Re Hornby Dublo 3 rail track
Re Hornby Dublo 3 rail track
Hi, not been on here for a long time, a Question for you, can OO scale locomotives such as Hornbys School class, 700, Merchant Navy etc, be run on old HD 3 rail track, I have soldered a wire to each side of the two outer rails and connected up to the controller and nothing happened no movement from Engine and no explosions, the question is why ? Thank you
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Re: Re Hornby Dublo 3 rail track
Hi 38degrees,
You can but they have to be converted to 3 rail first by shorting out the pickups and adding 3rd rail pickup shoes or a skate. If you put power to the outer two rails this will cause a dead short because both are grounded together.
Jim
You can but they have to be converted to 3 rail first by shorting out the pickups and adding 3rd rail pickup shoes or a skate. If you put power to the outer two rails this will cause a dead short because both are grounded together.
Jim
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- Bufferstop
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Re: Re Hornby Dublo 3 rail track
Are you looking for track to run the locos on, or locos to run on an established Dublo layout?.
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Re: Re Hornby Dublo 3 rail track
Two rail locos need to be converted to run on 3 rail track. It can be done but it is quite a job to do.
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Re: Re Hornby Dublo 3 rail track
Hornby Dublo 3 rail locos run better on 3 rail track then today's models run on 2 rail track because they have a much better means of current collection.
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Re: Re Hornby Dublo 3 rail track
I believe you would have real problems getting current OO steam models to run on H-D 3 rail for two reasons.
The minimum radius of current OO is set at 438mm (Hornby set track second radius) and H-D 3 rail points are about 370mm radius which will be too small, especially for outside cylinder locos such as the Merchant Navy and Schools. H-D locos were made with wheel diameters and potentially fouling parts like cylinders well underscale to get around this problem. All the emphasis now is on scale appearance, and that sets a tighter restriction on minimum radius.
If you decided that you nevertheless were going to do the work in modifying and converting current OO to run successfully as vehicles on the 3 rail track system, there's a second set of problems to solve.
The skates that pick up from the centre rail impose quite a lot of drag on the loco. H-D locos were heavy, much heavier than most current steam models with a few exceptions like the admirably chunky Bachmann 9F. So you will need to increase loco weight if you are not to lose too much traction, while also finding methods to attach the pick up skates to loco undersides not designed to take them and rewiring the loco circuit.
The minimum radius of current OO is set at 438mm (Hornby set track second radius) and H-D 3 rail points are about 370mm radius which will be too small, especially for outside cylinder locos such as the Merchant Navy and Schools. H-D locos were made with wheel diameters and potentially fouling parts like cylinders well underscale to get around this problem. All the emphasis now is on scale appearance, and that sets a tighter restriction on minimum radius.
If you decided that you nevertheless were going to do the work in modifying and converting current OO to run successfully as vehicles on the 3 rail track system, there's a second set of problems to solve.
The skates that pick up from the centre rail impose quite a lot of drag on the loco. H-D locos were heavy, much heavier than most current steam models with a few exceptions like the admirably chunky Bachmann 9F. So you will need to increase loco weight if you are not to lose too much traction, while also finding methods to attach the pick up skates to loco undersides not designed to take them and rewiring the loco circuit.
Re: Re Hornby Dublo 3 rail track
Hi again and Thank you to Bufferstop, Mountain and Bigmet. Well thats solved that one then a No go. I acquired, no bought quite a collection of 3 Rail HD including points thinking I could run a line outside, I have a layout inside a purpose built shed with an opening to go outside.
So now obviously lumbered with track thats no use to me and looks like it does not sell on flea bay very well, hopefully another lesson learnt, regards to all from Barry
So now obviously lumbered with track thats no use to me and looks like it does not sell on flea bay very well, hopefully another lesson learnt, regards to all from Barry
- Roger (RJ)
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Re: Re Hornby Dublo 3 rail track
A lot of people still use and collect 3 rail but the track doesn't usually command a high price as there is still plenty around.
You could try selling it through the Classified Ads section of this forum.
