And Then There Were Three... Rails

 

Left to right - Nomura, Tri-Ang, Trix (fiber ties), Trix (Bakelite base)

I know that it has been some time since I last posted. There has been a lot going on in my life that has kept me even more distracted than usual. While I have still poked around with the trains, I haven't quite been up to sharing it. As I move along, I will likely get to posting some more of my projects. 

It is important for me, though, to mention that my plans have changed. 

I cannot have a permanent layout. The cats, as well as the ever looming possibility of having to relocate (due to health) make that an impractical notion. And honestly?

I tinker. 

One layout fixes your plans. You cannot, on a whim, decide that the spur you stuck in there needs to be relocated, or that you'd like to try an crossover/figure eight design. 

I am also fascinated by how the different H0/00 manufacturers worked out their designs. 

Previously I wrote about my interest in the tinplate style track made by Nomura, Fleischmann, and others, and how I thought it was good for what I do. It has deep rails, upon which large flanges can operate smoothly. Scale flanges operate fine on them as well, so for someone like me who would prefer to keep his vintage equipment in original (or close) condition, it makes more sense. 

I had played around with Tri-Ang Series 3 track, and found that it worked well enough, though it looks to me more like a larger scale narrow gauge track. 

This is where Trix comes in.

My interest in Trix goes back years, to at least 1979 when my high school library got a copy of Allen Levy's classic "A Century Of Model Trains". I saw how Bing created the first "00" scale (and H0 gauge) trains back in the 1920s, and how Trix came about from that incursion. 

Unfortunately, Trix in any form aside from MiniTrix N scale was rare where I am from. There was Märklin, with its three rail (well, two rail with "nubs") system. There was also the other European and Asian companies. There was even Tri-Ang and Hornby. 

But no Trix. 

After finally landing some Trix pieces, I finally had a chance to see what this system was like. 

The locomotive needed work, but a friend supplied me with another, plus some track. 

And the track has unlocked a realm of possibilities. 

In profile, the rails are similar to the tinplate rails of Fleischmann and its clones (Nomura, Marx, et al). It is deep, so it is forgiving of large flanges (indeed, my Distler American switchers seem to think little of it). The outer rails are insulated from one another. This allows two locomotives to operate on the same track with different controls, using the center rail as a common. 

With a proper setup, one can run both two rail and three rail locomotives. 

There are problems with current, though. 

Most classic Trix runs on AC. After 1957 or therabouts they began a switch to DC, and later in the 1970's Trix Twin switched to two rail. 

With proper switches, and being forever mindful of what one is doing, it is possible to use both currents. 

I have setup a couple of simple circle tracks so far and am rather impressed with the build of the equipment. There is still so much to learn here, but this might be the best solution for me.