Questions about "O" Scale

[swknox]

High y'all



Whats the main difference (Besides one looks real and one dosn't) between 2 rail O scale and 3 Rail O Scale. I am thinking of taking a recess on HO and want something different. Something to give me the spark and to put the passion into my scale rail advendtures again. I'm not giving up on HO though. I like MTH brand of locos but don't know much about 3 rail. Atlas sells two rail and I have a large HO collection of atlas that I'm trilled with so thats the direction I leaning too, But just want everyone's two cents...

Oh and 1 more thing. Speaking of Atlas, the Dash 8 40-B's set I bought has a hell of a growl to it and was wondering if anybody else experienced the same thing if you have this model. Mine are the Conrail units, DCC Decoder equip. All the other units I bought from atlas runs great and quiet. Any suggestions?

[dknelson]

O two rail is DC and is wired like HO. O three rail is usually AC and has its own wiring and control issues (of course there is DCC for both). Most three rail stuff can tolerate a much sharper radius than 2 rail scale stuff. There is beautiful stuff available in both that is for sure. Dave Nelson

[DSchmitt]

O scale 3-rail normally has flanged wheels with over size truck mounted couplers. The cars normally sit a little higher than scale because of this. 3-rail wiring is simpler and minimum curve radius generally smaller. 3-rail is ahead of 2-rail in offering sound, smoke units, and automatic features. Add on details on 3-rail equpment is usually more rugged and sometimes a little oversize. The deep flanges was originally designed for running on tinplate tubular track but of course the work on T-rail (like Atlas) too.

Some 3-railers are converting to the closer to scale wheels and body mounted couplers (as used by 2-railers) in order to get the best of both the 2-rail and 3-rail world.

I have O 2-rail and like many of my brethen have converted some MTH and K-line cars to 2-rail. K-line is developing cars which will be offered in both 3 and 2-rail or at least be easier to converet. MTH has made some 2-rail locos, but I don't think any have been offered recently

Note that there is O tinplate, O scale (2-rail and 3-rail are both 5' gauge), and Proto48 (very accurate detailed scale models and correct 4' 8 1/2" track gauge)

[Big_Boy_4005]

If you really want to hear about 3 rail O, come over to the Classic Toy Trains forum, because that is mostly what we discuss. The differences that the others have pointed out so far are correct. Atlas and Weaver make their products both for 2 and 3 rail operation. Lionel, K-line and MTH only 3 rail.

3 rail O also has command control available, but there is no standard. MTH has gone out and created a different system from the TMCC system orriginally offered by Lionel. Personally I perfer the Lionel system because it has more flexibility, and the other manufacturers have agreed to include it in their engines. The MTH system can be made to control trains that use TMCC, but some of the flexibility is lost if you choose to do this.

[swknox]

Thanks Guys I'll post the same topic on the CTT forums.