Do we have any O scale traction fans here?

@artfull dodger posted:

For those that have precious little space and want to model in O scale 2 rail, traction modeling could be the answer.  With tight curves being common, traction can fit in places that steam/diesels cannot manage.   I bought this MTS North Shore Line Brill coach last winter.  Most O scale traction comes unpowered(strange to me), so the trucks were removed and sent to Quentin over at Q-car for conversion to powered.  One truck gets a micro motor drive to both axles, and the other gets matching wheels to prevent derailments.  One can have both trucks powered, but there really is no need to.  I have mine set up to run on 2 rail power so I can run the car till I build the working overhead trolley wire.  The car is nearly dead silent in operation, just the sound of wheels on rails, very little to no motor or drive noise.   She will go around 42" diameter curves or even tighter if needed.   Some lines ran outside 3rd rail, which North Shore used once they were on the "L" in downtown Chicago.  Having modeled traction in HO scale, with noisy spring belt drives and tempermental power pick, O scale is sooooo much better.  Just wish the cars came already powered.   I am now selling the remaining few pieces of HO brass to fund a second coach for my small layout I am planning.  Excuse the layout mess, still in transition and a bit of a "catch all" at the moment.

Yes.  Unpowered; very little imported with power.  Q-Car power is the current gold standard. Depending on weight of the car and inclines on your layout, and then what you may or not add to an interior, a single motor at the right gear ration will suffice for most cars. You can generally go quite a bit tighter than 42" curves - like radius - with most traction.  I also tend to use insulated drives -- someday, someday, someday that overhead will go up.

Yes, my drive is insulated so I can run on just the rails for now, overhead is in the future and North Shore used inside 3rd rail once on the "L", CA&E did as well.  I am looking for a brass CA&E car as well as that is my 2nd favorite traction line.   My layout is only 4'x7' so tight curves are the norm.  planning a basic suburban/edge of Chicago area that could be for either CNS&M or CA&E.  I thought about having dual power just as I like having all axles driven, but cost wise I just went with single truck power.   Maybe after getting a 2nd car powered I will have this one dual powered.   Quentin's drives are the gold standard and well worth the wait.  He did a great job on my trucks, dead silent with the micro motor he uses, all I hear is wheels on rail.   One other reason I thought about having the other truck powered is to pull a non powered trailer car and only having one of my CNS&M coaches powered.   I am looking at doing a basic interior with seats and a few details where the motorman will be.   I am looking for a pro painter to paint the car next, either as 160 or 162, not sure if in Greenliner or the later simplified green/red.   

Count me in as a traction fan.  Sierra Street Railway.  Streetcars.  Wire's going up soon.  Presently 3 rail. (Superstreets).  Many more cars than needed for the amount of track (room's a problem), but I like variety.

I remember these cars well, running from downtown Milwaukee in  the streets, threw the south side , on the way to Chicago. Once on the L they got their power from an outside 3rd rail ( you can see the detail in the truck side frames

Had the North Shore survived to modern times, I suspect it would be packed at rush hour just as Metra and the South Shore are today.  It a travisty of short sighted politicians that the CNS&M was allowed to die.  Even if it took subsitities to get it thru the lean years and modernize the equipment. 

Many years ago, our rr group went to a MCR NMRA Convention and one of the layout tours was a traction layout with fully function overhead catenary.  The owner did a first rate job really nice.  All was going well until someone in our group decided to pluck the catenary wire like a guitar string.

For you old timers, if you remember the Beatles song, “I Feel Fine” and the opening guitar feedback note, well the sound the catenary made sounded just like that.  The sound traveled through all the catenary hiding where it originated and the owner was none too pleased.  As luck would have it I had a two coffees in one hand and a small plate of donuts in the other so I was in the clear.

I have several 3 rail trolleys but that is all.  I run them "mostly" around the town & suburbs.  Since they are 3 rail I could run them anywhere.
I have two portable shelf layouts.  One is 10 feet long and the other is 8 feet long.  I can run them slow using the bumpers & a small DC power pack.
(Also note the category for traction to see if there are posts there of your interest.)   Dennis.

I currently have 3rd rail North Shore coaches in greenliner and Silverliner paint schemes. I also own two 3rd rail Electroliners. All run on 3 rail. I own a few Clouser/Bronze Key kits too.

I enjoy traction, but am trying to avoid getting into yet another aspect of the hobby. 

Here's a thread about a guy near South Bend who has an extensive O-scale trolley layout in his basement:  https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...end-electric-railway

I wish I would have been into traction back when those 3rd rail models came out.  Might have gotten the greenliner set in 2 rail.  Not a huge silverliner fan, but do like the various green schemes and the earlier traction orange scheme the North Shore used.  I am planning to do a model of car 172, which belonged to a late friend of mine, he was one of the final if not the final crew on duty the night they turned the lights out on the North Shore.  His car, 172, was donated to IRM and will be fully restored in the coming years.  I rode this car several times as a young boy when it was operational down at the ITM museum.   