You could try selling it through the Classified Ads section of this forum.
Re: Re Hornby Dublo 3 rail track
Put it does sale in here? HD 3 rail track isn't suitable for outdoor use. It has a tin base which will rust. You may find people interested in it.
Modelling On A Budget ---》 https://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/F ... 22&t=52212
Re: Re Hornby Dublo 3 rail track
As 'Mountain', will swiftly rust to wreckage when exposed to rain, dew, mist and dampness in general.38degrees wrote:...bought quite a collection of 3 Rail HD including points thinking I could run a line outside...
The only proven brand for outdoor use in OO that I am aware of is Peco's Streamline: critically the plastic trackbase was specifically developed for UV resistance so that it doesn't swiftly crumble on regular exposure to direct sunlight. Although the nickel silver rail resists corrosion, the rail joiners don't last indefinitely outdoors, splitting after some years probably through the agency of water penetrating and then freezing, so there's continuous maintenance required. (The founder of Peco, Sidney Pritchard, was an enthusiast for model railways outdoors you see.)
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Re: Re Hornby Dublo 3 rail track
For outside use with power via the rails wire it as you would DCC indoors, a busbar of solid copper wire 1.5 to2.5mm cross section (the innards of mains cable) with droppers soldered to each section of rail, if you are going outdoors any distance you'll need it anyway to avoid volts drop. Alternatively look at radio control powered by rechargeable batteries. Emmetman will tell you all about it. It's do able in 00, in 0/16.5 or anything bigger it seems a no brainer.
Growing old, can't avoid it. Growing up, forget it!
My Layout, My Workbench Blog and My Opinions
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Re: Re Hornby Dublo 3 rail track
Hi
There are certain pieces of 3 rail track that are still sought after by collectors.
Large radius curves.
1/4 length curves
1/4 straights.
1/8 straights
A bundle of straights.
A bundle of points
Unfortunately the standard curves are so common everybody has loads of these, due to their inclusion in the train sets.
I have found that due to the season prices and demand are lower.
To sell on the bay wait another month or so.
People want indoor hobbies in the cooler months.
There are certain pieces of 3 rail track that are still sought after by collectors.
Large radius curves.
1/4 length curves
1/4 straights.
1/8 straights
A bundle of straights.
A bundle of points
Unfortunately the standard curves are so common everybody has loads of these, due to their inclusion in the train sets.
I have found that due to the season prices and demand are lower.
To sell on the bay wait another month or so.
People want indoor hobbies in the cooler months.
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Re: Re Hornby Dublo 3 rail track
If you want to run modern and HD 3 rail side by side convert modern Peco track to 3rd rail. Due to the length of the pickups you can only use small radius points (yes, I did try this out). Converting some track sections such as three way points and slips would be very difficult if not impossible.
Jim
Jim
In a world of fences and doors who needs windows and gates?
Re: Re Hornby Dublo 3 rail track
Strange. I used to run my 3 rail on my two rail layout via old Hornby track pins and the flat heads were sanded so I could solder a wire held tight. This worked well and I believe part of this did pass through a Peco double slip. I know I had a three way point on the old layout but I can't remember where it was so I can't say if the wire third rail went through it. I only did one loop of the layout for 3 rail running. Of corse, when I ran two rail all three rail items were removed from the layout.
Modelling On A Budget ---》 https://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/F ... 22&t=52212
Re: Re Hornby Dublo 3 rail track
I have only seen this done once, but what a 'once' as it was on a fairly grand scale in a barn conversion.The old H-D ran better on this than I have ever seen it go on its own track system. Lovely expansive layout with very large radius curves which are always helpful, and the Peco large radius points - but these had been very much modified by the layout builder with isolating switching of the closure rails to avoid shorts when running three rail - and the layout able to offer either two rail or three rail operation as the owner required. He had dedicated two rail and three rail yards to store whichever stock was out of use. Something of a magnum opus...mahoganydog wrote:If you want to run modern and HD 3 rail side by side convert modern Peco track to 3rd rail. Due to the length of the pickups you can only use small radius points (yes, I did try this out)...