@MainLine Steam posted:Funny I get that question all the time when I talked to people out here (questioning my sanity?). Grandkids!
BTW by the time you get to Poughkeepsie, and even further Upstate, not that different from WI. Except for the crazy cost of living! But the winters are milder here in Poughkeepsie, we hit 50 deg today.
I just moved upstate near Syracuse from GA. I get that question all the time too...
I got to visit a couple of the 2 rail home layouts in the Indy area during the last fall O scale meet a few years ago. I really wish we had a 2 rail club in Indiana. With such a small room for a layout, 10'x9', even a switching layout is difficult with steam locos. AD
@artfull dodger posted:I got to visit a couple of the 2 rail home layouts in the Indy area during the last fall O scale meet a few years ago. I really wish we had a 2 rail club in Indiana. With such a small room for a layout, 10'x9', even a switching layout is difficult with steam locos. AD
It can be done
@MainLine Steam posted:Funny I get that question all the time when I talked to people out here (questioning my sanity?). Grandkids!
BTW by the time you get to Poughkeepsie, and even further Upstate, not that different from WI. Except for the crazy cost of living! But the winters are milder here in Poughkeepsie, we hit 50 deg today.
50? we had 5
I am all game for it, but have no place to put a club layout. We used to have a modular group, but it faded away. Not even sure the layout still exists anymore(it used to as I tried to get them to sell or allow it to be used again). I am thinking about attempting a small switching layout with an AHM/Rivarossi 0-8-0 and a few cars with steel mill false fronts along the wall. About the cheapest way one can dabble with 2 rail O scale steam.
@Dave Koehler posted:50? we had 5
Well it has cooled here somewhat, only 36 deg for highs the last couple of days. I have friends and family back in WI that I call pretty often. I keep telling them I may move somewhere else in the future, but it Won't be back to WI. Having lived there 60 years I just "accepted" the winters. When my daughter moved out here she said, "it is so much better". I knew she wasn't lying, but until I moved out here, just didn't get it. Keep telling my younger sister, she needs to move when she retires.
@MainLine Steam posted:Well it has cooled here somewhat, only 36 deg for highs the last couple of days. I have friends and family back in WI that I call pretty often. I keep telling them I may move somewhere else in the future, but it Won't be back to WI. Having lived there 60 years I just "accepted" the winters. When my daughter moved out here she said, "it is so much better". I knew she wasn't lying, but until I moved out here, just didn't get it. Keep telling my younger sister, she needs to move when she retires.
Im way north , up near the UP. Its a beautiful state., Trees lakes open countryside. Just wish my great grand parents and families, came over from Prussia, they would have settled, where it was warmer. The Baltic doesn't get this cold
@Dave Koehler posted:Im way north , up near the UP. Its a beautiful state., Trees lakes open countryside. Just wish my great grand parents and families, came over from Prussia, they would have settled, where it was warmer. The Baltic doesn't get this cold
Admittedly it also depends where you live in NY State, it like WI has real variety. If I had moved to Buffalo I know I would NOT have an improved Winter Climate. The far north along Lake Superior and the UP is amazing (from June to August). About 40 years ago I travelled with some friends to Marquette, MI for Labor Day. It Snowed!
Jim,
Not much of a poster myself. I also have just started a 2R layout. 18 x 30 Garage takeover. LOL
I don't live far from Poughkeepsie. Brewster
Best of Luck
Bill
@artfull dodger posted:With such a small room for a layout, 10'x9', even a switching layout is difficult with steam locos. AD
Using engines that qualify as switchers should make that quite doable. 0-4-0's & 0-6-0's would seem ideal.
@Bill Grafmiller posted:Jim. Yes on the converted/ modified. I use gargraves phantom high rail tinplate track and switches and a few Ross switches. My plan is to replace the 3 rail with 2 rail track. I will still use the same switches. I plan on doing a small section first . I want to make sure that this will work with my existing high rail Rolling stock. Right now I am in the process of stripping out all track connected wires.
I just replaced a section of 3 rail track and replaced with gargraves 2 rail tin plate. There is a gargraves switch in this section i left the original gargraves 3 rail switch inplace . Trains ran through with no problems. My plan is to continue on with track replacement. I am also cleaning and rearranging the scenery as I go. Thinking of painting the new track . I am not sure best way to do that. Would like some input from you all. 🤔
Thanks guys for the info.
Bill G - I am glad to hear you won't have to redo all the switches, that could become expensive and time consuming.
Ratsnest - Glad to hear you are making progress on your layout. I would like to see it at sometime. I am even closer than you may think, live in Poughkeepsie Township, almost in Wappingers.
Small corner of Maryland, 5 O scalers within 15 minutes of each other. 3 good size layouts, another with a portable club layout and one on the way. But there are alot of O scalers that have a great time collecting and building,
@MainLine Steam posted:Thanks guys for the info.
Bill G - I am glad to hear you won't have to redo all the switches, that could become expensive and time consuming.