What's not to like? It's on rails isn't it! Old enough to have seen a few trolleys, but don't recall ever riding on one.

I would patronize a good light rail or trolley system were it available. Too many GOOD things have gone extinct because of so called progress!

ECI

@artfull dodger posted:

I am looking for a brass CA&E car as well as that is my 2nd favorite traction line.   

They show up periodically but tend to be beyond my budget constraints.  Easier for me to just build cars in my shop that I want to have or envision.

I have been into traction for the last 10 or 12 years. 3 Rail at the moment and into the future but 2 rail is around for sure. I once unintentionally insulted a manufacturer by asking if something could be made in 3 rail. Yikes! While tedious, at least for me, stringing the overhead was something else. I run a couple of Labelle's, a Bowser, and an MTH bump-n-go; all converted to overhead. My best looking trolley is a Western Hobbycraft (not converted) but I do love my Labelle's. I might be able to get another 9' by 5' area for a table in the basement. I have been wondering just what to do with it. A little "Marxing" or more trolley? I agree with Artful Dodger on being in the hobby a little earlier................

Train and Traction ON!

Jim K

I have:

--four of the Western Hobbycraft trolleys

--two MTH ones (Brill and PCC equipped with a sound file from a standard-gauge trolley) that I did voiceovers for

--MTH and Third Rail Electroliners

--and a Third Rail Greenliner.

As you might've guessed, these are all 3-rail. I've been interested in acquiring other streetcar/interurban/light rail models, but the constraint is always powered trucks for 3-rail track. (an earlier discussion on the matter)

---PCJ

I am a BIG fan of traction and have a number of 3-rail trolley models and PCC cars. Would love to feature a nicely done trolley layout or subway layout in the magazine if I could just convince one or more of you folks to submit one.

Trolleys and heavy electrics—what’s not to love.  Running an electric off of an electric trolley wire or catenary—now that’s prototypical.

Hello Guys

I usually frequent the subways-traction section of the OGR Forum.  Have been a member here as of now,  20 years !  

I am into BOTH Rapid Transit and Streetcar traction modeling --- first starting out in HO Scale NY City rapid transit back in 1958 and more so in 1964 .  And expanding it far larger ( as a modular system from beginning) once I moved to Pennsylvania at end of Dec. 1969. By 1984 the HO layout was (EL with trolley beneath)  32' by 8'  In 1985 I moved to O Scale Traction & Rapid Transit Modular built Layout (39' x 7' ) with trolley section fully compatible to hook up with East Penn Traction Club modules at many large train shows between Dec. 1986 thru 1992. (EL with trolley below) and continue there to this date. I am mainly well known on Traction forums.

I also have an around the train-room (modular 39' x 16' wall shelves layout) continuous rectangular multi track Mainline Railroad Layout - modeling mainline Passenger and Commuter trains  (PRR, LIRR, NYCRR, NHRR, B&O, Reading, CNJ, SEPTA  in heavyweight and streamline fleets,  various road paint  schemes  by decades.

Here BELOW are a very few of my quite many photos of my O Scale EL & Trolley system

The above are just a FRACTION of images in my huge FLICKR Photo Albums Page.  ALBUMS are set up to reflect particular Rapid Transit and Streetcar line companies (IRT, BMT, etc.)  and ALBUMS showing both pre-war and post war rolling stock, ALBUM of work trains / cars, ALBUM of street scenes,  ALBUM of  buildings along the EL, ALBUM of Stations along the EL etc.  and more albums.

Here BELOW s the link to the Flickr ALBUMS Page- for those who want to see much more (and videos) of this large layout.  My HO Scale EL Albums (photos between 1964 thru 1970 and photos from 1970 thru 1984) are seen.  And much more !

NYC MODEL TRANSIT SYSTEM --  https://www.flickr.com/photos/44268069@N00/albums

regards - Joe F

@Joseph Frank posted:

Here BELOW are a very few of my quite many photos of my O Scale EL & Trolley system

NYC MODEL TRANSIT SYSTEM --  https://www.flickr.com/photos/44268069@N00/albums

regards - Joe F

The finest modeling I have ever seen.

MELGAR

Hello again,  Melgar !

Thanks for that nice compliment - appreciated !  You have seen my work here before, on another forum I believe.    I also have seen some excellent very fine 2 rail and 3 rail and HO Scale "mainline railroad"  modeling both here and at other forums.  As I said I model HO Scale mainline RR passenger & commuter trains (about 300 passenger cars roster) but am limited to operating them on a narrow shelf layout system with scenery - but limited in "width", on the shelf modules.  But nothing like a full blown layout with town and country scenes I see on so many fine layouts. .  Anyway,  all that other modeling I've seen for decades has inspired me to do what I do.  I hope my modeling does the same to (at least in traction side, heh)  what I do. 

And thanks to the other 4 here who posted LIKE mentions !

BELOW are a few more images you may like !  -----------   Regards - Joe F