I am interested in exploring trains in other scale, such as American 1:48th O scale.One example I had the idea for a starter locomotive, is this older Atlas 2 rail O scale WDT industrial switcher in Union Pacific livery with silver trucks. I had the idea of super detailing it, and adding DCC & sound.One facbook O scale 2 rail page, I got some good info on others experiances. Some had removed part of the inner weight to add a decoder, even inside the roof part. I understand that if you want to enter the world of O scale 2 rail, alot of things from rolling stock need to be adjusted, added detail needed etc, you undnerstand what I mean.What has your experiance been with this locomotive? What should I know about it?
Since this forum is primarily geared toward "smaller than O-scale", you'll probably get a better response to your query over on the Classic Toy Train forum.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
tstage Since this forum is primarily geared toward "smaller than O-scale", you'll probably get a better response to your query over on the Classic Toy Train forum. Tom
It is a model. It is not a toy train. CTT deals with prewar and post war. Up 1969. The trackside photo does occasionally have newer stuff though. That being said, it would be worth a shot to post it over on the CTT board.
Enji1487I see. I however Tom see older 1970s and brass trains from the 70, 80s being worked on here all the time. Wouldn't this atlas model be considered a model and not a classic toy?
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An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
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The CTT forum is geared toward larger scales - e.g. 2- or 3-rail O. The MR forum generally draws the smaller scales - e.g. S, HO, N, and Z. So, its more about the size rather than quality.
That's not to say you can't post your query here. I was just suggesting you'll more likey to get more responses from the CTT group about an O-scale locomotive than you would here. Again, it's just a suggestion...
tstage The CTT forum is geared toward larger scales - e.g. 2- or 3-rail O. The MR forum generally draws the smaller scales - e.g. S, HO, N, and Z. So, its more about the size rather than quality. That's not to say you can't post your query here. I was just suggesting you'll more likey to get more responses from the CTT group about an O-scale locomotive than you would here. Again, it's just a suggestion... Tom
I have one of those locos. I run it under the Chrismas tree, along with a few other O scale locos I have. It was made by Roco. Mine runs very smoothly... have only read good things about that model. It probably pulls a lot of amps, I would check that out. Digitrax makes a few high amp decoders...
Simon
I can see that for the larger high current O scale decoders, you'd almost certainly have to remove at least some of that weight that fills up the cab. There appears to be no other open spaces inside the loco.
I would think here is the better place. There's aren't a lot of 2 rail scale O people, but I'd think they'd just as likely be here where we talk about scale models, not tinplate and hi-rail.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
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Engi1487 I am interested in exploring trains in other scale, such as American 1:48th O scale.One example I had the idea for a starter locomotive, is this older Atlas 2 rail O scale WDT industrial switcher in Union Pacific livery with silver trucks. I had the idea of super detailing it, and adding DCC & sound.One facbook O scale 2 rail page, I got some good info on others experiances. Some had removed part of the inner weight to add a decoder, even inside the roof part. I understand that if you want to enter the world of O scale 2 rail, alot of things from rolling stock need to be adjusted, added detail needed etc, you undnerstand what I mean.What has your experiance been with this locomotive? What should I know about it?
I have a couple of these. When buying one, make sure it runs. They date from the 70's when Atlas made it's first foray into 2 rail O scale.
Paul
My experience with the CTT forum is that it is only 3 rail O gauge that gets discussed there along with some S hirail mostly American Flyer.
2 rail O scale is a niche part of the hobby. I'm sure there are some 2 rail forums out there, but probably not real active.
S scale (as opposed to S hirail) is a smaller niche group, does have some forums and message groups.
It's an excellent engine to start with in 2 rail O scale. They are easy to find on Ebay and they are affordable. Roco did some good stuff... the F engines were good, but there were some gear issues. Kadee provides good couplers for O 2-rail. For cars, converting 3 rails is just not economical... with patience you can find atlas and old AHM stuff at reasonable costs. Passenger cars are more difficult... conversion from 3 rail is the cheapest option.
I appreciate greater discussion about 2 rail O scale. As my eyesight diminishes with age and since I build mainly switching layouts (with some mainline run), 2 rail O scale is becoming more interesting.
I've seen several 2 rail locomotives in hobby shops over the years. The detail is impressive.
