1) Most here prefer 3 rail. 2 rail is nice but not nearly as common.

2) Tinplate is more of a toy look, die cast tends to be more realistic what look do you want?

3) AC is easier to connect electrically 3 rail O or Standard will be AC

4) standard gauge is a very limited market. O gauge more available

5) MTH vs Lionel. About the same really. MTH is actively seeking the European market so it may be more available there

I can try to answer some of these, but my translations will be handled by Google
Je peux essayer de répondre à certaines d'entre elles, mais mes traductions seront traitées par Google

1. 2-Rails or 3-Rails. Which is "better"? It is a matter of taste. (And sometimes, the amount of space available to you)
1.-2 Rails ou 3-Rails. Qui est «mieux»? C'est une question de goût. (Et parfois, la quantité d'espace disponible pour vous)

--Some cannot stand the appearance of the third rail (and will let you know this in no uncertain terms ). Others can overlook its presence as long as everything else is properly sized and detailed.
--Certains Ne peut pas résister à l'apparition de la troisième rail (et vous permettra de savoir ce dans des termes sans équivoque ). D'autres peuvent oublier sa présence tant que tout le reste est correctement dimensionné et détaillée.

--2-Rail trains do require more space, as they are often made with fewer physical compromises in accuracy. and usually cannot pass through curves as sharp as 3-rail equivalents.
--Trains 2-Rail ne nécessitent plus d'espace, car ils sont souvent faits avec moins de compromis physiques de la précision. et le plus souvent ne peuvent pas traverser les courbes pointus comme des équivalents de trésorerie 3-rail

--Virtually everything made for 3-rail track can pass through a 36-inch (914mm) radius curve, which was traditionally the largest curve made for toy trains. But the largest models still look strange running on them. (you can buy larger curves nowadays from third-party manufacturers, however)
--Virtually Tout fait pour la piste 3-rail peut passer à travers un 36 pouces (914 mm) courbe de rayon, qui était traditionnellement le plus courbe faite pour les trains-jouets. Mais les plus grands modèles semblent toujours étrange course sur eux. (vous pouvez acheter de plus grandes courbes aujourd'hui de fabricants tiers, cependant)

2. Tinplate refers to trains made of sheet metal, a common method of construction for toy trains made prior to World War II. It is also a term of derision used by scale modelers to describe...pretty much everything running on 3-rail tracks (regardless of actual accuracy in size and detail).
2 "fer-blanc" fait référence aux trains en tôle, une méthode commune de construction pour les trains de jouets effectués avant la Seconde Guerre mondiale. Il est également un terme de dérision utilisé par les modélisateurs d'échelle pour décrire ... à peu près tout fonctionne sur des rails 3 rails (quelle que soit la précision réelle de la taille et de détail).

Diecast is a method of construction for 3-rail steam locomotives, some electric locomotives, and a few freight cars. With 2-rail trains, metal construction usually means fabrication from brass, although there are die-cast models available that are conversions of trains made for 3-rail use.

Moulé sous pression est une méthode de construction de locomotives 3-rail vapeur, des locomotives électriques, et quelques wagons de marchandises. Avec 2 trains ferroviaires, la construction métallique signifie généralement la fabrication de laiton, mais il existe des modèles coulés sous pression disponibles qui sont les conversions de trains conçus pour l'emploi 3-rail.

3: AC current is common for 3-rail track. DC current is preferred for 2-rail track.
3: courant alternatif est commun pour la piste 3-rail. Courant continu est préférable pour la voie 2-rail.

4: "Standard Gauge" is a name Lionel gave to extra-large trains made from sheet metal before World War 2. They are about twice the size of O-Gauge, but were not made to a particular scale. Continued interest in these by collectors has resulted in reproductions being made in limited quantities in the present.
4: "Gauge Standard" est un nom donné à Lionel extra-larges trains fabriqués à partir de feuilles de métal avant la Seconde Guerre mondiale 2 Ils sont environ deux fois la taille de O-Gauge, mais n'ont pas été faites à une échelle donnée. Intérêt soutenu dans ces collectionneurs a entraîné reproductions soient effectuées en quantités limitées dans le présent.

5: "Gauge" is the distance between the outer rails. In O-Gauge, this is 31.75mm. (It is not a completely accurate ratio to full-size 1435mm gauge).
5: "Gauge" est la distance entre les rails extérieurs. Dans O-Gauge, c'est 31,75. (Ce n'est pas un rapport tout à fait exact de jauge de 1435 mm en taille réelle).

