Converting Lionel Post War to 2-rail

[Anonymous]

I am recently retired & after many years of collecting Lionel Post War I am ready to begin my layout. The many track choices for O Gauge has always intrigued me but I was about to settle on "Super O" when a thought crossed my mine. What I really want is 2 Rail, no, not the the 2 Rail scale hobby products that are available but simply my Post War engines & cars running on 2 rails. No degital sound, radio control or electricronic E units, just good old Post War on two rail track.

Is this feasible? Are they progfessionals who will convert the motors? Is there track available, track that does not need wheel/truck changes? Do I need new transformers, power packs?

Any help would be appreciated.

[lionelsoni]

The metal bolsters and sideframes of postwar trucks are a big problem.  If I were attempting this, I would probably replace metal trucks with later plastic ones, despite the drop in quality.  The axles are easy:  Cut them in two, with a small gap in the middle, then force the half-axles into a slightly undersized hole in a plastic dowel.

[FJ and G]

I converted all of my post-war and other 3-rail stuff to 2-rail b/c I wanted to save time and expense of spiking a center rail and b/c I didn't want to use track power anymore. Here's how I did my whole fleet for just $100 (putting the gear in a battery car--but it also fits in most locomotives)

1. Battery pack and charger 7.2 V Ni-Cd 2000mAH
From Radio Shack.
$20

(also use the more expensive 7.2V NiMh 38000, as it'll last even longer)

2. ProBoat Waterproof ESC (Electronic Speed Control with Reverse
http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=PRB2314
$40)

3. Ranger II HiTec Radio transmitter/receiver (any channel works, btw)
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXARP0**&P=0
$40

Total = $100

[lionelsoni]

Glenu, what Dave did is probably not what you were thinking of.  He is not getting his power from the rails at all, but from a battery.  This is quite an innovation and might seem at first glance harder than conversion to traditional two-rail power.  However, it is probably a lot less trouble, since he has no problems with insulating wheels nor rails.  If you really want two-rail operation, you should seriously consider it.

[FJ and G]

Some have converted to AC or DC 2-rail track power but that entails a lot of work like insulating the axles (or getting conversion trucks or having someone do it for you). There are people who do these things for money.

[3railguy]

A lot of people have swapped trucks with two rail trucks and mounted Kadee couplers under the frame. It is easy to bring the cars back to the origional condition when doing this. Locomotives often require boring the wheels on one side of the engine, installing insulator bushings, and  wheel wipers to pick up the current on that side of the engine leaving the frame energized with the opposing current. If you have a lot of engines and cars, you might find this to be more trouble than spiking a third rail. If it were me, my druthers would be to sell off the postwar and use the money for two rail equipment.

[dwiemer]

On a program I watched some time back, they featured a guy who converted all his engines/track to 2 rail Kind of.  What he did was to use the scale type two rail and then have a 3rd rail that was thin and off to the outside of his regular tracks.  It was a brass rail and was not very noticable.  Then he fashioned sliding shoes made of brass that extended out of the sides of his engines to power the trains.  I can't remember the program, but it was a very neat looking layout.

Dennis

[lionelsoni]

Dennis, that was the way O scale, as opposed to tinplate, was done in the beginning.  It was a way to use Lionel locomotives, like the scale Hudson, without the painful full conversion.  The rationalization was that some Eastern railroads existed with outside third rail.  You were not supposed to notice the shoes on the steam locomotives.

[Anonymous]

I appreciate the help/advice I've decided that 3 rail isn't so bad after all.

[phillyreading]

I would suggest staying with three rail but going to GarGraves track as the center rail is blackened and not easily seen right away. This way all you change out is the track!  To me converting to two rail is extremely expensive and time consuming, but if you have already started with two rail it is not bad!  Have you thought of using two rail for a trolley run and wire the center rail power overhead? In otherwords catinary system, MTH sells a catinary system or used to.   I am not against two rail as I have some American Flyer trains from the 1950's.

Lee F.