Modifying 2 Rail track for a 3 Rail layout

Very nicely done!

Mark in Oregon

Nice work Ron. I heavily modified some 031's for a yard project. I found them easy to work with and cut down.
I was able to fit 3 turnouts in the space of 2 traditional Lionel 027's.

My only complaint is the anemic motors/ solenoids.

Bob

@RSJB18 posted:

Nice work Ron. I heavily modified some 031's for a yard project. I found them easy to work with and cut down.
I was able to fit 3 turnouts in the space of 2 traditional Lionel 027's.

My only complaint is the anemic motors/ solenoids.

Bob

Nice work as usual Bob. Are these older pics or are you working on a new yard project?

Gene

@Genemed posted:

Nice work as usual Bob. Are these older pics or are you working on a new yard project?

Gene

Nope- old project from a couple years ago, 2021 to be exact.

Thanks

Good post Bob,  thanks. My mountain garage layout was Scaletrax too which I choose for the same reasons - the low profile rail and center blade really added to the overall visual effect of making our equipment appear more massive in closeup photos. The flex track was really nice to work with too!

You did a great job

check with brad strong  of signature switch company

@marty track posted:

check with brad strong  of signature switch company

What exactly would I be checking for?  He sells a 2 rail code 148 #7.5 for $108.

If I wanted to spend $100 I would have just bought a three rail turnout and called it a day.

@Ron045 posted:

...snip...   I found an Atlas 2R 7.5 turnout for $25.  It was used but with the exception of three broken ties, it was in really good shape.  I decided to try and modify the Atlas 2R track to work on my 3R layout.

I am laughing as I did just the opposite, I dredged a three-rail 7.5 out of the 'bay and ripped out all of the center rails so now (with a little more wiring effort) I have a nice two-rail switch.

@PRRMP54 posted:

I am laughing as I did just the opposite, I dredged a three-rail 7.5 out of the 'bay and ripped out all of the center rails so now (with a little more wiring effort) I have a nice two-rail switch.

Ok... Next time, we trade.

@Ron045 posted:

Ok... Next time, we trade.

@Ron045 posted:

… I decided to try and modify the Atlas 2R track to work on my 3R layout.

Here is how I did it.

Love this. Can you describe a bit how you handled the points for the middle rail, and whether you had to cut isolation breaks or change the wiring to the turnout?

I’ve got some 2 rail #6 turnouts and have wanted to add a third rail but confuse myself every time I start to figure out exactly how to do it.

Thanks!

@christie posted:

Love this. Can you describe a bit how you handled the points for the middle rail, and whether you had to cut isolation breaks or change the wiring to the turnout?

I’ve got some 2 rail #6 turnouts and have wanted to add a third rail but confuse myself every time I start to figure out exactly how to do it.

Thanks!

Good question and a topic I forgot to discuss as I did not realize the error until after I installed.  My engines were sparking or shorting out on the switch.  Turns out, in the 2 rail configuration there is a brass strap that connects the points to the continuing inner rails.  See pic with Red and Blue lines to represent 2 rail operation.  As the pickup roller was departing the center rail and crossing over the inner rails (representing the outside rails) there was a short.

There is a small brass strap that connects the points to these inner rails.  I had to cut this brass strap.  Much easier to do on the workbench before you install.  So, that was a really great question.  See 2nd pic of where to cut.

For a center rail, I used a railhead from a piece of AtlasO 2 Rail flex track.  It lined up perfectly with the Scaletrax center rail.

Thanks for the reply, I’ll take a good look at the pics.

Your track work looks really nice, by the way.

@RSJB18 posted:

Nice work Ron. I heavily modified some 031's for a yard project. I found them easy to work with and cut down.
I was able to fit 3 turnouts in the space of 2 traditional Lionel 027's.

Hi Bob, so those are Atlas switches and you are using them with O27 track?  How do they mate up?

Ron, that worked out well.  Looks like smooth running.

Don

@dmestan posted:

Hi Bob, so those are Atlas switches and you are using them with O27 track?  How do they mate up?

Don

Not Atlas- MTH Scale-trax 031's

I made an adapter from 027 to the MTH. This is just a yard so I wasn't worried about moving trains at any speed.

Just enough to fit the pins for the tubular. And the center rail is isolated with a fiber pin since the yard tracks are on separate blocks from the main lines.

The other end is soldered to the MTH track.