I feel like an amateur asking this 3 rail, 2 rail rolling stock question?

Gerry posted:

Hello all, 

I have a 3 rail layout with Atlas track and switches. I have many pieces of rolling stock I have converted to kadee couplers. My question is, can I run 2 rail rolling stock on my layout?

Yes, depending on two things:

1) The tread width of some 2-Rail wheels do NOT work as well as some others. The slightly wider the wheel tread, the better. I preferred Weaver 2-Rail Bettendorf trucks .

2) You will need to add shims to the tops of all the guard rails on your Atlas turnouts. The idea is to shim the guard rails up to the same height as the running rails (I can't remember the exact thickness of styrene I used, but something around ten thousands to twenty thousands thick, then use a straightedge to make sure they are the same height. Then paint the styrene to match your weathered track.)

And if so will any kadee coupler work?

Yes. However be aware that the new "700 series" Kadee will NOT couple to a lobster claw. The 805 Kadee will couple to quite a few different manufacture's lobster claws. Since I had all my freight equipment and locomotives up-graded to Kadees, when the new "700series" came out, I then used mostly the 740 Kadee.

Thanks for your help!

Hot Water posted:

Gerry posted:

Hello all, 

I have a 3 rail layout with Atlas track and switches. I have many pieces of rolling stock I have converted to kadee couplers. My question is, can I run 2 rail rolling stock on my layout?

Yes, depending on two things:

1) The tread width of some 2-Rail wheels do NOT work as well as some others. The slightly wider the wheel tread, the better. I preferred Weaver 2-Rail Bettendorf trucks .

2) You will need to add shims to the tops of all the guard rails on your Atlas turnouts. The idea is to shim the guard rails up to the same height as the running rails (I can't remember the exact thickness of styrene I used, but something around ten thousands to twenty thousands thick, then use a straightedge to make sure they are the same height. Then paint the styrene to match your weathered track.)

And if so will any kadee coupler work?

Yes. However be aware that the new "700 series" Kadee will NOT couple to a lobster claw. The 805 Kadee will couple to quite a few different manufacture's lobster claws. Since I had all my freight equipment and locomotives up-graded to Kadees, when the new "700series" came out, I then used mostly the 740 Kadee.

Thanks for your help!

 

Thanks Hot Water, very good info. 

I have two upper mainlines with Atlas track but without any switches. I'm going to try some atlas 2 rail on them. 

GERRY,

Without any turnouts (switches), you will have no problems at all with virtually ANY 2-Rail trucks, except those Proto 48 type.

My Atlas track does great with 2 rail Atlas cars. I have also been able to couple the new Kadee 700 series to some but not all of my lobster claws. 

Here's an update. Bought a SF 2 rail Atlas covered hopper at the Big E. Here it is (second car) running on Atlas 3 rail track and through 2 back to back 7.5 Atlas switches without any issues. 

I'm afraid now with how much better and more "scale" these 2 rail cars look. All my others in 3 rail don't compare!

Thanks for the input from everyone convincing me to take the 2 rail plunge.

l

Thanks for sharing.  Really nice layout and run.