3 rail 2 rail

[Anonymous]

What is the difference other than the rails. Will a two rail train run on a three rail track and vice versa?

[BR60103]

On a 2 rail system, the two rails form the 2 sides (negative and positive or live and ground) of the electrical system. On a 3 rail system, the inside rail is live and the outside is ground.
Locomotives from one system will not get any current from the other system. In addition, 3 rail rolling stock will cause shorts on 2 rail layouts since the wheels & axles are usually continuous metal. 2 rail cars will run on 3 rail tracks.
As well, 3 rail rolling stock usually has larger flanges and will bump along scale rails. There may also be problems with narrow wheel sets at switches and crossings.

[IRONROOSTER]

Also, the three rail system uses tubular track which probably won't work well with RP25 contours generally found on scale wheels. Don't know if they will work on the Atlas 3 rail track which is more like scale rail thoough it still has wide flange ways in the turnouts. Some S turnouts uses a pivoting system to actually close the both the points and the frog which allows both scale and hirail to operate over code 125 and 148 track. Don't know if anyone has a similar turnout in O. You could build your own, and lay your own track that had all three rails isolated from each other so you could run 2 rail and 3 rail trains over it by switching between AC (using 3 rails) and DC (using 2 rails)). Probably need to use code 172 rail. or larger for the deep flanges.
Enjoy
Paul

[FJ and G]

ironrooster.

Code 148 operates adequately for all 3 rail trains built after about 1950. You could substitute the middle rail with a thin wire.

I've done this in experiments and in the next month or so, will build a huge layout, handlaying my own track and running a single-strand 14-ga copper wire (from Romex cable) for the center rail. I'm soldering the wire to copper roofing nails stuck into the ties every 3 or 4 inches.

The wire sort of blends in with the ballast and you get all the advantages of 3 rails such asno need for special reverse loop wiring plus you can run old Lionel trains or more modern highly detailed kind.

I'm modeling Abo Canyon and it will have real running water (desert thunderstorm) and be about 35 feet long. Running a huge helix around my HVAC and will be creating multiple levels with scratchbuilt animation stuff.

You can see my last layout (not as elaborate) featured in Sept03 CTT (7 pages of article and pictures).

[IRONROOSTER]

FJ and G
Thanks for the info. Sounds like quite an undertaking you have planned.
Enjoy
Paul

[FJ and G]

Thanks Paul,

I enjoy reading your posts.

BTW, a lot of "scale" folks don't realize that many of us toy train folks have incredibly detailed layouts that would rival the best HO & N scale trains.

When it comes down to it, they are after all, all just toys.