Not sure if I am remembering my original modification to the articulated Rivarossi (s) (two of them at least),... as it was a long time ago, and I have since sold them off.
I think I left the 'cookie cutter wheels' as they were, since they did not have problems on Code 100 track.
I did end up adding two identical cheap can motors to each of them,...running each set of 'engines/trucks' That worked out really good. I used identical motors so they would run consistently on just plain DC.
And with some weathering and real coal they looked really good (one ignored the big flanges).
I seem to remember cutting the flanges down on a smaller Riv loco,....ran the loco while holding it against a block of course sandpaper