2 rail diesel cost&2 rail turnouts

Well $315 and free shipping could get you started

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5388-MTH-UNION-PACIFIC-2-RAIL-O-SCALE-GP9-DIESEL-LOCOMOTIVE-/251331800947?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item3a848aef73

 

 

Confused.  Why start at buying 3rl to convert to 2rl - why not just buy 2rl to start? 

What does the lack of HO sales have to do with this - trying to sell your off to finance O?  Maybe lowering prices will help?

 

Just bought 2 Weaver diesels for ~$80 each this past month - basic DC units to use the drives for powering traction freight motors, but affordable stuff is out there...

"I was told it'll cost about $60 per axle to change to 2rl. This isn't official&I need professional 2railers knowledge on this subject." Total cost $240 for a 4 axle diesel.

 

While that may be true, that is not the way I would go about converting an Atlas 3 rail engine to 2 rail. What I would do is get the 2 rail trucks from Atlas. Fortunately, Atlas is one of the few O gauge companies that will sell locomotive trucks separately. Then I would sell the 3 rail trucks and most likely recoup most of my cost. Total cost should be less than $50.

 

I agree with you that the changeovers or conversions are a pain in the neck in O but it is something that I have gotten used to. I've been able to find many great deals on scale 3 rail rolling stock. Even after the cost of conversion I still got the item at a good price. So converting rolling stock is just an evil that I will have to put up with. I always sell the 3 rail parts after a conversion and usually recoup most of my costs.

 

I don't understand what you meant by "since nothing in HO is selling", could you elaborate on that some more?

Ok,read this post,glad to hear it,see this newbie,is gradually learning.
Al

Hudson:
Didn't mean to critisize 2 rail at all,sorry. All I was saying was I've never seen the points on an Atlas t/o except in 3rl. Just from pictures at too far a distance to make a final judgement,the points look like an early HO turnout-they look all thin,not tapered from the point,then get wider as they progress toward the frog,as the prototype does. Have you seen 1 to help me out? Do any other companies make 2 rl t/os for under $100?
 
What I'm interested in,is GP38s&40s,but can't find them in O scale. The reason I don't start buying in 2rl,is simply because I can't find diesels in those sizes,(GP38&40), decorated for CSX,as that's mostly what I model, or decorated in Chessie&the predessor 'roads that are part of CSX,such as Family Lines System. 
 
The reason I mention the HO not selling,is because I have thousands of dollars invested in mostly all new diesels&rolling stock that are still in the boxes. An Atlas GP38 that I paid $100 for new that's never seen track time,they want to steal for $50 high side. Those diesels are all DCC ready. I have to sell the HO to get into O Scale,was my point. I want Prototype working couplers&airlines in O Scale,that's 1 reason I got interested in it,plus the size. Mentioning size,in a 15' width,what radius will I be able to fit in? I had templates with the roadbed all included,called a Gandydancer,to help me lay my track in HO,but nothing like that exists in O,so I don't know how to draw my curves.
 
Thank you for your input,look forward to learning more from you.
Al

Alan,

I noticed from your profile you live in Indiana. You should go to the Indianapolis 2 rail show in September to see just how much is available in 2 rail O.

 

While Lionel does no 2 rail and MTH has limited offerings, other importers such as Atlas, Weaver, Sunset, and Golden Gate make all their offerings available in both 2 and 3 rail from the factory.

 

By going to an O scale show you may discover there is a lot of equipment and supplies (track,etc) available in 2 rail that is not familiar to 3 railers such as PSC, Lobaugh, Overland, All Nation, Kemtron, Signature Switch, Micro Engineering track, and a host of others.

 

 

 

 

Thank you. All manufactuers I know of are what I've found surfing the O scale web.
Thanks again.
Al

If you manage to get $50, sadly experience tells me you'll be lucky.  I help clear out estates and we sell NIB DCC ready or even equipped diesels for $25 and it's slow moving them at that price.

This is among the more interesting threads.  You like the looks of three rail switches, and want the economy of three rail Diesels?  Your path is clear.  Go 3-rail.

 

Most of us are in 2-rail because we find 3-rail track incongruous with scale modeling.  It is as simple as that - if you like the looks of the center rail, you belong in that end of the hobby.  If you want track that looks like the real thing, 2- rail is a nice first step.

 

I personally have a difficult time justifying the width of our track, so my modeling is in 17/64.  I started out in 1957 with something closer to Q gauge, but that proved impractical.

