I have a section of insulated rail (GarGraves three rail) and all my equipment with metal wheels actuate the signals in that section. However, I have three Atlas flat cars, with auto load, that the box states “metal wheels” but will not operate the signals. The wheels have been cleaned and still no operation. Does Atlas use some type of exotic metal in the wheel or axle that does not conduct a current?
Have you put a voltmeter on the wheels to see if they conduct current?
Check them with an ohm meter. Touch probes to each wheel. Should show a complete circuit. If so, they should conduct. They would have to be exta light not to work if metal axles.
Since they make both 2-rail and 3-rail stuff, their wheelsets may share a design that is insulated.
I put an ohm meter on the wheels and no continuity.
Addendum: The axles do conduct and show continuity.
I just put my OHM meter on an Atlas Gondola and presto - it has continuity. What gives Atlas?
Does the box say how many rails it is meant for?
Box is Industrial Rail 0/027 and does not mention 2 or 3 rail.
Industrial Rail is usually three rail from what I have seen.
Atlas makes kits to adapt the wheelsets over to two rail or three rail and the wheels are identical except for the piece of plastic around the center shaft on the two rail version. It is very similar to an H.O. diesel wheel set in design except for the size of the wheel.
Lee F.
All my (pre-Atlas) Industrial Rail has conducting wheelsets. Could someone have swapped wheelsets? Did you buy the cars new? Are the flanges toy-train-ish or scale-ish?
If they are two rail cars they will have shiny chrome, not black, wheels, with very small flanges.
2 rail cars have insulated axles because they operate on DC current so one rail is positive and the other is negative.
As an American Flyer guy, I am unfamiliar with the problem here, but couldn’t you just swap the questionable wheelset for a wheeset that is compatible and see if that works?
Rich
Presto!! Dawn breaks. You guys have solved the mystery. After close inspection here is what I have. The wheel itself is conductive and you can see a light colored gasket or bushing around the axle at wheel. I have 2 rail cars. Now I guess its a matter of contacting Atlas and getting some three rail wheel sets. Can’t thank you enough for your expert help.
Congrats!
I guess that qualifies as a response to my suggestion that you swap wheelsets.[(-D]
Rich
Grayson, while it is true that most 3-rail trains are run on AC and most 2-rail trains on DC, the choice of number of rails has nothing to do with AC versus DC. There are numerous examples of all combinations of rails and power. Perhaps the most common exception to the rule you propose is 2-rail postwar American Flyer running on AC.
My cars were contained in boxes that indicated they were for 0/027. Would you think they were 2-rail cars? I sure didn’t. Atlas’s response was to say that these cars were sold in 2 & 3 rail versions. I got the shaft and got 2-rail cars that I didn’t want. So much for Atlas packaging. I should have stuck to MTH and Lionel.
Any chance that you could mount a piece of wire in the truck somehow so it would lightly rub on the inside of both wheels? This would ‘short out’ the insulation between the axle and wheel, allowing the car to activate your insulated rail set up.
I know, it is kind of a jurry rigged solution, but it might get you going.
The proper solution would be to replace the two rail wheels with three rail wheels.
Good luck.
It wouldn’t have to rub if you could solder each end of the wire the inside of each wheel. However, the flanges could be too small for toy-train operation.
So Atlas is saying you can’t buy new three rail trucks and swap them out? That is a bit strange because they typically pride themselves on the adaptability of their products.
New trucks will probably cost as much as the original purchase price. No thanks.
I am very disappointed in Atlas they suggested that Industrial Rail was never produced with 2 rail wheels, Try cleaning the black plating off of the wheel faces, this should solve your problem. The only problem is that the axles are insulated from the wheels. These cars will go back in the box and on the shelf for a reminder of poor customer service.