Trix Twin Railway, How do I convert one from 3 Rail to 2 rail DC? (asking on behalf of a Friend)

[GoingUnderground]

On 20/06/2020 at 23:16, Max's Model Railway said:

Will any princess chassis's work? even the oldest Tri-ang (Non Rovex) Models, how'd I Isolate the body from the chassis, Assuming He'd have the same problem when Awdry Converted his Henry (Graham Farish Black 5) to Use a Tri-ang Chassis, I know Romford wheels are an option, is there a simple way to Convert one? If romford wheels were not an option and they are not for me how would one would?

If you're planning on replacing the chassis with a Triang one, don't use an early one as they used roller or plunger pickups as the wheels were plastic. Use a later one with metal wheels that picks up through the wheels. You don't need to insulate the body from the chassis.

 

As you seem unfamilar with Trix, here's a bit on general info on British Trix, or Trix Twin as it is often called. The "Twin" name was created by Wenman Bassett-Lowke, whose company distributed German made Trix, and later UK made Trix, in the UK the 1930s, to emphasise that you could run 2 locos under independent control, thanks to the centre rail being used as a common return and the insulated running rails. To do this, the wheelsets also had to be insulated, just like 2 rail, or the wheelsets would have shorted out the two independent controls. 

 

Trix Twin used AC until 1957 (or thereabouts), when they changed over to DC for their main models. They dod prodice a "jinior" train which ised a 6V DC motor and a hand cranked dynamo to power the track/loco in the early 1950s. They kept the very coarse scale wheels as used on the AC stock until 1960, replacing them with much finer scale wheels that will run happily on modern Code 100 track. For a while in the 1960s DC locos were sold with "Universal" wheels, a finer scale wheel with a plastic collar moulded over it to the coarse scale dimensions. These can be converted to fine scale by removing the collar, but in my experience that is a one way trip as the collar is very stiff and has to be cut off. I have a Trix EM1 (Class 76) where I've kept the collars in place. As the Blue Scotsman dates to '50/'51 it will have the coarse scale wheels.

 

Trix Twin was never a 3 rail system in the sense that Maerklin and Dublo were with their electrically connected running rails. From its introduction in 1935, Trix running rails were always insulated from each other by the track base, bakelite later replaced with fibre. Unlike Maerklin and Dublo where the base was tinplate. Trix 3 rail track can be used as conventional 2 rail, and the locos as 2 rail if the collector shoes are set to pick up from the running rails only, that's how I run a couple of my Trix EM1s (collars removed) with my Triang EM2s.

 

Trix Twin did suffer from "zinc-pest" or "fatigue", wheels and bogie castings in my experience, but bodyshells can also be affected. The cause is well known to be excess amounts of tin, lead and cadmium in the zinc alloy. It all comes down to quality control in the manufacture of the alloy. Some Scotsman 1950s chassis may have the fatigue problem, so it would be worth checking over the chassis on the Blue Scotsman before you or your friend do anything to it, and that includes trying to run it. If it shows any signs of fatigue, I'd leave it alone as there is no cure.

[Il Grifone]

Zinc pest may well be present in a 'Scotsman' chassis (especially the pony truck). (They were imported from Germany.) Rivarossi Memory claims to have a cure. It's claimed to have lasted forty years, so should see me out! Only in Italian I'm afraid (there's always Google Translate).

http://www.rivarossi-memory.it/Tecnica/Peste_Zama_cura/Curare_peste_zama.htm

 

There are several versions of the Märklin 3 rail track. The one I have* has folded tinplate rail on a stamped out base, which is inconveniently higher than Dublo and sharper radius. It could well be 16mm gauge as Dublo wheels tend to bind. M-Track is really only stud contact. The term was introduced to distinguish from K-track.

https://marklinstop.com/2018/01/marklins-00ho-track-system-1935-present/

 

*Post war 3600 series with hollow rail, claimed to be brass in the link (Maybe, I'll try and remember to check). The above link has its radii and circumferences confused. I assume it's 3600 from a 36cm. radius? (Again, I'll try and remember to check).

 

The VB track looks great for running Dublo, but good luck finding any. I imagine it's rare even in France.

Edited August 11, 2020 by Il Grifone

[sagaguy]

You can see some Marklin 3 rail track here,i bought a selection to fit into the geometry of the Marklin turntable on my Dublo layout.

 

                         Ray.

Edited August 12, 2020 by sagaguy