Outside third rail in N scale

[nkalanaga]

I'm sure no one has tried actually running trains from a third rail in N scale, but has anyone modeled such a railroad?  The recent Metro-North collision got me to wondering.  It wouldn't be hard to build a dummy third rail, much simpler than overhead wire, but I've never heard of anyone doing it in N.

[loyalton]

Without an existing N scale loco of a proto using third rail plus trucks appropriate for a US prototype, it would take a real pioneer to do this. Just third rail stuff including subway trains is pretty rare.

Offhand, third rail power pickup in N would seem to be more fiddly than using live overhead wire. For one, I'd suspect the collectors/shoes/paddles would wear quickly, assuming you had full contact nearly all the time. Now, the Rapido FL-9 is due at then of the year. So do I hear anyone mumbling "challenge accepted"? LOL Then someone can carry on to do MU Metro North/LIRR trains on Shapeways and then BART trains (and create correct-gauge track for the latter also).

[bbussey]

I don't see how it could be done in N, given how close the third-rail would have to be to the track and the fact that most N scale trucks are too wide.  The truck clearance would be a major issue, which would be exacerbated on the tighter-than-prototype radii of N scale curved trackage.
 

[tom mann]

I was tempted to pick up the Con-Cor Electroliner set and model a section featuring 3rd rail pickup.

[garethashenden]

Third rail power is quite common here and of course some people have modelled it. Here's one example. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/990/entry-15476-dabbling-in-3rd-rail-in-2mm-finescale/

[JMaurer1]

One the NorthWestern Pacific (what I'm modelling) they actually had FOUR rail for awhile (standard gauge, narrow gauge and third rail electric). I have a small bit of third rail modeled, but the third rail is not providing anything other than looks (used for electric commuter trains on the south end). So yes it can be modeled but I wouldn't even attempt to make it live.

[prbharris]

I'm sure no one has tried actually running trains from a third rail in N scale, but has anyone modeled such a railroad? ...It wouldn't be hard to build a dummy third rail

I understand from comments received that two or three of our customers have used our plastic  'welded rail' as third rail - although I have no photos to share. It is certainly cheaper to buy a 50' length of welded rail [and is on brown rust color] than using redundant metal rails - However, it may be a bit trickier to mount on the ties than metal rail . http://www.nscalekits.co.uk/welded_rail.html

Peter

Peter Harris
N Scale Kits
www.nscalekits.com

[C855B]

This is making me recall the model railroad construction books from my childhood. I would borrow them repeatedly from the public library. Two or three that stick out in my mind were of British origin, and much of the text and graphics were devoted to constructing operable third rail as the primary method of supplying power to the train. Not N scale, of course, mostly 0, with some 00.

I remember thinking "how odd!" about all the emphasis on third rail, then not understanding this was prototype in the region.

[nkalanaga]

garethashenden:  That's some nice looking work! 

Peter:  That sounds like what I had in mind.  A scenic addition, and the plastic "rails" would be a lot easier to handle than metal rails.  There wouldn't be any wear on it.

Bryan:  I can see where that would be an issue, although some of the elevated/subway lines using third rail had sharper curves than many modelers.  Our wide trucks may be why the British can do it with 2 mm finescale while we don't.

Loyalton:  I can't imagine anyone wanting to actually power their trains from third rail in N scale, unless it's to prove that they can.  But almost any early model electric locomotive made, except maybe the GG-1, could be used as a third rail motor.  The EF-15 and EF-57 from Kato wouldn't look out of place in a model of New York or Cleveland.  Most American N scale electric fans don't use live overhead either, as two-rail locos are too inconvenient to rewire, especially with split-frame designs.

Mike:  Outside third rail used to be very common in the US for O scale modelers.  It looked better than Lionel-style inside pickup, and avoided the need to insulate wheels, gap turnouts, power frogs, etc.  It was more a necessity than a desire to follow a prototype, simply because 2-rail wheels and locomotives weren't commonly available before WW II.  Many of the early modelers ran electric prototypes, as they were more common then, and the pickup "shoes", usually a piece of wire, weren't that distracting on steam locos.  Once diesels became common it was even easier to add the contacts to the trucks.  One of the recent header images here was a Canadaigua Southern covered hopper, and that layout used third rail to the end, whenever John Armstrong died.  It was seen regularly in MR and RMC in the 70s.