Metal or Plastic


J

Joe Daddy

C & SF, my obsession
Certainly I prefer metal wheels, I like the sound, the way the track stays much cleaner and I like the look. But I got about 50% that are still plastic on my freight car roster.

Question is simple enough, do you think metal wheels are worth the cost?

Joe Daddy
 
well in my opinion I would prefer metal, from my knowledge plastic will start leaving some residue over the rails when the surface glaze starts to wear out, also metal wheels can be cleaned easily, plastic no, or can be cleaned less
 
years of irony

I have now grown to love metal. Years ago I was just happy to have 4 axles rolling on a car..lol
As time went on I love the weight, look, feel and over all performance..

just my 2 cents...wait..1 cent , just got paid.
 
I've installed metals wheels on all of the plastic-wheeled rolling stock that I currently run on my layout, and I'll do the rest when I can afford it. The metal-wheeled ones roll better and are less prone to getting dirty (as long as the track is also kept clean). They also help to distribute more of the car's weight at the bottom where it is needed most.
 
Metal for sure. I have recently bought around 50 cars that have plastic wheels and they are in the process of being changed out for all of the above reasons.
 
Absolutely! Every new car gets Kadee couplers and Metal wheelsets before it goes on the layout. I still have a good many plastic dirt spreader and friction producing wheels, but little by little they are all getting metal wheelsets.
 
Joe, as the others have stated, change over your wheel sets to metal as you have the budget to do so. There's no doubt that they are superior to plastic. You can clean plastic wheel sets with alcohol so keping them clean just takes more effort. Watch Walthers for sales. They sell metal wheel sets (don't remember the maker offhand) for $9.98 a 24 pack. One thing I have noticed is that metal wheel sets will have a tendency to pick points at switchs because they have sharper flanges than plastic. You may find you have to file your points a little more sharply using metal wheelsets.
 
I love metal for the same reasons as you, and that they have fine scale tread available (you can't get that from plastic, that I know of...). I used to use P2K, but I've since switched to Branchline for 33" & 36" and NWSL for 28" and 38". I decided to use code 88 (fine scale HO) tread on all new items, however I will not spend the extra cash, yet, to switch items that already have code 110 metal wheels.

I have also noticed the metal wheels picking, however I no longer have this issue with properly weighted items.
 
Josh,
Proper weighting really comes into play with metal wheelsets. I have a very old Roundhouse caboose I made 25 years ago for my then fictional shortline that I like to run for old time sakes. It's weighted at just about the minimum for its length and has leaf spring caboose trucks and Kadee wheels. It runs fine except for one facing point turnout, where it will always pick the points. Unfortunately, I can't get into the body to add more weight without tearing off all the detail I added to the end platforms. I switched the wheel sets for standard Athearn plastic wheels and now it goes through the switch fine. As Chip said, metal wheel sets will find all the faults in your track but also do not work well with under weighted cars.
 
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