"Scale" is the amount of reduction in size from the full-size train. In the U.S. "O Scale" is 1/48 the size of a full size train. (In Europe, it varies from 1/43 to 1/45).
"Scale" est le montant de réduction de la taille de la gare en pleine dimension. Dans le "O Scale" US est 1/48 de la taille d'un train complet de taille. (En Europe, il varie de 1/43-1/45).

--In U.S. practice the word "Gauge" is often used in place of "Scale" in order to describe models originally made as toys and are under-sized from true O-scale so they can operate in smaller spaces. The history of O Gauge in the U.S. originally as a size for toy trains, then later of true scale models, puts it in an awkward position for newcomers who may assume that everything is the correct size.
--En La pratique américaine du mot «jauge» est souvent utilisé à la place de "Scale" pour décrire les modèles initialement formulées comme des jouets et sont sous-dimensionnés de vrai O-échelle afin qu'ils puissent fonctionner dans les petits espaces. L'histoire d'O Gauge aux États-Unis à l'origine comme une taille de trains miniatures, puis plus tard de véritables maquettes, le met dans une position inconfortable pour les nouveaux arrivants qui peuvent supposer que tout est de la bonne taille.

6. MTH and Lionel are about equal, as are the other smaller companies making trains for the U.S. O-Gauge market. They all run on the same track and couple together. If you want to operate your trains via remote control (Command Control), MTH and Lionel have their own systems that are not compatible, but will happily operate at the same time on the same track.
6. MTH et Lionel sont à peu près égales, comme le sont les autres petites entreprises qui font des trains pour le marché O-Gauge États-Unis. Ils fonctionnent tous sur la même piste et couple ensemble. Si vous souhaitez utiliser vos trains via la télécommande (Command Control), MTH et Lionel ont leurs propres systèmes qui ne sont pas compatibles, mais seront heureux de fonctionner en même temps sur la même piste.

---PCJ

(Well, it looks like I did answer all of them. Hopefully the translations make sense ).

(Eh bien, on dirait que j'ai répondu à tous. Espérons que les traductions de sens .)

"-Virtually everything made for 3-rail track can pass through a 36-inch (914mm) radius curve, which was traditionally the largest curve made for toy trains."

That is a very risky statement today. While most rolling stock can work with 36 inch track, many of the new, scale O-gauge engines cannot. If you are looking at the highly detailed engines like the Lionel Big Boy them 0-72 (72 inch)  is your minimum.

'it is decided! but carefully for the frequence. here in  europe 50hz  in usa 60 hz."

I think Lionel has worked this out in their new engines, I imagine MTH has also

There are a few members on this forum from England, you should try to contact them, I bet they can assist

deminoo:

We should also welcome you to the Forum! Bon.

The other thing besides the 50 hertz or cycles for Europe verses 60 hertz for the USA is the voltage on the transformer. USA household voltage is 120 volts, in Germany and other places in Europe it is 220 volts.

When I was in Fulda Germany with the US Army in the 1980's we had to use a step-down transformer for our USA products. Not sure if that will be a factor or not in today's market.

FYI, the little adapters sold at some hardware store or at Radio Shack in the USA only change the shape of the plug! You must have a transformer to change voltage.

Lee Fritz

2-rail is closer to scale, more realistic ties, and T-rail shape.

Old 3-rail is usually tubular with metal ties. O is taller and has heavier / thicker metal than 0-27 track (27" diameter). 3r tracks are very  nostalgic for most Americans, and is found good-used condition with ease, new is available. 3r with plastic roadbed has more brands to chose from and is sold new in more places. Some people claim plastic is quieter, some claim tubular is quieter. I say they just sound different. To me, plastic sounds like a low frequency static rumble, tubular 3r has more high freq. Track with realistic ties of wood or plastic, some with T-rails, are available and look the most realistic. I don't think one brand triumphs in all aspects. Ross, Atlas, and GarGraves make the best selections for 3rail scale track. Choosing a nickel-silver, or stainless track is best for anti-corrosion, cleanliness, outdoor use, and general electrical continuity. Brass is a pain in the butt to clean. Regular plated steel can last many decades with a little care applied.      

A racket? Is that a reversing loop? Wiring a reverse loop for 2r DC requires the polarity of the track to be switched at the proper moment. It uses relays and is mildly complicated. 3rail ac does not need special reversing methods.