Go to this website and study their product line...might give you more to consider.

http://www.oscaleturnouts.com/

 

I suggest you make a scale drawing of your available space, that is a basic starting point from which you can determine track curvature radius, and many other fitment issues.

rheil gave you some good advice. Go to the shows that are close to you. Check out O scale really well. Get to know all the companies and get to know what things go for. I've seen Weaver FAs and GP38s go for under $100. My advice is don't spend a DIME until you are educated in what is a good price for something and what isn't a lemon. Most of the time the above companies put out good quality stuff but every now and they put out a lemon. You don't want to get stuck with a lemon. I got burned a few times when I first got into O scale. Get opinions here or from friends before a major purchase. If I can help someone avaoid some of the pitfalls I fell into then I feel a little better about those times I got burned.

Good advice from Phil & Tom.  Rushing out and jumping into the deep end rarely results in good things happening other than emptying the wallet. 

I like the looks of 2rl better also,being in 2rl in HO,it's what I've come to love. The thing 3rlers have as an advantage,is that group of railroaders has Ross&Gargraves in addition to Atlas for track. I can't buy anything from Atlas on a regular basis as according to Atlas,they might be caught up by mid summer,maybe not. Gargraves&Ross,make their products in the USA. So there's options there. I wish it was all 2rail so modelers in O would have a constant wide varity of diesels to choose from,whereas trying to serve both markets,there's a shortage in 2rail. If I go 3rail,I still want the radius of 2rl,but also have to make expensive changes to add scale couplers. I dispise the large flanges of 3rl,so I'm at constant odds with myself.
 
I don't go to swap meets,because I'm Epileptic&don't drive long distances,so you fellows&what I see advertised,are my lifelines. My wife is in poor health as far as traveling also,so my world is at my fingure tips,so-to-speak.
In O scale,with the months I've been working trying to get in it,you're all correct,waiting is the best option,I'm just trying to decide firmly what direction I need to head into&focus on that direction. 
 
Thank you,
Al

Guess I misinterpreted your first post.  If you hate big flanges and center rails, then do not consider a hobby including them.

 

There is enough 2-rail stuff on eBay right now to sink a battleship! (not really, but still, about a thousand items).  Figure out what locomotive you wish to start with, and get one.  Track appears too, although not every week.  Switches are always available.

 

There is something for every bank account.  You should have seen the Trainz auctions - hard to imagine some of the bargains that went down with that sale.

bob2 -- If you work at a scale of 17/64"=1' (1:45.176), then regular O gauge track with 1.25" between rail heads yields the equivalent of 4' 8.46", which is pretty darn close to 4'-8.50 (4'-81/2").

 

But with respect to Q-gauge, I recall reading that Minton Cronkhite worked with Q-gauge in the 1930s, which I believe was 1.1875" (1-3/16") between rail heads, yielding the equivalent of 4'-9" at a scale of 1/4"=1' (1:48).  Is that correct?

B Smith - yeah, seems about right.  My "Q"gauge is 1 1/8" gauge, or 4'6".  My wheels are .172 tread, which puts the outside of the wheel (and side frame) at just about exactly the right spot.  I have four locomotives and maybe eight cars converted to that gauge.  It was just too much work.

 

The 17/64 models are larger, which makes me happy in several ways.  Plus, they can be run on others' railroads if clearances are not too tight.

I guess the idea with Q gauge was to stick with 1:48 proportion for the models, but use a simple, fractional inch track gauge that worked out closer to 4'-81/2" But there's really no need to get hung up on the idea of a "simple" fraction, when all you need to do make is a gauge like the NMRA one using whatever distance you want between the railheads. When I hand lay track, I never "measure" the distance, I just use the gauge. 

Thank you Tom for the help&encouragement. I REALLY like O scale&think I could put up a nice layout. I'm honestly,kind of scared of O scale, as so many variables have been presented to me over the last 5-6 months from 3rl&2rl modelers&manufactuers. It's hard to figure which will save the most money in the long run,or stay in HO,as I have so much of it,I've run out of ideas how to sell it. Yes face to face with modelers is the right way to go,but I live in Bremen,Indiana&there just seems to be noO scale modelers around here.
Thank you.
Al

Tom,

you forgot "if you want to have fun, make your own switches"!

AG.

I wouldn't over think it, just go with what you like the most.  It's your railroad and as such you just need to please yourself....so have fun with it.