
Insulated tracks
Insulated tracks are those where one of the outside rails that are normally shorted to ground, are insulated with a wire soldered on the bottom, and insulated pins are also added. These tracks are very popular for operating accessories, for example crossing gates and x’s as well as making your own no d rail features for switches. While straights are shown, because we hand make these, we can provide any kind size or curve radius tracks you would like, just email or call in your requests. All insulated tracks are sold in groups of 4.
Tracks with power leads soldered on: These tracks are an alternative to using the “lock on’s”. They provide a better connection and do not protrude along the outside of the tracks
These tracks are rapidly becoming in short supply, so we put together a package of 2 tracks in kit form. One track only has the uncoupler feature (which was very popular for O27) the other both uncoupler and unload feature. The large green button turns on the track with just the uncoupler, They also come with wiring for accessory power.
unloader tracks
These tracks only have the unloader feature, and to activate the tracks we installed 2 push on push off buttons that light up when activated, letting you know they are on. They are great for those toys that take some time to go thru their complete cycle.
Special tracks
Note: we will normally modify these tracks to allow for operation of 2 separate trains, so each train can have its own power control. IF you do not want to do that they will also operate just fine where you only have one train running. Why didn’t they do that from the factory? Haven’t the foggiest! For O27 there are a wide variety of construction methods that were used, the pictures are representative of function rather than an exact picture of what you will receive.
