PrairieKnight
Active Member
I have a couple different manufacturers of rolling stock on my recently powered up DCC 4 X 8 layout. On my Atlas code 83 track with Atlas remote snap switches, the Athearns, Mantuas, and Walthers do fine. However, the Power Model rolling stock seems to want to derail at the remote snap switches. Not all the time.. but it seems like when I get a train of about 8 to 10 cars rolling at speed step 10 on my NCE system... boom...there goes one of the Power Model cars where the others roll through the same spot with no problems. This seems to be a problem with three of the seven Power Model cars that I have, the rest run just fine. The Mantuas caused a few fits with coupler height, but that was fixed with little trouble. The coupler height on all of the other rolling stock match up well with my Walthers locomotive.
I am seeing that the Athearns rolling stock with metal wheels seem to be the smoothest. Would the plastic wheels on the Power Model be the problem? The Mantuas with plastic wheels seem to be doing just fine. The reason for all the different manufacturers of rolling stock is that they were gifts from family as they were wanting to buy Dad something other than a tie for Christmas and Father's Day presents. I am not complaining mind you.. just explaining.
Would it be worth the time and expense to change out the plastic wheels on the Power Model rolling stock.? or just move on and replace the Power Model cars with Athearns. If I should replace the plastic wheels on the Power Model cars, is there a metal wheel manufacturer that you would recommend over another?
I am seeing that the Athearns rolling stock with metal wheels seem to be the smoothest. Would the plastic wheels on the Power Model be the problem? The Mantuas with plastic wheels seem to be doing just fine. The reason for all the different manufacturers of rolling stock is that they were gifts from family as they were wanting to buy Dad something other than a tie for Christmas and Father's Day presents. I am not complaining mind you.. just explaining.
Would it be worth the time and expense to change out the plastic wheels on the Power Model rolling stock.? or just move on and replace the Power Model cars with Athearns. If I should replace the plastic wheels on the Power Model cars, is there a metal wheel manufacturer that you would recommend over another?