O Gauge, O scale, (Semi-scale, O-27)  Scale is the reduction ratio. O scale is as exact as possible. Semi-scale is close to O scale, normally smaller than O. It has easily noticeable "mistakes" in its authenticity compared to a prototype(real train). 0-27 are normally semi-scale that can use a 27" diameter track. Gauge is track width. All of the above are O gauge.

O gauge became more popular than Standard gauge. O gauge has more choices available. Both had similar products and quality in the old days.

MTH or Lionel? A modern system? I would check around France for someone closer to you offering parts and service for each before deciding. 

Ive read that 50 hertz AC transformers can be used for running most American post war conventional locos on Europe's power. I don't know if they can be used on modern "command" locos. I think 50hz info is available for modern systems from both MTH & Lionel. An alternative thought- DC can be used to run most AC locos (don't try DC trains on AC transformers...POOF! Smoked train.)  Remember... With more watts / amperage you will always be satisfied.

Which locomotives/trains do you view as being "true Americana"(your top 5 maybe). Will you use one of those choices, or your personal favorite?

When I think of French trains, the TGV comes to mind first, and foremost. But the stainless/aluminum trim work old French passenger trains is really cool too, i.e. "very retro".  

36-inch Radius=1/2 diameter (072)

---PCJ

That is an 'advantage' of the three-rail system--curve, switch and cross over your track in any way you desire, the center rail never touches anything but the center rail. AC or DC.

---PCJ

The question about the use of plastic in the engines, the answer is mainly diesel engines have a plastic shell MTH or Lionel unless you go with tinplate. Don't know what Lionel uses in their steam engines but they used to be die-cast metal. MTH I think is die-cast in their steam engines.

Have you overcome the 50/60 hertz/cycles issue? 

I read somewhere a while back, either on here or on Classic Toy trains forum, that somebody in England used marine batteries hooked up to a USA power invertor for 120 volts and this gave him both the voltage and cycles he needed for TMCC. He kept the marine batteries charged up with a battery charger.

Before doing something like the battery & power invertor I would see what your local MTH hobby shop person says or MTH Trains has to say.

Lee Fritz

tx fritz. i hate plastic. i prefer tin palte in this case. naturally a union pacific diesel would be to heavy in metal   but this loco doenst exist in tinplate i must look after that. this is one of the classsic loco americain i prefer. there are a lot of mabuchi motors in some brandt in some brands the uk there are strange they hate us!
also i want trains without plastic.

You did better than some of us who actually speak English.  

Where in France do you live. We have taken 2 trips to your country and loved it.

You are mostly out of luck then. The above locomotive has diecast trucks (bogies) and underframe/fuel tank. The body shell is plastic. Most US O-Gauge diesels are built this way. Plastic above the floor, sheet metal+diecast below.

Lionel produced one modern diesel (an ES44 "hybrid") with a die-cast body. The price was close to twice that of diesel with a plastic shell. O Gauge steam locomotives are all die-cast (with the exception of a very small number of small starter-set locomotives), and almost all heavy electric locomotives are diecast.

Very few freight cars are made with diecast metal bodies. They were mostly novelty items since their great weight raised concerns about the strain on locomotives pulling large numbers of them.

The great majority of O-Gauge freight cars have plastic bodies. There will be metal weights inside and perhaps the floor will be sheet metal also. Wheels will be metal, the trucks (bogies) will be diecast except for low-end Lionel items intended to be added to starter sets.

Some larger passenger cars are made of aluminum, but the production of them has waned in the recent past thanks to sharp increases in the price of aluminum. They have largely been replaced by molded plastic (painted, and sometimes plated) bodies with sheet-metal floors and diecast trucks/wheels. Lionel has announced some larger aluminum cars in recent catalogues, but expect them to be expensive (as in, well over $100 per car)

If you must insist on trains that are all-metal from end to end, there's tinplate--but none of the US examples are scale models (they were always intended to be toys). ETS and Merkur trains are all tinplate and mostly based on real-world prototypes, but those are all European trains.

---PCJ

Scale and gauge

O SALE in the U.S. is thought of as the proportion of the model to the real item - 1/48.

GAUGE means the distance between the rails.

This photo shows the difference between SCALE and GAUGE.  Both boxcars are O-GAUGE, but only the larger one is O-SCALE.

Deminoo,

I am with Brian (Passenger Train Collector) in welcoming you to the forum.  I don't have much to add to what others have offered, but please do not hesitate to ask other questions.  There are so many people on this Forum who would be glad to help!!

