keithb
At Seneca Street Station. Posts: 650 | O gauge 2 rail?Nov 23, 2023 22:12:21 GMT Post by keithb on Nov 23, 2023 22:12:21 GMTI saw a video today of a O gauge 2 rail layout. I never heard of that. How does it work? I googled but didn't figure it out. Thanks |
rtraincollector
https://rtssite.shutterfly.com/1275 Posts: 1,695 | O gauge 2 rail?Nov 23, 2023 23:20:18 GMTkeithb likes this Post by rtraincollector on Nov 23, 2023 23:20:18 GMTO 2 rail is O scale. There is a differencesin size. Not a lot but noticeable |
This will take you to over 900 train pictures |
harborbelt70
Posts: 4,256 | O gauge 2 rail?Nov 23, 2023 23:52:59 GMTkeithb likes this Post by harborbelt70 on Nov 23, 2023 23:52:59 GMTThat would be a DC rather than AC powered layout. It means you can use DCC control which offers more prototypicalsound than 3rail O gauge and better control of things like lighting effects but wiring is certainly more complicated because of polarity. 2rail is not my thing and those who use it are generally aiming for bigger and morerealisticlayouts. As RT has pointed out the cars and engines are closer to true 1/48 scale but from the outside it is not noticeable unless you are fussy. Inside of passenger cars there is asignificant difference but that probably only matters to the likes of me. |
Last Edit: Nov 23, 2023 23:55:51 GMT by harborbelt70 |
keithb
At Seneca Street Station. Posts: 650 | O gauge 2 rail?Nov 23, 2023 23:59:23 GMT Post by keithb on Nov 23, 2023 23:59:23 GMTThanks guys. |
steveoncattailcreek
Posts: 476 | O gauge 2 rail?Nov 25, 2023 3:56:52 GMTharborbelt70 and ron045 like this Post by steveoncattailcreek on Nov 25, 2023 3:56:52 GMT. . . and don't forget battery powered deadrail. Rather than using the rails to power and control the engine, the engine is self-powered and controlled by Bluetooth or other RC. Menards just came out with what amounts to a cute deadrail set, with two battery powered track inspection vehicles, one with manual switch and one with a handheld controller, both designed to run on traditional three rail track (as provided with the set), or two rail O gauge track. |
firewood
"Nice try, Lao Che!" Posts: 1,513 | O gauge 2 rail?Nov 25, 2023 4:54:34 GMTCountry Joe, dennym57, and 1 more like this Post by firewood on Nov 25, 2023 4:54:34 GMTI was an O Gauge 2-railer for quite a long time until the 3-rail bug set in. I had some 1:43 British models and a couple of shelf-switcher end-to-end layouts. I laid my own track and used regular 12 volt Dc just like the HO guys as I only had small, light locomotives. I still have a few items plus some of the Atlas/AHM O scale stuff from the 70s. The Plymouth switchers and EMD F9s were popular pieces with many modelers. The video link shows the Plymouth units - they were hefty little beasts. Dave |
keithb
At Seneca Street Station. Posts: 650 | O gauge 2 rail?Nov 25, 2023 10:04:58 GMTfirewood likes this Post by keithb on Nov 25, 2023 10:04:58 GMTThanks for all the education on 2 rail. |
healey36
Posts: 1,189 | O gauge 2 rail?Nov 25, 2023 14:00:03 GMTCountry Joe, firewood, and 2 more like this Post by healey36 on Nov 25, 2023 14:00:03 GMT I'm a member of a 2-rail operating group in south-central Pennsylvania. We get together once a month to operate the 2-rail layouts of various members. The 2-rail scale world is quite different from that of 3-rail O-gauge. Everything in their world is highly accurate in terms of scale, and they typically operate their layouts in a prototypical fashion, i.e. train-orders, schedules, speeds, consist composition, etc. I've had more than one good-natured butt-kicking for operating transgressions, such as failing to include a boxcar between the locomotive and a string of loaded tank cars when making up an outgoing train. It can be stressful, but always fun |
firewood
"Nice try, Lao Che!" Posts: 1,513 | O gauge 2 rail?Nov 26, 2023 3:55:39 GMTdennym57 likes this Post by firewood on Nov 26, 2023 3:55:39 GMT
Nov 25, 2023 10:04:58 GMT keithb said: Thanks for all the education on 2 rail. No worries - we're glad to help. The older 3-rail universal motors have wire-wound fields and armatures - they need a reversing switch on the locomotive that flips power to both the armature and field windings. DC motors with permanent magnets only needed a reversing switch at the throttle. We could open several more cans of worms like 2-rail AC, 3-rail DC.... Dave |
Last Edit: Nov 26, 2023 3:57:27 GMT by firewood |
ron045
Posts: 273 | O gauge 2 rail?Dec 27, 2023 13:41:36 GMTfirewood likes this Post by ron045 on Dec 27, 2023 13:41:36 GMT
Nov 25, 2023 14:00:03 GMT healey36 said: I'm a member of a 2-rail operating group in south-central Pennsylvania. We get together once a month to operate the 2-rail layouts of various members. The 2-rail scale world is quite different from that of 3-rail O-gauge. Everything in their world is highly accurate in terms of scale, and they typically operate their layouts in a prototypical fashion, i.e. train-orders, schedules, speeds, consist composition, etc. I've had more than one good-natured butt-kicking for operating transgressions, such as failing to include a boxcar between the locomotive and a string of loaded tank cars when making up an outgoing train. It can be stressful, but always fun Where is this? I'm in Carlisle. Is this group open to new members? Ron |
I'd rather be lucky than good. |
healey36
Posts: 1,189 | O gauge 2 rail?Dec 27, 2023 13:49:00 GMT Post by healey36 on Dec 27, 2023 13:49:00 GMTGettysburg-Hanover-Westminster-Frederick-Mt. Airy-Other...it rotates around. I don't know if they'd have interest in new "members" (it's a rather informal group), as operating sessions occasionally get pretty crowded. I can ask next time I see them. |
Last Edit: Dec 27, 2023 13:56:19 GMT by healey36 |
rtraincollector
https://rtssite.shutterfly.com/1275 Posts: 1,695 | O gauge 2 rail?Dec 27, 2023 14:39:50 GMTfirewood likes this Post by rtraincollector on Dec 27, 2023 14:39:50 GMTI had some Lima 2 rail O scale passenger cars. I really liked them, they where the first passenger cars I ever saw withinteriors. I bought my first set of them around 1977. |
This will take you to over 900 train pictures |
