Hard to find 2 rail models

If I really want a specific AtlasO car and can't find it in 2 rail I'll purchase the 3 rail version, sell the 3 rail trucks for $10 on eBay, and install replacement 2 rail trucks and couplers. The 3 rail AtlasO cars are all set up to install their 2 rail trucks and couplers with just a screwdriver - if you can stomach their poor imitation of a Kadee .

Ed Rappe

Are the trucks on those cabeese, goose geese, made for the caboose or they regular freight car trucks? May only need to pull and replace wheels and couplers for sure. But for sure you need to get the superstructure in your hands before they are gone too.

Thanks for the suggestions. However, the caboose has interior lighting and I would need to rewire the system from center rail pick up rollers to wheel wipers. I just want a straight out of the box 2 rail version mint.

If you're looking for straight out of the box solutions you may find O scale 2 rail frustrating at times.  Modeling in a minority segment within a minority scale requires patience and some ingenuity. That said, an almost shake the box solution would be to buy the 3 rail model in the road name you want and a similar 2 rail model in another name. Swap the chassis and sell off the now 3 rail model.  The better long term solution is to learn how to fabricate and install 2 rail wipers - it's a handy skill to have.

Ed Rappe

I agree with Ed, it sometimes takes a little work to get/make the car you want, but sometimes converting the 3R electrical pickups to 2R can be deceivingly easy too.

On the MTH (I know, not Atlas) CA-3 caboose one screw removed the wire from the roller and there was actually the same size screw holding the caboose truck bolster to the side frame and the wire fit perfectly. Looked like a factory installation. I added insulated NWSL axles and the electrical part of the project was done. 

It may not be that simple on the Atlas, but it's certainly doable. 

Butch

Frustrating IS the word. Since the majority is 3 rail and as you mentioned the minority is 2 rail scale, I get frustrated constantly. In fact, I'm frustrated everyday knowing that I missed something that I really wanted or needed. I LOVE 3 rail and I think that it is very unique. But my main thing is 2 rail scale. I'm a member of both the NJ Hi-Railers and the New York Society of Model Engineers (NYSME) So I do both 3 rail and 2 rail. I just got VERY lucky and was able to pick up an MTH Super Chief F7 ABA set with scale wheels which I'm very grateful for. Still my collection is far from complete. I agree that having the skills to do work on stuff is handy but I guess I'm sort of the lazy type LOL. I just like everything to be easy but of course it does not work that way especially with 2 rail.

Try finding a MRS Mp15dc....

Jeff C

PennsyE8,

I searched the internet and it is difficult to find the 2-rail version you want, though I have seen a couple of 3-rail versions and they are beautiful!

Sometimes, I try hobby shops which is are not close to where I live and some shops on the West Cost and Lo and Behold I find what I want.

BUT, it is a long and arduous search!

E-bay, may have the item, but watch for prices and condition of the goods.

Good Luck,

Ralph 

They eventually show up somewhere. I missed out on the Cherryland (CNW) reefers when first released as a limited run. Ended up getting a 2-rail pair new in box from an estate sale for less than the original asking price. Ironically, I got them after I had decided to start buying 2-rail cars. Guess the timing was right.

To get what I want in three rail, I have to modify, do other effort, and hunt for a long

time,and...scratch build....2 rail almost demands that you be a jack of all trades to be in it, because so much has to be modified or just plain scractch built, with few shows

or hobby shops that carry ANYTHING in that scale.

2 rail almost demands that you be a jack of all trades to be in it, because so much has to be modified or just plain scractch built, with few shows

or hobby shops that carry ANYTHING in that scale.

For some of us, therein lies the attraction

For some of us, therein lies the attraction

Amen, Brother John.

Well that is definitely not what 2 rail is all about. The 3R folks love to load up their shelves and layout with all the bells and whistle stuff, whereas we 2R guys build and paint and contrive and eventually end up with some nice prototypical pieces of equipment that match our specific pursuit. We are patient and resourceful, we are creative and willing to dig into a project to achieve what we need to make our railroads better. The mindset has to accompany the need...and it will eventually lead to success.

Bob

And, after a while one finds one's self to be a good bit better than a jack of all trades....sometimes one even learns, acquires skills through practice, and is not phased by some challenges.....

It might even be, dare I say, "fun".

It looks like several pretty sound solutions are provided. Now get to it and show us the results.

Quit mincing words Chris.  Get to the point. 

Butch

Well I have decided to just wait until I find a 2 rail version of the caboose. Who knows when that will be but when I do, it will be a moment of victory for me.

My suggestion is to do as Ed suggested and get the 3 rail version. I do it all the time. I just got two NYC panel side reefers I had been looking for but they are 3 rail. Converting Atlas cars is very easy. Atlas 2 rail caboose trucks have wipers on them from the factory so there is no need to fabricate the wipers or rewire anything. One wire goes to one side of the truck and the other wire goes to the other side of the truck. I don't think I live too far from you. If you want I will show you how to do it. I also have a set of Atlas caboose trucks brand new in the box you can have for a little less than what I paid for them.

Here is a picture of 2 Trainman cars that I recently converted. The plug door box car on the left has PRB 2 rail trucks (which are nearly identical to the older Atlas wide frame trucks) and the Raritan River box car has the new Atlas thin frame trucks. I waiting to get some of the new Kadee couplers for the RR car.

While I agree with what you are saying, I also think that this is one of the reasons that O5W 2Rail is actually contracting instead of growing. I think there are many people that would consider 2R if the effort wasn't as high.

