Lets see your Dual-gauge layouts

Some of the best modeling out there is Michael Luscak's Denver and Rio Grande Southern.  Here is a link to his web site and YouTube channel.

http://www.michaelluczak.com/On3.html

http://www.youtube.com/channel...vtOroXHbYunGDQzkAqNw

Here is a video that is outstanding.

On his Youtube channel are a lot of other great videos of other O scale layouts. 

Regards,

Jerry

The Northwest Trunk Lines has two sections of dual gauge.

One area has O/On3 dual gauge including all three legs and switches of the Leadville wye.  My brother Dave did all the track laying here.  He did one heck of a job!

Owenyo has a O/On30 siding.  

In both cases the inside narrow gauge running rail serves as the standard gauge center rail.

I run dual 0/1 outside:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Up18YPW2zs8

Ted, I'm intrigued by what you did and would love to discuss as I'm right now planning indoors something like yours

Dave

I love the canal, that is unique!

Ask away about the dual gauge.

I think that canal is a great mix between boats and trains, and how you would ever come up with the idea, I don't know.  Keep us informed.

Thx. The boat idea is actually something that occurred worldwide from around 1880 to 1930 during the transition from horses to powered tugs. I did a lot of research on the topic.

Ted, I'm planning an indoor layout. I'm a bit puzzled by your 3 rail to 2 rail divergence. Are you running 3-rail toy trains and On2 or are those 2 rail O gauge mixed with On2. I'm trying to work out how you did the electronics on that.

I'm planning to use my layout primarily for toy trains of O scale and now that I've seen your layout, possibly On2. It will all be hand-layed 148 rail, everything. 

ALSO, once in a while I plan to remove all the trains and run my 7/8n18 models which are all R/C or battery and all scratchbuilt. I may include 7/8n9 scale, which probably no one has ever done and would be pure industrial.

Anyway, my main questions have to do with electronics, especially as they relate to the turnouts and what sort of trains you are running, 3-rail Lionel type or the more prototypical 2 rail O

the reason I'm asking all these questions is b/c my trains are all equipped with rollers and using AC 2 common rails and the center for pickup traditional Lionel. This would make my wiring a lot different and more difficult if yours are straight 2 rail O

Thanks

Ted, I'm planning an indoor layout. I'm a bit puzzled by your 3 rail to 2 rail divergence. Are you running 3-rail toy trains and On2 or are those 2 rail O gauge mixed with On2. I'm trying to work out how you did the electronics on that.

 

Dave

The 3 rail O gauge is running with DCS on AC power.  Right now the On30 (or On2 1/2 if you like) is running on DCC.  The long term plan is to go all DCS.

So far MTH has  not offered separate sale Proto3 decoders.  Most HO Proto3 decoders think they are on a DCC layout if they see AC power.  MTH is making Proto3E+ locomotives with decoders that can distinguish between regular AC and DCC high frequency AC for HO layouts with Marklin AC power.  The intention is to use a Proto3E+ decoder to allow the narrow gauge locomotives to share the center rail, AC power and DCS commands with the 3 rail O gauge trains.

If someone was using DC power for O gauge Proto 2 or 3 locomotives a standard HO Proto 3 decoder could be used on the narrow gauge.

Not really a layout, just some benchwork covered with stuff and track laid on top. I can run H0/On30, S, O & Std. Love the variety.

Steve

Steve, I presume you mean not running multigauge like ted, just separate tracks for each

Ted, interesting. So DCS is run on one track and DCC on the other and they're isolated electronically?

Also, I presume that the area I circled runs only 3 rail as I don't see rails in place for On3. So the On3 is run on the outside. Could you take a closeup of how you laid the turnout for the On3?

Much thanks!

Just two?  Why not several like the Cincinnati traction lines?

Ted, interesting. So DCS is run on one track and DCC on the other and they're isolated electronically?

 

Dave

Yes, the DCS 3 rail and the DCC narrow gauge are electrically isolated for now.  When the DCC goes away in favor of Proto3 decoders in the narrow gauge locomotives so does the need for electrical isolation.

For more info and photos of dual gauge track laying by my brother Dave take a look at the NWTL thread.

https://ogrforum.com/t...age-continues?page=2

Thanks! Good stuff!

Ted    I was wondering does this mean that DCC and DCS will be able to run in the same enviroment or on the same track.    Stephen    (cTr...Choose the Right) 

well, I looked thru the photos on the link and it appears that the center rail is slightly off center where the dual gauge exists. I'm guessing that your On3 trains are slightly wider gauged than HO? Come to think of it, HO is not really half of O, it's something like 16.5mm and O is around 32.5mm. Correct me if I'm wrong.

So I have some HO track and trains and am toying with the center rail to ensure the HO can run. I'm not going to use HO but it's likely I'll use the HO motoring blocks

Ted    I was wondering does this mean that DCC and DCS will be able to run in the same enviroment or on the same track.    Stephen    (cTr...Choose the Right) 

Stephen

In short, NO.  The DCC power/communication method renders it incompatible with conventional control or other command control systems on the same track at the same time. 

The MTH Proto 3 locomotives will run under DCC as well as DCS or conventional but not at the same time on the same track.  You can pick any one you want to run the locomotive with but you still can't do DCC at the same time as anything else.

well, I looked thru the photos on the link and it appears that the center rail is slightly off center where the dual gauge exists. I'm guessing that your On3 trains are slightly wider gauged than HO?

Dave V.

The top photo I posted is On3.  All the lower photos are On30.  The NMRA On30 nominal standard (HO gauge) is slightly over half of the 1 1/4 inches of O gauge. But remember that in 3 rail O the center rail is centered.  Here the head of the center rail must be offset to provide the full gauge between the inside of one outer rail and the inside of the center rail head.

"But remember that in 3 rail O the center rail iscentered.  Here the head of the center rail must be offset to provide the full gauge between the inside of one outer rail and the inside of the center rail head."

so what's the purpose of having 3 rail where one of the centr rails is offset? To run 2-rail O gauge on that track? Seems to me with such a slight offset as you have on On3, the roller would still find the center rail?

Ok, I carefully re-read the link you provided Ted, and I see that On3/O creates a few headaches for certain (but not all) O 3-rail train rollers.

My plan is for multigauge O/On2.5, so the offset will likely not have an effect on the pickup rollers and I'm assuming that's what you found as well where you handlayed O/On30.