Metal vs. Plastic Wheels


Greg@mnrr

Greg@mnrr

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What are your thoughts and feelings regarding using metal wheels verses plastic wheel sets.

I know that there are several opinions that metal wheel will not leave a residue on the rail heads like plastic wheel are reported to do so.

Your opinions and experiences are welcome.

Thanks.

Greg
 
I started replacing plastic wheels almost 30 years ago with Kadee Wheels, because at the time, they were the best. Now there are other brands on the market and I use them too. I don't think I have a single car on my layout with plastic wheels.
 
I agree, first thing I do when I take a piece of rolling stock out of the box is put steel wheels on. I don't like Kadee because they coat their wheels and they are sintered. Other folks sell real steel.
 
Greg@mnrr said:
What are your thoughts and feelings regarding using metal wheels verses plastic wheel sets.
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One thing we were not ready for when the club converted to metal wheels was the noise. It was already a pretty noisy room but then having 8-11 trains running with their metal wheels each going "kshhhh kshhh" pushed it over the top. We had to add sound baffles across the ceiling. We converted to help keep the track clean, but in the long run did not notice any difference in that category.

But for me personally it is a moot point. The car occupancy of the signalling system requires the car to have electrical conductivity across the rails which dictates metal wheels.
 
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I know I'm in the minority, and honestly it probably does make more difference in larger scales where there is more weight on the wheels, but I like using plastic. With the tracks properly treated I haven't noticed that they make the rails dirty at all. It's been well over a year without cleaning track and running plastic wheels, and I'm having zero problems. Again, this is N scale, so HO and larger might see a bigger difference in how the cars run or sound or even wheel wear. The added bonus, and the whole reason I'm actually very happy to run plastic wheels, is that I can also have reversing sections that are as long as my longest locomotive consist, rather than longer than the longest complete train. Considering that I haven't noticed any actual negative effects of running plastic, that one fairly big positive is more than enough for me to stick with plastic.
 
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For me the issue with plastic wheels was not the track getting dirty but rather the wheels.

Have you checked for this?
 
fcwilt said:
For me the issue with plastic wheels was not the track getting dirty but rather the wheels.

Have you checked for this?
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If you were responding to me, yes I have. The No-Ox I applied to the rails works a micro-film of the substance onto any wheels that run over it, which seems to keep gunk from sticking to the rolling stock just as it does to the metal locomotive wheels and track. I haven't cleaned wheels on my rolling stock in that same time frame and they're still looking good. Even if that is an eventual issue, it looks like it will take long enough that any wheel cleaning would only need to be done every once in a long while. Likely longer than I'd ever keep anything on the track, so I could just clean any wheels that eventually need it as I put them back in their boxes. Fortunately I've got a nifty little Velcro-like device that actually cleans wheels on rolling stock with just a couple back-and-forth runs along it, which only takes a few seconds. Haven't used it in a while now, but it was quite easy and quick to use.
 
The issues aren't the same for everyone. This discussion started with Athearn bluebox, which has plastic wheels but steel axles (along with Roundhouse kits and others). If you use Kadee 308 under the track magnets, the steel axles will cause problems with coupling and uncoupling, so you really have to replace them. May as well go with non-magnetic metal. Accurail wheels are all plastic, but this brings the center of gravity up too high (and rolling qualities are worse), which can cause stringlining on curves and grades. So if you operate with switching and magnetic coupling, that's a good reason, and if you run longer trains on curves and grades, that's another. I didn't think about the issue of stringlining until I built my current layout, when I had it, but metal wheels cured it. You probably won't notice issues with a smaller layout, shorter trains, or if you don't do switching.
 
I really like metal wheels, they are more prototypical and definitely roll better, but I haven't really noticed a major difference in dirtying the track. Having said that, most of my cars have high flange plastic wheels. This is due to the fact my cars spend more time on the club NTRAK layout vs my own layout......metal wheels are virtually all low flange, and they don't take kindly to less than perfect track work, which tends to be the norm on our layout. Every module junction is a derailment in the making. And each derailment is a potential short when the metal wheels hit the next switch or crossover. Most of our members refuse to run metal wheel cars.........I run a few passenger trains, but they definitely cause more problems and have to be watched more closely. I've melted a number of trucks when I got distracted and a car jumped the tracks. Like JWB said, "the issues aren't the same for everyone".
 
I haven't had many problems with plastic wheels. Most of my issues have been slightly bent axles. I have ran 100 car nscale trains without issues on my old layout. My current HO layout is mostly populated with accurail kits. I seem to have more issues with the expensive cars with metal wheels.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
 
i could not find may question on any other thread so i'll bring up this old thread ! what i'd like to know is if there is any info out there to tell me/you what size wheel goes on what ho train car? 33" or 36"...anyone?
 
Most freight cars will use a 33" wheel and passenger cars a 36" wheel. Some modern freight equipment may also run 36" wheels.
 
GN.2-6-8-0 said:
Just better all around performance,massive upgrade for the money!!
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Hear hear! I'm on my second case of 33", and about half way through a case of 36" Intermouintains (HO). I paint them, & install on almost everything. They fit most brands, though now & then I find a set of trucks that don't like them (most recent was an Atlas tank car). For those odd trucks, Reboxx makes various axle lengths that will work. They roll better, and keep the crud down. I've also used Kadee and Proto some, but have replaced those with Intermountain so I can fit resistors to the metal axles.
 
As my plastic verses metal wheel Thread continues to have interest....just a thought that I shared before.

Could one of the problems with plastic wheels be that older "plastic" wheels still in use on rolling stock was manufactured from material which may have a tenancy to break down over time as well as problems with track cleaning products accelerating the break down and causing the gunk and other debris to collect on wheels and track?

Thanks.

Greg

Thanks.

Greg

PS: I prefer metal wheels sets myself.
 
I was sold on Life Like Proto 2000 wheel sets, I have no idea what material they where made from; but, they had wonderful detail and it seemed like they fit every truck I put them in. I paint and weather all wheels previous to installing in the trucks which get weathered, too. As well as not tracking dirt around the railroad and eventually derailing because the diameter of the dirt on the wheels exceeds the diameter of the flange, I love that they show bright metal on the riding surface the way real railroad wheels are burnished brightly, due to wear. Since Walthers took over the P2K brand and have now changed how; or, who manufactures the wheels, I have been messing around with various manufacturer's wheels. I don't care for the Code 88 wheel width as I find they too easily derail. This is obviously due to the fact that my track work is not perfect. So far I had been happiest with Kadee's wheel sets. They have good detail; but, now someone has said that Kadee's wheels pick-up crud, too! The last manufacturer I tried are Intermountain's and they may well be where I will stay. Walthers, deciding a change was in order (for whatever reason) for the Proto 2000 wheel-set line, was a step backwards in performance and detail! Unfortunate as it is, it killed sales of this product to me, at least.
 
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