How many 2 rail hi-rail operators are there here at this forum? We would like to do some 2 rail illuminated cabooses but don't know how many folks would want them.
Dave, LBR
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I am thinking more 2-railers are more interested in a specific prototype caboose rather than whether lighted or not. In other words, cabooses that model specific B&O, PRR, N&W, WM or whatever cars that these RRs had.
Just a thought to include in your thinking.
LIghts would help with detection circuits on the track and save from having to install resistors on the wheel sets.
You could make it for 3-railers with detachable rollers and insulated wheels on one side of each truck. Then you would have a very much larger market for only pennies more.
I consider myself in this category however I agree with Jim above. I am more concerned with prototypical accuracy for a caboose than whether it is illuminated or not. I realize the prototype did not run cabooses with lights on but I do have some lighted cabooses. I can let the lighting slide. I am not as fanatical as most 2 railers when it comes to accuracy.
I got burned twice as I have two cabooses that I bought more than ten years ago that are both painted in fantasy paint schemes. My bad, I should have researched the caboose before purchase.
For instance when I started to convert over to two I bought a MTH Reading caboose. I later found out after I converted it that it is a Santa Fe caboose painted in Reading colors and that the trucks are in the wrong by a foot or two. I can deal with the trucks being in the wrong spot as it doesn't stick out to my eye but I can't deal with the incorrect paint job. Unfortunately, now it is worthless because no 2 railer would ever want it. Like I said my bad but I learned a lesson.
Bottom line for me is if you produce a reasonably accurate caboose in one of the road names I collect I would buy it. The problem you will have is every 2 railer has a different definition of what is reasonably accurate or good enough for that individual. We seem to be a picky lot. I wish you good luck.
What is your plan? Are going to import a brass model or do a custom run of an Atlas caboose or produce your own model in plastic?
There are plenty of O Scale 2- rail cabooses out there. What he is asking is different - he is aiming at an almost non-existent market of 2-rail Hi-Railers.
That is a market that should exist - all the advantages(?) of 3-rail without the center rail. The answer is that you take a caboose, insulate one side of each truck and insulate the truck from the body (easy, since most Hi Rail is plastic) and hook the lights up.
But almost nobody does this, preferring to go totally scale 5' gauge 2-rail. That market is saturated with good quality cabooses. Three rail has some excellent choices too, with the above mentioned ATSF, the MTH N6b, various Weaver brass, and of course 3rd Rail. Most of these come in appropriate paint schemes. If you buy the N6b in SP lettering, only to discover your error later, there are still lots of PRR decals out there.
Just curious...how many 2 rail high railers are out there? Yoo Hoo, please sign in!
Simon
Originally Posted by bob2:
That is a market that should exist - all the advantages(?) of 3-rail without the center rail.
And thanks to those nice folks at MTH, the most difficult part -- motive power -- is at least partially addressed. This is the other side of the Proto 3-2 sword: Hi-flange locomotives that can be converted to 2 rail with the flick of a switch
[ or in some cases, I believe, an internal jumper ]. Unlike KMT's Duo-Trac [ I think that was the spelling ] Mike & Co just haven't followed through on the rolling stock side -- but by comparison, that's the easy part.
SZ
Originally Posted by bob2:
There are plenty of O Scale 2- rail cabooses out there. What he is asking is different - he is aiming at an almost non-existent market of 2-rail Hi-Railers.
That is a market that should exist - all the advantages(?) of 3-rail without the center rail. The answer is that you take a caboose, insulate one side of each truck and insulate the truck from the body (easy, since most Hi Rail is plastic) and hook the lights up.
But almost nobody does this, preferring to go totally scale 5' gauge 2-rail. That market is saturated with good quality cabooses. Three rail has some excellent choices too, with the above mentioned ATSF, the MTH N6b, various Weaver brass, and of course 3rd Rail. Most of these come in appropriate paint schemes. If you buy the N6b in SP lettering, only to discover your error later, there are still lots of PRR decals out there.
Bob, my bad. I get it it now.
Now that I understand what the OP is saying. No I would not consider myself a 2 rail hi-railer. I would not be interested in buying a 2 rail caboose that has 3 rail type wheels and flanges.
I thought the main advantage of 3 rail (at least this is what people say) was the ease of wiring when it comes to reverse loops or wyes. After that is gone I guess the advantages left would be the ability to build track work that doesn't have to as precise as 5' gauge 2 rail and to be able to use tighter curves. Of course one would still have to put up with swinging pilots and truck mounted couplers. I agree with you that this is a market that should exist. It does exist in S scale.
Yes, my other fantasy caboose is a NYC N6b. Good idea about re-lettering it. Maybe I'll do that someday or else I'll just pretend the Central acquired one from the Pennsy.