Ratsnest - Glad to hear you are making progress on your layout. I would like to see it at sometime. I am even closer than you may think, live in Poughkeepsie Township, almost in Wappingers.
Jim. Yes I figured by using the three rail gargraves switches that would keep my expenses down. Just replacing the 3 rail track with 2 rail is a little expensive. I also got the bug to change out my switch machines for ground throws. I really like the look and the hands on when running trains. The only switch machines in place are the hard to reach areas. I am also changing 2/3 of my layout scenery. So right now I am completely shut down in running trains, should have all the new track layed down by tomorrow. Run some trains and see if and where I need to tweak . Do some detailing then start with new scenery. I also tore out all my track wiring. I am deadrail so will have no need for it. Also stripped out out all lighted scenery going to start fresh .Have not made up my mind if lighted scenery will be battery power or electrical. I like the different options that Evans designs give you. Also need to take into account the miller signs I have and a few new ones that have caught my eye. Bottom line is I am not a tru 2 rail layout just 2 rail/deadrail battery powered. So far I love it.
I’m continuing to make progress on my new 2 rail layout, slowly albeit but having lots of fun. Finished installing 10ga buss/18ga feeders for these sections. I also finished installing Tortoises for all turnouts and wiring them to remote switch panels, along with nearly finishing ballasting the sections.
Also playing around with Photoshop to see what background I’ll go with for this scene. So far I’m liking something like this.
Still have to weather rails but will do that once I have modules moved out to complete building walls on this side of basement.
I also received a new shipment of flex track from Right O Way so will begin work on next the scene soon. I’ve always wanted to incorporate a scene like this trestle in Feather River Canyon so that is what I’ll be shooting for.
John
John. I really like what you have done. I love your backdrop it looks real. Keep us updated on your layout.
@jgtrh62 posted:I’m continuing to make progress on my new 2 rail layout, slowly albeit but having lots of fun. Finished installing 10ga buss/18ga feeders for these sections. I also finished installing Tortoises for all turnouts and wiring them to remote switch panels, along with nearly finishing ballasting the sections.
Also playing around with Photoshop to see what background I’ll go with for this scene. So far I’m liking something like this.
Still have to weather rails but will do that once I have modules moved out to complete building walls on this side of basement.
I also received a new shipment of flex track from Right O Way so will begin work on next the scene soon. I’ve always wanted to incorporate a scene like this trestle in Feather River Canyon so that is what I’ll be shooting for.
John
WOW!!! 
Nice work John.
A discussion on scale bridge building would be a great topic to get started.
( Hint, Hint )
John
Coeurd Alene, Idaho
Are you in the Pacific Northwest John?
This is a great post on 2 rail layouts, I hope it goes on forever!
@Dave Koehler posted:and don't forget, all the Narrow gauge guys and Traction modeler's. All still O scale on 2 rail track. Just goes to show, you don't need 3 rails to run on tight curves
Well, the true traction modelers DO need a "third rail" but it is normally suspended about eighteen feet above the center of the track! Or, occasionally, to one side of the track for subway modeling.
My tuscan/cream car is at least sixty or so years old and my friend's layout close to fifty.
Question for John: I checked the ROW website and there is no info re: flex track. Is this the Microengineering flex track?
BTW, great scenes on your RR!
Regards,
Ed
@Derailed10o posted:Are you in the Pacific Northwest John?
Thanks John! No, I'm in the Midwest. I've have always been fond of western mountain railroading though and they've influenced me as long as I can recall. Feather River Canyon, Williams Loop, Keddie Wye, Tennessee Pass, Royal Gorge, Moffatt line, Colorado Joint line, Cajon Pass, Tehachapi Loop are some of my favorites. My daughter went to WSU/Pullman so I was also lucky enough to have spent some time in your neck of the woods, those old Milwaukie Road, GN and NP routes are really impressive.
@Ed Kelly posted:Question for John: I checked the ROW website and there is no info re: flex track. Is this the Microengineering flex track?
BTW, great scenes on your RR!
Regards,
Ed
Thanks Ed! The flex track is Proto48 that ME manufactures for ROW. They got a batch in a week ago or so but may be out of stock again, I'd contact ROW to check if interested. I believe ROW stated ME was sending the flex track's tooling out for maintenance but then would likely have more produced once that work was completed.
John
Hi John,
I am an OW5 er so the Proto48 track won't work for me. Also, I have found the ME flex track to be difficult to work with so I have relegated it to straight sections of my hidden staging.
If ROW sends out their OW5 flex track tooling for maintenance, perhaps they could introduce more flexibility into the track.
Thanks,
Ed
ECI,
Thanks. I saw that video some years ago and the author used to post regularly. Then, nothing. Hope all is well with him.
Ed
Ed,
Atlas is about the easiest flexing O scale track I've seen.
ME for the tangent and Atlas for the curves.
The rails are almost identical in shape and color.
ECI
ECI,
Thanks.
I will add one more home layout to the count, mine.
Regards,
Ed
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