The Best Wheels and trucks
- Thread starter nycentral57
- Start date
I've heard people swear by these??
montanan
Whiskey Merchant
beiland - They are beautiful looking trucks. It really frustrates me that they have derailment problems.I have made sure that the trucks don't have any obstructions and that they are level and swing freely. Some one had mentioned changing out the wheels on the trucks. The wheels look really nice, wit a narrow tread and not much of a flange. The lack of a flange could be the problem.
My layout has been around for a long while and extreme care was taken when either hand laying the code 70 rail of turnouts and also the Shinohraa track used to complete the layout. Derailment on my layout are rare. I have accidentally left trains running over night with no derailments. Occasionally I have had a troublesome car that caused a derailment, but a quick tune up corrected the problem. The main cause of the few derailments is caused by operator error (me), by forgetting to throw a turnout into the proper position.
Te trucks are three axle trucks and could be disassembled and to replace the wheels. I have a couple of passenger cars with three axle plastic trucks and there are no problems, but the have Kadee 36" wheels.
I found out something about three axle passenger trucks on my model railroad clubs layout. They recommend not using them and instead run passenger cars with 2 axle trucks. Their layout is all Peco code 83 and extremely well put down. I and others have pulled long trains of 50 or more cars around the layout for hours with very few derailments. No one at the club can figure that one out either.
My layout has been around for a long while and extreme care was taken when either hand laying the code 70 rail of turnouts and also the Shinohraa track used to complete the layout. Derailment on my layout are rare. I have accidentally left trains running over night with no derailments. Occasionally I have had a troublesome car that caused a derailment, but a quick tune up corrected the problem. The main cause of the few derailments is caused by operator error (me), by forgetting to throw a turnout into the proper position.
Te trucks are three axle trucks and could be disassembled and to replace the wheels. I have a couple of passenger cars with three axle plastic trucks and there are no problems, but the have Kadee 36" wheels.
I found out something about three axle passenger trucks on my model railroad clubs layout. They recommend not using them and instead run passenger cars with 2 axle trucks. Their layout is all Peco code 83 and extremely well put down. I and others have pulled long trains of 50 or more cars around the layout for hours with very few derailments. No one at the club can figure that one out either.
CHET - I am going to take a "shot in the dark" here and guess that the center set of wheels (being more narrow wheels) is dropping off the rail and not able to "climb" back up on the railhead?
montanan
Whiskey Merchant
Sherrel - I have checked the gauge and they are right on the mark. Another thing that I checked was the side to side movement of the wheels within the truck and there is more than enough travel for them to stay on the track on even tighter radius curves than I have. They should not climb up onto the railhead with the free play that they have,
3 Axle Trucks combined with Small Flanges
I discovered long ago that I had a diesel loco (Athearn Genesis I believe it was) that had 3 axle trucks with very small flanges. It would be one of my first locos to derail if I had trouble spots. I inspected the situation very closely and discovered that with the slightest variation in rail heights within short distances (or over turnout points), the truck would choose to balance on only two of the axles, the two closest ones such as the center axle and one of the ends. That left the other end of the truck just slightly 'up in the air' where its small flange wheels could NOT keep it from riding over the railhead.
That loco became my track laying tester. It could find my errors more precisely than laying a straight edge across the tracks.
3 axle trucks can be troublesome, and possible worst if the truck frame is too flexible,...adding another dimension into the equation !
I discovered long ago that I had a diesel loco (Athearn Genesis I believe it was) that had 3 axle trucks with very small flanges. It would be one of my first locos to derail if I had trouble spots. I inspected the situation very closely and discovered that with the slightest variation in rail heights within short distances (or over turnout points), the truck would choose to balance on only two of the axles, the two closest ones such as the center axle and one of the ends. That left the other end of the truck just slightly 'up in the air' where its small flange wheels could NOT keep it from riding over the railhead.
That loco became my track laying tester. It could find my errors more precisely than laying a straight edge across the tracks.
3 axle trucks can be troublesome, and possible worst if the truck frame is too flexible,...adding another dimension into the equation !
N
NP2626
Guest
For me, a very important factor when considering replacement of plastic wheels with metal ones is COST! This is for sets of a dozen 33 inch diameter, code 110 wheels. The following is a break down of costs from a few manufacturer's wheel-sets and is taken from M.B. Klien's ModelTrainStuff:
Bachmann $12.99
Bowser $14.99
Exact Rail $17.09
Intermountain $13.99
Kadee $7.99
Reboxx $9.59 (Note: These May be Code 88)
Tangent $9.49
Essentially for me, I'm not interested in spending more than $10.00 for a dozen Wheel sets! Being as my era, 1953, in the transition, many of my cars would also have had ribbed backed; or, chilled wheels. From what I can tell as of late, the only company offering chilled wheels is Kadee.
Also for me, I wonder why there is such a variation in price? In the case of Exact Rail, they are almost $10.00 higher for a dozen wheel sets than Kadee! Are they that much more scale? We should also be aware when buying Reboxx wheel sets that the wheel width Code is Code 88.
Bachmann $12.99
Bowser $14.99
Exact Rail $17.09
Intermountain $13.99
Kadee $7.99
Reboxx $9.59 (Note: These May be Code 88)
Tangent $9.49
Essentially for me, I'm not interested in spending more than $10.00 for a dozen Wheel sets! Being as my era, 1953, in the transition, many of my cars would also have had ribbed backed; or, chilled wheels. From what I can tell as of late, the only company offering chilled wheels is Kadee.
