Guide To Identifying 3 Rail O Gauge Track
NOTE: This information is based on preliminary research
and my own best guesses. There is no guarantee of accuracy.
(Please send all corrections and updates to antispamREMOVE@MEhvc.rr.com)
IVES
On July 31,
1928,
Ives was purchased by Lionel and American Flyer
In 1930, Lionel bought out American Flyer's share in Ives
Lionel dropped the Ives name in 1934 and although re-issues
were occasionally made, the Ives name never re-appeared on the marketplace
with any kind of regularity. (Wikipoedia)
Ives Pre-Buyout ? (Exact Date Unknown)
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Early IVES - Obverse 4
Tie bars vs 3 for Lionel
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Early Ives - Reverse
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Note the stepped tie bar
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The tie bar is also tapered
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Early IVES 027
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Early IVES Straight Section
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IVES - Post Buyout ?
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Straight and Curved O27
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Note Tapered Tie Bar
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Name Stamp - Obverse
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Name Stamp - Reverse
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Commercial and homemade pins
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Lionel "Green" O27 Early 1930's
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LIONEL Stamp
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N Y Stamp
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Two Mounting Holes
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Lionel "Black" O27 Mid - Late 1930's?
Pretty much identical to the "green" variety of a few
years earlier.
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Straight and Curve
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Profile
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Length
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Width
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Lionel Stamp
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N Y Stamp
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Note rolling mill marks
on the side of the rail
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Rail Height (Same as "green"
version)
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Lionel O Gauge 31" Radius - Post War?
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Straight and Curved
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Note: Four mounting holes in tie bar
(vs 2 for earlier O27)
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Height
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Length
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Lionel O Gauge 31" Radius VS Lionel O27
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O Gauge on Top - Wider
radius but shorter sections
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O Gauge at left. Narrower
tie plate and 4 holes vs 2
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Lionel O27 - Post War - Black Tie Plates
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Straight and Curved Sections
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Light weight tie plates
with one hole each
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| Stamped name at
top of tie plate (This varies - sometimes swapped) |
Profile
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Position and Orientation
of the name stamp varries.
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Reverse
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Lionel O27 - Korean Era ? - Grey or Plated Silver Colored
Tie Plates
I don't know if these are different years but suspect that the plated
versions (looks like chrome) are 1960's
All three verseions are nearly identical except for the color of the tie
plates
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Straight and Curved Sections
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Light weight tie plates with one
hole each
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Straight section is 9"
long
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Curved section is 10-1/4"
long
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Profile
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Plated tie plate
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Obverse with name stamp
- color balance is off due to camera
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Reverse
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