With the holiday season ( and my bday) coming up, I’ve been looking at purchasing locomotives ale locomotive that I can run up at the club I belong too ( The Detroit Model Railroad Club in Holly, MI). Our track is all handlaid 2-Rail and we use NCE DCC.
My question is that I’ve been look at MTH’s selection of locomotives but I have been unable to get a clear answer as to how difficult it would be to make a Premier Line locomotive from 3 rail to 2, and also the comply lift of Protosound and NCE.
While I am not familiar with the MTH Premier line, I would say that if it normally runs on 3-rail then it is almost certainly an AC locomotive. Converting it to DC would at a minimum require replacing all of the wheelsets (which would not be insulated and would short out a 2-rail system), removing the pickup shoes under the locomotive (which would probably short out going over turnouts), and replacing the motor and electrical system. Not sure it would be worth the trouble. Doesn’t MTH have a 2-rail O-scale line? I thought they did, but not being an O-scaler, I’m not at all certain.
Gary is correct, most of MTH’s Premier Line locomotives are available in a 2-rail version. What you want to look at is the item number. Here’s an example; a CSX Dash-8.
The first two digits indicate the product line. 20 = Premier O Scale, 30 = RailKing O Gauge, 80 = HO Scale, etc.
The next group of numbers can have four or five digits. Diesel engines cataloged within the last couple years will have five digits while steam and electrics will have four. This group identifies the specific item.
The last digit indicates the wheel and power configuration. Within the Premier Line “-1” indicates Protosound (1,2, or 3) with Hi-Rail wheels. A “-2” indicates a 2-rail version with RP25 wheels. Early “-2” engines built in the 90’s were straight DC with no sound. Between 2000 and early 2011 “-2” engines came with Protosound 2.0 sound and electronics. This is a good sound system, but the command control was not designed for easy 2-rail operation. These engines can be run on conventional AC or DC, or in command on MTH’s DCS system. However, if running on DCS the engines have a slide switch that must be changed manually whenever polarity changes. Since late 2010 MTH has been delivering “-2” 2-rail engines with Protosound 3.0. This is BY FAR your best option for running on your club layout with NCE. The PS3 electronics will run on conventional AC, conventional DC, DCS command (w/o the polarity switch problem), or DCC.
Here’s a link to a search of the MTH website for “Protosound 3.0 2-rail.” Any of the items that end in a “-2” and list Protosound 3.0 will be able to run on your club layout right out of the box with no modifications. There are a hand full of US and European prototype steamers
thanks helpful info on MTH’s product number. Now am i correct to assume the same goes for cars as well?
And today I got a chance to go down to P & D Hobbys in Fraser, MI and get an early birthday present - an Atlas O Soo Line GP9 2401 with QSI sound. Pic is below.And best part is I’ll be able to run it as soon as tomorrow. My first 2-rail locomotive.
The first two digits stay the same. Premier rolling stock still starts with 20. However, MTH has made very little factory 2-rail rolling stock and the numbering system has been a little chaotic. The first 2-rail rolling stock they offered were European prototype passenger cars. These sets were first announced in 3-rail only. When the 2-rail versions were announced they simply added a “-2” to the existing 3-rail item number. They have since released other European passenger sets and freight cars in 2-rail and 3-rail versions. In these cases each version received normal rolling stock item numbers (20-5digits). MTH will soon be releasing what I believe will be their first US prototype freight cars in factory 2-rail.
The drop bottom gondolas are being offered through Peterson Supply, who has done custom run freight cars for years with Atlas as well. Hopefully they will sell well enough that MTH considers offering 2-rail versions in their standard catalog.
Most of MTH’s Premier rolling stock is pretty easy to convert from 3-rail to 2-rail. You can put Weaver scale axles in MTH 3-rail trucks, or you can buy 2-rail truck assemblies with RP25 wheel sets from MTH. Some MTH’s trucks, like the 100 ton roller bearing trucks, are nothing special. You can replace these with Atlas trucks which have better detail. Some of the MTH truck are excellent, such as their CA-1 caboose truck and heavyweight passenger trucks. Its worth getting the MTH 2-rail trucks for these. I think MTH has had Kadee mounting pads on all Premier freight cars since about 2007. Between 2004 and 2007 there was a phase-in period where all new tooling cars came with Kadee pads and older tooling w