Also for me, I wonder why there is such a variation in price? In the case of Exact Rail, they are almost $10.00 higher for a dozen wheel sets than Kadee! Are they that much more scale? We should also be aware when buying Reboxx wheel sets that the wheel width Code is Code 88.
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santafewillie
Same Ol' Buzzard
I am partial to Kadee now that the original P2K are no longer available. My LHS sells Kadee's for $7.99 like your list shows, but they have IM for $9.99. IM's have metal axles while Kadee's have plastic axles. Still miss the P2K's though.
Willie
Willie
Thank's Mark - You did that chart just for me as I was thinking that I needed to do it just so I could see them all together!
Willie - Glad you added that about the IM axels being metal. Tom Holly swears by ReBoxx --- still all very confusing to me trying to get spun up on all the "new stuff" over the past 30 years!
Willie - Glad you added that about the IM axels being metal. Tom Holly swears by ReBoxx --- still all very confusing to me trying to get spun up on all the "new stuff" over the past 30 years!
N
NP2626
Guest
Like I said, Reboxx wheels are all Code 88 width. However, a nice thing is that they come in varying axle lengths. Visit Reboxx.com for more information.
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3 Axle Trucks combined with Small Flanges. Proto 2000 loco trucks are hinged
BTW, have you taken notice that most 3 axle trucks on the Proto2000 locos were 'hinged' such that 2 of the axles were 'rigid acting', while the 3rd axle can adapt to short track height changes, ......such as in 'frog dipping'.
BTW, have you taken notice that most 3 axle trucks on the Proto2000 locos were 'hinged' such that 2 of the axles were 'rigid acting', while the 3rd axle can adapt to short track height changes, ......such as in 'frog dipping'.
N
NP2626
Guest
As far as "Trucks" are concerned, I use the truck frames provided by the manufacturer of the subject freight or passenger car I'm building. Of the 160 or so revenue cars on my layout, all but around a 1/2 dozen; or so, have been built by myself from kits. I love to build models; so, RTR stuff holds no interest for me. When I need to buy trucks (the kit I am building did not come with trucks) I buy either Kadee; or, Walthers Proto trucks, not necessarily because they are the best; but, because I trust them as manufacturers. The "BEST" means different things to different people.
The trucks/wheels that are fitted to the MTH HO 60' flatcars I'm working on now are sprung. 3 springs per side and the side frames and bolsters are metal. The axles are metal (as are the wheels) and they have rotating bearing caps (real tiny). I got into the habit with the pointed axles in plastic sideframes of demounting the wheels to paint them, but these MTH ones would, I think require the dismantling of the trucks including removing and then replacing the springs (I don't think they are KD springs either). The only plastic parts I can see are the rotating caps. In the case of these sideframes, the small diameter extension of the axle on each side, doesn't unclip from the frame out of the bottom, the "bearing" encloses it, so at least 1 sideframe would have to come off. I took 1 cap off to find out what was involved. Getting it back on the end of the axle was enough to put me off trying any more.
Painting them in-situ turned out to be not so bad, but washing in detergent was necessary to get them to take the paint (acrylic, water thinned). I might try some other type, if I can mix a suitable variety of rust colors. Oiling the bearings looks to be essential.
Painting them in-situ turned out to be not so bad, but washing in detergent was necessary to get them to take the paint (acrylic, water thinned). I might try some other type, if I can mix a suitable variety of rust colors. Oiling the bearings looks to be essential.
N
NP2626
Guest
I wouldn't have disassembled the trucks, either, Toot! Good call on your part! I can't feature how you would have a very free rolling car with bearing caps that rotate with the axles. Can you explain how these trucks are set-up?
I don't have any trucks with real springs on my layout. The tiny springs are too thin and light to look scale. I know that many modelers feel they are the best way to go and I should have saved and sold my sprung trucks on Ebay, instead of pitching them. I don't find many sprung trucks anymore.
Funny how some things are important to me as far as looks are concerned and others not so much. No Real Springs, No Code 88 wheel-sets and Code 100 rail is good enough. However, it is my railroad, so back-off!
I don't have any trucks with real springs on my layout. The tiny springs are too thin and light to look scale. I know that many modelers feel they are the best way to go and I should have saved and sold my sprung trucks on Ebay, instead of pitching them. I don't find many sprung trucks anymore.
Funny how some things are important to me as far as looks are concerned and others not so much. No Real Springs, No Code 88 wheel-sets and Code 100 rail is good enough. However, it is my railroad, so back-off!
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Identifying derailment-prone trucks | Run like a Dream Rolling Stock
Interesting video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-F8bN_cwaY
Interesting video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-F8bN_cwaY
N
NP2626
Guest
beiland, great video! The only problem is that the only company that provides varying axle lengths is Reboxx and they only make Code 88 wheels! I guess this is why we need to buy complete trucks for replacements and not just wheel sets.
Athearn HO wheels - changed to RP-25 standard in 1963
Interesting little history bit on Athearn change to RP25 wheel std.
https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/topic/athearn-ho-wheels
Interesting little history bit on Athearn change to RP25 wheel std.
https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/topic/athearn-ho-wheels
Define RP-25 Wheel Configuration
I have understood that the RP-25 meant conformation to flange depth, and not the tire width.
My understanding now is that there are RP-25 wheels with threads of .110", and threads of .088", So perhaps when we are discussing these subjects we should go further into properly describing the RP25 wheels we are talking about.
I have understood that the RP-25 meant conformation to flange depth, and not the tire width.
My understanding now is that there are RP-25 wheels with threads of .110", and threads of .088", So perhaps when we are discussing these subjects we should go further into properly describing the RP25 wheels we are talking about.
