Reply to "May Switch To 2 Rail from 3 Rail - Need Help!"

TrainGuyMcGee posted:

To all,

..

1)  Generally speaking, are 2-Rail (O Scale) trains that much quieter than thier 3 rail cousins?  I suspect so as I believe it's the "roller" style pickup that generates most of the noise with the 3 rail trains and to some extent, the large flanges on the wheels.  I tend to run larger consists (20 + pieces of rolling stock) so even they generate quite a bit of noise by themselves.

2) Can I use all of my MTH equipment (Transformer, TIU, DCS controller etc..) with a 2-rail setup without any performance degradation?  Will I still have all of the same functionality?  If so, this would obviously save me  a ton of money.

3)  Also, If I make the switch, will Lionel Legacy engines run on 2-rail with MTH's command and control systems?

4)  The rolling stock I use is mostly MTH Premier Line and they look really easy to convert - Just replace the wheel sets with MTH's insulated variety.  How about the locomotives? I have a decent understanding of electronics and don't mind taking the engines apart.  How difficult are they to convert to 2 rail?

5)  Can I run the engines just as fast on 2 rail track?  The track looks so much smaller and the first thing I thought about was man, how do the trains stay on those tiny rails?  Also, do the trains derail more frequently on 2 rail?

Thanks in advance for any and all input.

 

1. It's not really the number of rails involved. It's the rail type (solid vs. hollow) and how it's mounted to the roadbed/benchwork. "Traditional" methods have long entailed slapping down sheets of plywood and screwing track down to it. This turns the layout into one giant resonator of sound. "Cookie Cutter" roadbed is much quieter even if the track is screwed down. A layer of Homasote or sound board between the track and the underlying benchwork cuts down on the vibration. Solid rail quiets things down even more; smaller solid rail more still. So if you switched from tubular "round-top" traditional 3-rail track (metal ties) to Gargraves (hollow rail, wood ties) it would be quieter; Atlas 3-rail (solid code 215 rail with plastic ties) is quieter still; Atlas 2-rail track (solid code 148 with plastic ties) with or without a third rail added would be even quieter. In any of these scenarios, open grid (cookie cutter) bench work would yield quieter operation. Scenery should be done with carved foam as opposed to hard shell.
2. The number of rails makes no difference with respect to the electrical power source and command system you use. You just have different wiring issues involved as 2-rail layouts require extra handling of polarity on wyes, turntables, some crossings, some turnouts, and reversing loops. Many modern MTH Premier proto-2 and proto-3 locomotives can switch between 3-rail and 2-rail operation (proto-2 engines are polarity sensitive as to picking up the DCS signal). The discussion on these would require a lot of time and space, but if you e-mail me off list I can fill you in.
3. Lionel Legacy equipment will NOT run on 2-rail, but that doesn't foreclose the use of TMCC in a 2-rail context. You can convert 2-rail locomotives to run under TMCC but they will require an AC voltage source, so I don't view that as the most practical path because it's an all-or-nothing proposition with your 2-rail locomotives.
4. Converting MTH locomotives is a tricky proposition. The ones with hi-rail wheels and the Proto 3/2 option (switch between 2-rail and 3-rail) will run on 2-rail, but the hi-rail treads and deep flanges will have issues with turnouts and crossings. I've run hi-rail MTH locomotives on 2-rail code 148 track without the flanges hitting the ties, but they don't like turnouts. I've been buying my MTH locomotives with scale wheels since 2009.
5. Curves of similar radius should yield similar results if the track is securely mounted and properly laid (no kinks and twists). However, FAST=BAD/SLOW=GOOD -- slower trains allow the focus to be on the trains AND the scene through which they pass. We train the kids at AGHR (OK, we brainwash them) to run at more realistic speeds. Running faster than about 25MPH is very rare, even for passenger trains as we run multiple trains on each mainline. The big thing to watch, though, if moving to scale wheels is that 36" radius (O-72) is where your curves typically start; 48" or 60" is much better (O-96/O-120, respectively) in both appearance and operation. That said, I have the following MTH scale-wheel locomotives in my collection that have all successfully run on 36" radius:
   • C44-9W
   • AC4400W
   • C40-9W
   • ES44
   • SD70ACe
   • U25B
   • GP35
   • GP38-2
   • UP Big Boy (Yes it works, but looks silly) Keep in mind it's a 3-rail build with 2-rail wheels.
   • ATSF 4-6-4 Hudson (Blue Goose and Non-streamlined)

I've always liked the look of 2-rail track, but when I returned to the hobby, going 2-rail wasn't practical. My investment in 3-rail equipment requires me to retain 3-rail capability, but all of my designing is as if I was building a 2-rail layout (wider curves, larger turnouts). I run at a 3-rail club (including a lot of scale-wheeled equipment) and it's pretty reliable, but does find bad spots in the track which we quickly correct.

Hope this helps some.