converting 2-Rail Atlas car to 3-Rail scale

What kind of cars are they? You might be able to swap them for 3-rail trucks with someone who has similar cars.

Hi Matt,

I'm not really interested to swap cars. I just want to know if 3-rail axles can be used in a 2-rail truck. My cars are weathered with kadee couplers and I want to keep them. All my steamers and diesels have big flange so it looks better when the cars have the same wheel profile.

Are you looking for 2-rail cars ?

Why you don't keep everything, 2 rail wheels will work fine on any track but tubular.

AG

I did not have good luck with 2 rail trucks on my 3 rail layout.

 Every time I went throught a curve in a switch the cars would derail.

 When you have 50 some switches it was a pain in the neck. It did not matter how slow I ran throught them.

Try it!  You will be the first, and you can report back.  At one point, NWSL offered tinplate wheelsets, as did All Nation many years ago.

Another way is to look for older Atlas and Rivarossi wheel sets - folks were giving them away, and their flanges were, er, adequate.

Actually, I was referring to swapping trucks. The cars that come to mind are the Santa Fe PS4427 Hoppers as they had the painted truck side frames. I have 12 of them in 3-rail I'd just assume switch to 2-rail. They've spent most of their time in their boxes. I was initially planning to order Northwest Short Line replacement wheelsets, but a swap for the same kind of trucks saves time, money and the hassle of dis-assembly/reassembly. That's why I was asking what kind of cars.

As a practical matter, I can pull several hi-rail axles (rotating cap type) and trade you for your two-rail equivalents if you're interested. Just means we have to take a lot of trucks apart. Contact me off-list.

I converted eight Atlas O steam era classics PFE reefers from 3 rail to 2 rail by swapping out the trucks.  So, I have 8 sets of Barber-Bettendorf 3 rail trucks. 

I am planning to sell them in lots as I continue to convert cars over time.  Lots so as to save somone on shipping while saving my time by not doing a bunch of onesy twosy shipping.  

If you want all eight sets please contact me off line at my email and make me a fair offer.

I got a really good deal on a 2-rail Weaver Troop Car and was able to slip some Hi-rail wheel sets into the trucks. Some Hi-rail wheel sets have axles that are too short; some don't. Also, the ends of the Hi-rail axles on mine were a hair too large; literally, a quick

Moto-Tool grinder trip around each axle end cured it. Zip, zip.

Maybe not relevant, but I then removed the bolster spacers and put in Weaver Hi-rail

couplers, as I don't use the wee couplers on my layout.

Note: I got a Big Box of Hi-rail wheel sets at auction a few years ago; the guy had them

left over from his 3- to 2-rail conversions.

I readily buy 2-rail cars (especially old, historically interesting ones from the 50's and

before) and proceed to convert 2-rail to 3-rail - undoing some of that 2-rail damage that

he did....! 

Your best bet is to swap atlas 3 rail trucks for your two rail trucks. That should ensure the bolster height is the same. Other manufacturers 3 rail trucks might work but many have different bolster styles which can raise or lower your cars. Most 3 rail axles are wider than 2 rail to accomodate the thicker 3 rail wheel treads.