O-scale questions - radius, DCC, AC


F

FlyFishn

Member
I have three different curves on two different types of track for O scale. The newer/modern O scale track has two different curve radiuses. I am assuming the tighter one is 027 as that came in a kit I got in the mid-90s. I am not sure what the wider one is. I have some pre-war O scale gear and that curve is wider than what I think is the O27, but tighter than the wider curve set for the newer/modern track. The pre-war track has taller spacers/ties. Are these common sizes of track? I have seen references to O31 before so I am assuming the wider of the modern track is O31, but I can't be positive.

All of the locomotives I have run with a transformer so they are AC.

I have been planning on an N scale layout running DCC for the last year. I bought about 250ft of track and 4 switch outs this Fall for that project. My goal is to set up a wireless NCE controller for that. I was looking at diesel locomotives for O scale this evening and I noticed they were DCC-ready. Those would certainly take a lot of current - much more than HO or N. Is that really a viable control source for O? Or is that a dumb question?
 
FlyFishn said:
I have three different curves on two different types of track for O scale. The newer/modern O scale track has two different curve radiuses. I am assuming the tighter one is 027 as that came in a kit I got in the mid-90s. I am not sure what the wider one is. I have some pre-war O scale gear and that curve is wider than what I think is the O27, but tighter than the wider curve set for the newer/modern track. The pre-war track has taller spacers/ties. Are these common sizes of track?
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Yes, the traditional O-gauge track is in three comon sizes. O-27 as you noted has shorter ties and shorter rail. O-31 was considered the standard size and is taller rail and taller ties. Matching the O-31 in height was O-72 sometimes called super O. There have also been other size rails that match these sizes through the years produced by various vendors. Gargraves comes to mind. One of the other common sizes was O-54. BTW The number designates the diameter of the circle.

I have seen references to O31 before so I am assuming the wider of the modern track is O31, but I can't be positive.
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More modern track has the issue that none of the vendors track is easly connected to one another, so one has to buy all that type or make your own adapters. In the new world O-36, O-42, O-48, O-64, O-96, and O-108 have been added to the mix.

I have been planning on an N scale layout running DCC for the last year. My goal is to set up a wireless NCE controller for that. I was looking at diesel locomotives for O scale this evening and I noticed they were DCC-ready. Those would certainly take a lot of current - much more than HO or N. Is that really a viable control source for O?
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First there is a huge difference in O-scale and O-gauge. Most O-scale locomotives are DC just like their smaller cousins and run on two rail track. It is the Lionel type O-gauge locomotives that run on AC. In general to convert a traditional O-gauge locomotive to DCC would require changing the motor. There are high current decoders made for such applications as O-scale (note not O-gauge) locomotives. I've been running DCC in G-gauge trains for umm, umm, a long time (probably at least since 1994). So yes it is very viable.
 
For O 3 rail trains, there are two proprietary DCC like systems, as I understand things, DCS from MTH, and Legacy from Lionel. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.
 
Gentlemen, none of your discussion includes information for O-Scale 2-Rail equipment.

Is there a special place somewhere on the Forum that is reserved for 2-Railers?

Thanks,
Brakeman Hal, age 82
 
Brakeman Hal said:
Gentlemen, none of your discussion includes information for O-Scale 2-Rail equipment.

Is there a special place somewhere on the Forum that is reserved for 2-Railers?
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I don't think so. As far as I know this O section welcomes 2 rail and O-scale discussions as well. It is just that there aren't that many members who have it. I've got several of the AHM 0-8-0 kits for cheap because someone was going to kitbash them into a 2-8-8-2. I've got a couple AHM diesels and bunch of Atlas stuff (F9s?) from the late 1970s. And then some random things including an RS-3 with a chain drive. Don't even know the brand. Unfortunately I had to raze my O-scale layout in 2003 because I just didn't have any space for it. All DC powered at the moment.
 
Getting back to your question regarding O scale, DCC, and how much current the locos need, I'd say the following. Yes, you can use DCC with O scale, however you are correct, the locomotives draw more current than HO, or N scales. What would be most important if you want to use DCC for O scale, is the current rating of the DCC decoder you put in whatever loco you have in mind, so you don't fry the circuitry, + having a large enough power supply, or power station, for the number of locos, switches, lights, etc you plan to operate at one time. You will probably need larger capacity power supplies than what HO or N requires, and/or need multiples of them, vs the same sized HO or N scale layout. Hope this helps.
 
Sirfoldalot said:
Typical!
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What do you mean by that, Sirfoldalot?

Brakeman Hal
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tootnkumin said:
This one may suit you better https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/forum/2-rail-scale-trains
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Thanks, King Tut, but that site is just a big ad section, no discussion groups.

Brakeman Hal
 
Any Tesla coils with a Toroid top? I've wanted one for decades, never made time to build/find one. Or are those Vandegraff generators? I see the Wimhurst in there and it made me do a second think.
 
Iron Horseman said:
Any Tesla coils with a Toroid top? I've wanted one for decades, never made time to build/find one. Or are those Vandegraff generators? I see the Wimhurst in there and it made me do a second think
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I don't build Tesla Coils anymore, because the primary excitation voltges are Lethal!

There is no Wimshurst Machine in the picture.

There is a 400,000-volt VDG, a 24" 250,000-volt Bonetti Machine, and the Million-Volt VDG.

Here's a picture that big VDG I built a few years ago. It had a 30" spherical terminal which had to be made at a metal-spinning shop.

It generated over one million volts of electrostatic charge,and is now a Garden Ornament!

Hal
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