- Douglas
rrebellWhy not do On30, lots of stuff and some run very well. Most in this scale tend to run older eras but there is a lot of stuff out there and of course scenery wise we are in a larger scale along with detail parts.
On30 is great if you want to do narrow gauge. One thing to remember is that structures are still full size O scale.
If the size appeals to you, S standard gauge cars and locomotives are about the same size as On30 but are main stream railraoding. Also the structures while larger than HO are smaller O so you can have more railroad for your space.
rrebell Engi1487 I am interested in exploring trains in other scale, such as American 1:48th O scale.One example I had the idea for a starter locomotive, is this older Atlas 2 rail O scale WDT industrial switcher in Union Pacific livery with silver trucks. I had the idea of super detailing it, and adding DCC & sound.One facbook O scale 2 rail page, I got some good info on others experiances. Some had removed part of the inner weight to add a decoder, even inside the roof part. I understand that if you want to enter the world of O scale 2 rail, alot of things from rolling stock need to be adjusted, added detail needed etc, you undnerstand what I mean.What has your experiance been with this locomotive? What should I know about it? Why not do On30, lots of stuff and some run very well. Most in this scale tend to run older eras but there is a lot of stuff out there and of course scenery wise we are in a larger scale along with detail parts.
Why not do On30, lots of stuff and some run very well. Most in this scale tend to run older eras but there is a lot of stuff out there and of course scenery wise we are in a larger scale along with detail parts.
I disagree with that assumption Tom, even if it is in fact the official Kalmbach assumption about the forums. Toy train types would be as much at sea about a scale model in O as they would about a scale model in HO, even if the size of the models might be familiar to them. For example, most readers of CTT except for the American Flyer types would find two rail wiring something they do not do and cannot help with, and these Atlas models used two rail.
The early Atlas O scale models which included an F unit and some freight cars were somewhat along the lines of the AHM/Rivaossi O scale models that came around that same time: they were some of the first mass production plastic models in O, and in a sense were a mismatch to the heavy wood and metal rolling stock that was, and often remains, the rule in O scale. The motors and engine weights were suited to their own plastic rolling stock and trucks but were challenged if expected to pull a train of, say, All Nation metal boxcars or the old Athearn metal boxcars, or the Walthers passenger car kits in O which weighed a ton and didn't roll well.
For that reason the existing O scalers at the time looked askance at the AHM and Atlas offerings in spite of the nice detail, as they needed remotoring and other modifications to really fit in unless the layout used Atlas and AHM freight cars almost exclusively. I do believe John Armstrong found a use for these small diesels on his outside third rail layout, wiring two together as a permanent double header to give it the oomph it needed for a very isolated part of his layout - the only two rail part of his layout as I recall.
This is a long winded way of saying that if you are serious about O scale scale modeling you might want to/need to remotor those old Atlas offerings, particularly if DCC will be involved, depending on what other O stuff you intend to run with it.
Dave Nelson
Sounds like an exciting scene.. I am building a portable layout that will have two loops, one for O scale locos and one for On30. Bachmann makes some pretty cool stuff in On30, and contrary to the old O scale 2 rail stuff, it is easier to find and easy to work with from an operations perspective. I find the rolling-stock a bit on the expensive side, but that's a fact of life in O scale 2 rail. But size matters to me... O scale locos are really impressive, at least for my eyes! This All-Nation loco was rebuilt a few months ago. It was quite the adventure...
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An On30 layout with an interchange point to a standard guage line is a good idea - allows more track (on the narrow guage side) while stuill having maybe a small loop of standard gauge O entering a scene for contrast but not needing nearly the space if the layout were entirely O standard gauge. This has been successfully pulled off in many scale/gauge combinations. Kind of allows you to have your cake and eat it, too. At least if the narrow gauge aspect is appealing.
rrinker An On30 layout with an interchange point to a standard guage line is a good idea - allows more track (on the narrow guage side) while stuill having maybe a small loop of standard gauge O entering a scene for contrast but not needing nearly the space if the layout were entirely O standard gauge. This has been successfully pulled off in many scale/gauge combinations. Kind of allows you to have your cake and eat it, too. At least if the narrow gauge aspect is appealing. --Randy
No - although there may be a small stretch of dual gauge track, there doesn;t have to be. If the narrow gauge railroad serves coal mines, for example, they can just dump into a coal tipple at the interchange point, which then loads the standard gauge coal hoppers, no dual gauge track needed.