Brakewheel color


tomstockton

tomstockton

Tom Stockton
As my fleet of HO rolling stock is predominantly Athearn "blue box" and Roundhouse cars, almost all of my kits have had the brakewheel in the black color of the molding plastic. And most of the time, I've tried to paint them in a color to match the ends of the cars.

But in pictures -- mainly online but in a few magazines -- I'm seeing more and more cars with black brake wheels. Are black brake wheels becoming "accepted" -- or should I continue to try to match the color of the end of the car, and paint them? Or is this one of those instances of "modelers' preference"?

Mostly serious question, with perhaps just a wee bit of social commentary... ;)

Thanks in advance for your replies.

Happy New Year, and regards to all,
Tom Stockton
 
Now that you have me actually thinking? I honestly don't know!
Good question.
I'm trying to remember the last time that I saw something other than a tank car, a well car, or an automobile car ... LOL
 
Agree with Jerome mostly black but whatever color was being used
Reminds me of my brother in law took the end of his thumb off while he was wearing leather mittins Checking the brake by hitting the chain up high (back when they were up high) I've done the same thing They put it back on with a pin sticking out the end of his thumb he said that hurt more then when it got mangled
 
Well now you’ve got me thinking, I’ve sold a few back in the day.
I seem to recall new cars being color matched but later on in primer or black.
TTX used orange on many of their cars and most shops just replaced with whatever was laying around.
I’ll be watching today when I’m around the yards.
Guess I’m no help!
 
When the car is painted the handbrake and brake wheel are painted the same color as the car, but if the hand brake or brake wheel are replaced they are in what ever color the manufacturer painted them, usually black or some kind of primer color. If they put a used brake wheel on the car then it would be whatever the color it was painted while on the other car.
 
Thank you for your replies. :)

I understand the "whatever paint is on hand" for repairs / new brake wheels. So I won't be critical of others whose tastes run different from mine -- but on my RR, I will continue to try to match the main color of the car. To me, they just look more complete that way.

Once again -- thanks for the replies!

Regards,
Tom
 
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