I agree with Bob Severin, that many of us don't speak good English.  My written English is far better than my spoken English.  Bob and I live in the same area, and this area as with many other areas, has it's own accents, words, and phrases.  I would think the same holds true in France.

Again, Welcome!!

Deminoo,

Thank you for the warning about the pickpockets. When I was young, I worked at food stands at traveling carnivals in the Great Lakes area(Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois). When business was slow, we would occupy ourselves by watching for pickpockets. They mostly worked in small teams. One person or group distracts while the other picks then leaves quickly. Really interesting to watch this happening. Very rarely where all caught, focus on the thief allows others to escape easily. Carnivals and shopping malls are the only places I've seen pickpockets in America. I never carry much money or credit cards in my back pocket wallet. That wallet serves only as a distraction. The real money and cards are in a deep front pocket, or elsewhere. If I were to visit France, I would likely try and visit the families, villages, and cities of my Grand-pere's WWII stories(#1-Ardennes), then head for the Alps as I prefer rural areas over cities. I really like Europe's "crocodiles" too. One day I'd like one to place next to my favorite GG1. 

While most model diesels are plastic, newer versions look better than they used to. It is difficult to tell they are plastic now. I understand your wanting metal. I like metal too, so I own very few diesels. There are metal diesels for switching, but not cab bodies (alcos, f series, etc.). Williams (or maybe it was Walthers*) ( both USA model train companies) made a die cast one many years ago(or my Gramps(grand pere) had a test unit). 

Williams by Bachmann (Bachmann bought Williams) is another company to consider. WbB has redone some classic Lionels. Good quality, good prices. And although the main focus is HO trains there, they do have a presence in Europe. 

There are often good discounts on Williams offered by shops advertising here(above, at the top) on OGF. (if you buy from them, remember to thank them for helping to keep this sites usage free of charge)

Are you going to buy old/used or new tin plate? Do you know the MARX company? Old enough that most are tin plate. Great motors. One of my Commodore Vanderbilts is 75 years old! Thousands of hours of pulling, and still runs like a top! They made some tin cab-body diesels too (UP? I don't know. Inexpensive enough to repaint, not rare). Later MARX are mostly very cheap plastic sets. Most MARX sell for very reasonable prices too. 

 The operating cars/wagons kept me playing with trains my whole life. I pressed the button for the Lionel #128 newsstand so often I think that there might be a reversed L on my finger tip. When I was young, I couldn't see the dog peeing on the hydrant often enough.  

Ughh..Mondays. Hope yours is going ok.

Edit-*Or Weavers?

Deminoo,

  FYI- Nobody has purposely disrespected you... nor the French language. I see only good people. All are trying to help you, and are being friendly. We seldom curse at each other, as children also read here. American custom: try not to swear/curse in front of children.  I could be wrong, maybe I have missed something. Maybe a bad translation? I think you owe someone an apology.   

 I cannot speak for PCJ 100%. He has his own voice. However, it appears PCJ does not hate these. PCJ described them for you- Metal chassis, metal bogies, plastic body.

"Out of luck" = not available.

 Why are the materials(metal) most important?

Looks? Feel?

Fear you will damage it?

Or, are you only worried about shipping damage?

Maybe a seller would remove the plastic body off the frame for you.

Disassemble it to avoid damage.

Then use two boxes for delivery.

One box contains the plastic body. One box contains the metal motor.

Safer for a long delivery?

Ahh... "Find A Lady" "Where's Jack?" "Ace In The Hole" "Three Card Monte" and "The Shell game"... Oldest tricks on earth. Only naive people, or gambling addicts will play.

Will you use a digital train controller,  or a conventional transformer (old style) ?

Hello, deminoo,

The large 1/48 scale boxcar is made by Weaver Models.  I love their products.  They are very accurate.  Shown here is another example.  The large one is also Weaver.

By the way, I was fortunate to have a vacation in France in 1979.  We visited  Normandy, Mont-Saint Michel, castles in the Loire valley, Midieval section of Tours, cathedral at Chartres, and, of course, many of the famous sights of Paris.  We rode on French trains, too, of course.  It was amazing to me to see ancient buildings still in common use.  We have nothing like that in the U.S.

As mentioned before, Lionel and MTH electronic controls are not compatible-- in the sense that they do not directly control the others' trains in command control mode. But you can have both Lionel and MTH systems operating on the same track at the same time--they will not interfere with each other.

You can even make a train being pulled by a Lionel and a MTH locomotive coupled together, using both remote controllers at the same time. It's awkward, but it can be done.

