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A reader writes:

I recently brought a lionel locomotive with tender and 3 carriages. The locomotive is in working order it is lionel large scale which I understand was made in the 1980's can you tell me were I might get track and controller for this rain also were I might buy more rollingstock
cheers

------Our Reply--------------------------------

Does it look like the wheels would go on track that has the rails 45mm (1.77") apart? If so, then ANY Large Scale/G Gauge track will work for this locomotive. Solid Brass track by Bachmann or LGB might be available to you somewhere down under. 24" radius 4' diameter is the standard minimum, but the train will run better on a 5' diameter circle, and even better on an 8' or 10'-diameter circle, if you have room.

The train needs rheostat-controlled DC power. Like an HO set only with more juice. Lionel Large Scale sets tend to draw a lot of power, so you need to look for a power supply that is OVER a half an amp. To me 1 amp is better. The original power supplies Lionel put in with those is .6 amp, and it would barely get the train around a small circle of track.

If the track would be narrower and there's a pickup under the locomotive, you probably have an O gauge set. Look for O27 track and an AC transformer.

Hope this helps. If you could reply to this e-mail and include a photo of the train as an attachment, I could give you more details about it.

Paul

The reader replied back to me:

Hi thanks for getting back to me I've attached pics of the rolling stock it will fit 45mm but this is a little loose
cheers
-----------------------------------Our reply (sorry, the photos wouldn't upload-----------------

The locomotive is a 1980s era Lionel. It came with a remote
control that operated the bell and whistle, called "RailSounds." The
coaches are made by AristoCraft and were made from the 1980s up until
2013. I have this locomotive and some of these coaches, and I will
warn you before you even get started that the locomotive will pull
about two of them at a time. Maybe three if the track is VERY level.

George Schreyer wrote a very detailed analysis of the locomotive some
time back:

http://girr.org/girr/tips/tips1/atlantic_tips.html

I would recommend trying to find a 3-amp DC power supply for the
train, 5 amps would be better, but don't strain the locomotive.

The "hard part" of putting this particular train on the tracks is that
the AristoCraft coaches require an 8'-diameter circle of track
MINIMUM. I have mine on 10'-diameter curves, and they still look a
little funny.

Back to sources for track. AristoCraft used to make the best track,
but they're out of business. GeneratioNext has taken over their track
business but is slow getting stuff to the US, much less around the
world. Bachmann's brass track is almost as good. LGB's is well made
but the track connectors aren't as good, and the maximum curve you can
usually find is 8'-diameter. USA Trains' track is a clone of
AristoCraft.

Here's the sad irony: ALL of this track is made in China and shipped
to the US. (Some LGB track is being made in Eastern Europe now, I
think.) So it really starts out in your part of the world,
comparatively speaking. yet it's almost impossible for folks in NZ or
Australia to get unless you want to pay a premium for shipping it
across the Pacific twice.

I wish I could be more help with the "acquisition" part of this discussion.

Best of luck, please let me know if you have any more questions. - Paul

The reader replied:

Hi thanks for your help I will look around for some second-hand track i have spoken to some model train people in town and they have given me some help.
Cheers!