Has 3 rail hurt or helped 2 rail

Fact: 450 FT diesel units produced by Sunset - 400 in 2 rail and 50 in 3 rail

Fact: 50 B&O P-7d locomotives produced - 30 in 3 rail and 20 in 2 rail

 

The split on Golden Gate products is usually at least 50% in 2 rail.

 

I have heard for many years that 2 railers should be grateful 3 railers are purchasing Sunset/GGD products thus making many items available in 2 rail because of the 3 rail market.

 

The opposite is also true but seldom stated.

You're just confusing the issue with facts!!!!!

You know that kind of behavior just isn't permitted here,

Scott must have done great since all 2 rail locos are 5k to 10k each (joke). Thanks for the facts



       

rheil, I checked the Sunset/3rd Rail website for production data on the items you site, but didn't find any.  What's the source of the information you posted?

He represents  Sunset/3rd Rail/Golden Gate Depot, at many 2-Rail shows for Scott Mann, thus he has "inside information", and he sure knows what he's talking about.

Fact: 450 FT diesel units produced by Sunset - 400 in 2 rail and 50 in 3 rail

Whoa! That one caught me by surprise.  

Good topic. I find it interesting just how differing the opinions can be. I would imagine the relationship is actually very symbiotic. The majority of this thread has been discussing trains, but what about things like scenery, buildings and the O stuff that doesn't even require rails? Wouldn't both sides have to help each other?  

If you wander over to the Scenery section you'll find a rather broad cross-section representation of just about all "sides" doing scenery & structures at all levels from very toy-like to extremely detailed and prototypical.  The middle ground there is pretty inclusive and even "helpful".

HW,

The first part of your sentence is true. I do a good number of 2 rail shows plus the TCA York show for Sunset/3rd Rail/GGD and a reasonable amount of product planning and development. The second part of the sentence is VERY debatable.

I dunno....I tend to have a more positive attitude about these matters.  IMHO, I find inspiration and encouragement from ALL of the scales of this great hobby.  There's something in the modeling in every scale...Z to 15" gauge...that can be of value to whatever scale I've (currently) settled on.

 

And the underlined is really important to this discussion...because the scale I started in 65 years ago, or the scale I'm currently in, and all of those in between, is not necessarily the scale I will end up spending time, skill, and $$$.  But I want them ALL to grow and be successful....because that's how the hobby of Model Railroading...toy, hi-rail, or scale...will endure.

 

So, the O2R vs. O3R question re positive or negative toward each other?......

 

Let's be positive.  This hobby is stronger for ALL of its parts/scales.  

 

Again......just MHO.

 

KD

I have no idea nor does it trouble me as I'm 2-rail simple DC operations and what 3-rail I have is already older than me,

It would be very interesting to know the percentages on the soon to arrive Sunset F-7's. I have to assume it will be similar to the FT. 

 

Butch

So just to clarify what my original intention was of this post. It was not to bash either side. I was truly asking for the opinion if the 3 rail stuff hurt the 2 rail market or helped it. To explain, the way i see it in the 80s and i'd say early-mid 90s the market was always adding new 2 rail, overland, precision, westside, sunset, etc... Were making super nice models, then it started to slow, i wondered if it was because of the 3 rail stuff, if simply they figured they couldnt compete with the price or if people started switching over. Or what? To make it clear i do the hobby for my own pleasure. I truly dont care what scale or amount of rails anyone runs. I dont care if you buy a $75 loco or $7500 loco. But what gets me is always about how expensive 2 rail is or that you need a 100x100 building to run a switcher, and bla bla bla, you know the rest. So really getting back to the question, do you think i'm right or wrong about my observation of the 3 rail. I mean obviously people still buy 2 rail as rheil pointed out.



       

I'll stack up my HO model railroad for reliability, electrically, electronically, and mechanically (coupler separations and derailments) against ANY 3 rail layout any day.  And yes, I'm into operations, both just running trains while enjoying a Jamesons, and proto-ops.  I ran over 20 sessions before I dismantled 1/2 my railroad to allow it to grow by 75%.

 

I never had one of my brass HO DCC equipped locomotives run away on me due to a poor quality TMCC signal, and suffer from deceleration trauma after a three foot drop to the floor pilot first.  It was a that moment that I realized that three rail wasn't fun anymore. 

 

If I ever do any further modeling in O, it will be with two rails, and DCC. 

 

Regards,

GNNPNUT