Many 2R modelers wear that like a badge of honor and that is fine. I'm not advocating that they stop. Those opportunities will always be there for great modelers. I think that everyone in 2R would benefit though if more people could be encourage to try it. Like it or not RTR is what the vast majority of model railroaders in all scales want. The scales that cater to these market desires are the ones that are growing. Those that want to stay locked in the old "craftsman only scale" type mentality seem to be on the decline.

Just a thought.

The ones that sell out are sometimes re-run, but as next-in-sequence with different road numbers. I have eight ATSF Berwicks -- 1-4 and 13-16 as they've done four runs. I believe Atlas did three runs of the Coors woodside reefer, but re-runs of special runs seems to be rare. Sometimes they're not re-run at all (maybe there's insufficient prototype data to support it like the Gerber woodside reefer).

I have some woodside reefers from the very first offering -- 2 ATSF and 2 Baby Ruth in 3-rail. Atlas quickly did a 4-car second run of the ATSF woodside reefers (Cars 2-6). I've only seen three show up on eBay and they were from the second run. A few years back, a pair of Baby Ruths in 3-rail new-in-box went for over $400 on eBay. I paid $75 for the pair.

Bottom line is that while they do on occasion show up at meets or on eBay, if you like the offering, you need to go after it if you can. I missed the second run of the CNW USRA outside braced box cars (the first two were a special run) and have to find #3-#5 from the second run.

3 available at this time. Could not see an email in your profile, hope you see this! It is a 2 rail model...

Perfect timing!  I spent a year or so looking for an Atlas Mopac wide-vision caboose special run (not the Trainman bay window), so I jumped on a 3R version that popped up.  I found a 2R version shortly after but in the same road number, so I may renumber the 3R shell and move it to a donor Soo 2R WV caboose to avoid rewiring the lighting.  Getting to the point, one option is to jump on the 3R version on rare stuff and either convert trucks & couplers or swap the shell to a 2R mech.  With my luck it's only after I get the 3R when the 2R version becomes available.  

N-scaler, but collecting 2R Mopac stuff for the eventual O layout.

I did it! I finally got one in 2 rail brand new as well! 

Patience is a virtue,

Recognizing Atlas for their business model I jumped all over some of the first releases like the trinity corn sweetner cars allowing me the numbers I wanted for an unloading facility. I also bought into the sec. release and have ample numbers, maybe more than I really need. I didn't do that with the Union Pacific SD 40  they released as I bought only one as I have one -2 in overland brass. I was hoping they re-release the unit in a -2 but now close to a decade since its release nothing more. Railroads usually ran 3 or 4 of these units together out West and wished Atlas would produce a run of power and unpowered. Nope. So, when collecting models from Atlas get what you can the first time around as there might not be a second chance and especially in your paint or guage/scale

Phil.  

At some point Atlas may rerun the SD-40s, obiviously they have to run the 3 diesels they are listing for this year first. As for a -2 model that is highly unlikely as the 3 scale feet longer frame[3/4 inch] is not cost effective. I discussed this with the late Jim Weaver at the 2008[I believe] Chicago show, the last time they had a booth at this event.Ultimately Sunset may be our best bet for the SD40-2 in plastic[2 rail]

I have 2 powered Atlas 3-rail SD40s that were released 6 years ago in the next to last run of SD40s that Atlas did. I purchased both earlier this year and feel extremely lucky to have found the road names for which I was looking. I'm still looking for a Western Maryland powered unit in the circus colors that was released in 2006.

Atlas obviously won't divulge if/when they'll do another run but I wouldn't expect anything before this Summer. As the previous post mentioned there are other models that have yet to be done although they were announced several years ago. I guess there was a hangup in production.

I'm sure the tooling is still in place to do more SD40s. To my knowledge, Atlas is the only O gauge manufacturer that makes a true scale SD40. Lionel and MTH make Dash 2s although the conventional Lionel locomotives produced in the '80s I believe were SD40s.

Anyway, by my recollection, Atlas has done 5 runs of the SD40 between 2006-2009 in about 18-20 road names. Conspicuous by their absence are B&O, C&O and Lousiville & Nashville SD40s to name a few. Hopefully some of those road names will be appearing in the future.

By the way, there is a place that is selling an Atlas UP SD40 (cab# 3017) if anyone is interested.

It might be possible to make an economical standin by modifying a "-1", since while the frame* is longer I believe the hood length is the same, which is a HUGE help;  of course there are detail differences.

In the same vein the Flexicoils could be modded to HT-C's [ unless you are a Conrail modeller, of course ...] since the overall length** is sooo close and the very slightly offset centre axle could be ignored.  [ I think there was a wheel dia change too;  if so, add that to the "I won't tell if you..."list.]

Best, SZ

Edited to add:

   *Atlas has the "chassis" part in stock

 ** of the truck wheelbase

To add to Ed's comment and to dispel the notion the 2-rail is dying I will add this.  20 years ago if you wanted this caboose you would be looking at ideas of what car to cut up and base or how about scratch building.  That is just the basic car.  With absolutely no hope of finding decals, even 20 year old dry Walthers, you would be considering ways to construct artwork and someone to print it.  And there is matching the paint.  So today it is a matter of finding one of ???? somewhere.  Now, one such venue would be the member tables at York.  The very fact that someone made such an obscure car in an of the shelf version is proof that these are the best years of 2 RAIL O.  Posting here is a very good idea 'cause just maybe someone will pint you to one.  Sincerely, Good luck!! (BTW most of us disconnect the lights because they usually too garish).  cheers, ray