Both systems have the means of behaving like ordinary transformers through their remotes, the MTH has this feature built-in, Lionel requires a second control box connected to its receiver. In this mode the remotes control track voltage just like an ordinary transformer, and you only have control of one train at a time. This might not  be a limitation to you.

If you choose to operate by transformer control alone, all the different companies' trains will be compatible this way--command control locomotives will act just like ordinary ones when they do not see a command signal.

---PCJ

tx man! i'm happy to to be in ur american forum! i want to buy great scale (0 scale) and absolutly american matérial made in usa, not in china! otherwise there  is not "soul" of america yet. i want o scale: look at trains re me wrote me:bellow; u see? where has he found that   the box car in grey.? regards answer me if u want

This is where things get hard--The only company making proper scale trains in the USA is Weaver. But only their "Ultra Line" cars. And those are made mostly of plastic. You can have metal wheels and trucks (bogies) installed on them, but those are from China.

Almost all fully American-made, all metal trains were not scale models. And even if you leave out the requirement that they must be proper scale models, the "all-metal fully-made-in-America" requirement means you have limited yourself to 1950's era steam engines, a  GG-1 electric, "60-foot" aluminum passenger cars, and tinplate Marx cars like the red boxcar above..

I used to live in La Rochelle and Portier. I remember walking along a track with a friend when this ever so quiet electric engine came up behind us and chased us off the track with its whistle.

Welcome to you.

Eric,

I will say thank you from the forum moderators and members!

I am glad you chose to join us!!  I have been on this forum for 2 or 3 years, and have had some of the same questions you have had.  Before getting into O-Gauge 3-rail trains, I modeled in HO and N scales for over 40 years; since I was 12.  As you know, there are a lot of variables in O, but it is well worth learning, because these trains are spectacular no matter which type or era you choose.  I think it is the size that makes it so.  Their size and weight make then stay on the track better, and one can see the fantastic details better.  The size makes it possible to put in good size speakers for great sound, and smoke units too.  The modern engines have room for electronic boards for advanced features.  Of course if you like the trains, but don't want to get into the advance control, you can turn any or all of those features off and run conventional like the old trains.

I am trying to think of an online source that will sum up the differences of the trains we have been discussing, that will help you understand easier.  I don't have time today, and maybe one of the hundreds of other good folks on this forum will know what I mean.

In closing I want to say, I am always glad to meet and get to know someone from another place than where I am familiar with.  Have a good day!

Deminoo, you asked where the grey Erie-Lackawanna boxcar came from.  It was part of a special run many years ago.  Weaver's catalog changes over time, and when they stop making something you must search the aftermarket.

Yes, Weaver has rather low minimum quantities for special runs of custom paint schemes.

So often an organization wants to put out a special run car decorated with a unique paint scheme, but they cannot sell enough to meet the minimum numbers MTH or Lionel requires to do so. They will go to Weaver to have the special cars made since they make everything in-house and can work with smaller production runs.

---PCJ

Eric,

I see that you like the ALCO F- series diesel locomotive, but do not like it made of plastic.  I believe I may have a solution, mayhaps  compromise allowing you to have an ALCO F series outline locomotive in tinplate.  These are examples:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAG...;hash=item23425109aa

http://www.ebay.com/itm/vintag...;hash=item4629f25144

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAG...;hash=item1e922ebd07

If you wish, you could repaint & decal the trains to any livery you choose.  Marx trans are relatively inexpensive and readily available.

Happy Rails!

Dave

My posts are disappearing. Edit or problem?

Bob,

hey, I was able to read over half of what you wrote, and I haven't had French since high school in 1972!  Maybe Madame McLaughlin taught us better than I thought. 

Eric,

Your English is good enough that we understand you, and that is all that matters!  I am glad you are on the Forum!

Weaver requires fewer pieces to be made for special liveries. On their website, they say 100 pieces is their minimum

(Weaver nécessite moins de pièces à faire pour livrées spéciales. Sur leur site, ils disent 100 pièces est leur minimum)

--PCJ

Eric,

Yes that is probably so.  Madame McLauglin was my high school French teacher back 45 years ago.  I was pleased I could read a good bit of what Bob wrote, having not used French since.

Thank you, have a good week too.  After a wedding I have to go to today, I am going to finish looking up die cast engines I am familiar with to give you an idea of what is out there.

Eric, both State of Maine Products cars are long out of production.  Try looking on eBay or the Wanted to Buy section of this forum.  Bonne chance!