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Just finished converting one of my passenger consist over to high quality metal wheels' Lordy what a difference a wheel makes
not only are the cars now absolutly free rolling ,the much closer to scale wheels/flanges lower the car profile making for a more prototype looking consist.
Can't wait to finish my other 2 consist's.
PS.forgive our unfinished scenery....
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PS.forgive our unfinished scenery....
Well you're forgiven for now, but we want to see it when it's finished
Thanks for reporting the results of changing to steel wheels.
Cheers
Willis
Not only do metal wheels roll easier and track better, they also run cleaner longer plus make that nice clickety-clack sound on rail joints!
No harm, no foul on the scenery, so no apology neccessary. Nobody has ever built a complete layout in a day!
I converted all my active rolling stock to metal wheels back in the summer of 2006, haven't looked back ever since! Now my only problem is keeping cars parked on their spurs - they roll so freely that sometimes I need to stick 'tee' pins on the track to hold them in place.
BTW at least you've got great looking track and ballast - is that Micro Engineering?
I converted all my active rolling stock to metal wheels back in the summer of 2006, haven't looked back ever since! Now my only problem is keeping cars parked on their spurs - they roll so freely that sometimes I need to stick 'tee' pins on the track to hold them in place.
BTW at least you've got great looking track and ballast - is that Micro Engineering?
Ken,
Wanna buy some HO scale wheel skates?? LOL!
Hey Karl,
Good to see you're back online again (was starting to get a bit concerned)
Yep, metal wheels are the only way to go, especially to replace those undersized plastic/metal wheel tread/pizza cutter flange things from AHM. They look better with the right sized wheels and, with about four ounces of extra weight, they track like they're glued to the rail.
Scenery in a few places on our layout is coming together nicely
Track is code 100 think mostly atlas flex turn out's (several hundred) are for the most part pecco
I converted all of my stock to metal wheels a few years ago, and while i would never go back, they ARE noisy. The noise level is not insignificant, so expect it especially if you run over bare plywood in some "to be developed" areas like most of us! It isn't as bad in fully scenic'd areas or if you have foam instead of wood/plywood under the track.
and unlike most, i don't find the resulting sound more realistic, it's much too high pitched (physics...what a bear...). I spend a lot of time trackside with real trains and i do know the difference! But i still wouldn't change back.
I just started converting my athearn rolling stock with atlas trucks and wheels. Boy a difference between night and day. They roll better and track better. Not the cheapest upgrade but deffinenttly worthwhile. Yes they are noiser but I like the sound.
Its the little things that can make a big diffrence
after I converted to all metal wheels I found that my steam engines could all pull more cars. My record with my Bachman 4-8-2 was 45 (all BB athern with stock weight) cars on the club layout. with 47-48 cars it would slip to much up the grades. What i thought was kinda cool was that with that much weight behind one engine I had to plan for the grades a little and get the engine up to about 60MPH to start the grades, cresting them at about 40. kinda like the real thing. plastic wheels just dig in to the curves and reduce pulling power. I think I could only pull about 38 cars with all plastic wheels before
Trent
I have one car (Tanker) with metal wheels. It's my track tester because I can easily see the wheels around the tank and I can give it a little push and it keeps rolling and rolling and...
I would like to switch over to metal wheels on more of my rolling stock. So, where's the best place to get them? Are they universal, or do different brands have different axles etc?
Thanks,
Doug
Almost all the cars I've bought over the past 5 years came with metal wheels...any that didn't were converted before going on the layout...they not only look better but I'm convinced that metal wheels are less prone to crudding up the track. I tend to buy my wheels at my local hobby shop.
That said..last month at a show I impulse bought a pack of Branchline Trains Fine Tread (.088) wheels...put them on a box-car and liked the improvement in looks so much that I just bought a 100 from Walthers...all my stock is getting converted to them.
Dougett...to answer your question...buy at your local hobby shop if possible...if not the order online...MB Kleien..I've had excellent service from them....Walthers are pretty good also.
Just my 2 cents worth.
Cheers
Gene
If you're buying metal wheels, I suggest that you buy intermountain wheels.
Intermountain wheels roll like they've been buttered.
The regular wheels roll very nicely; nicer than all of the other brands that I have tried. The semi-scale wheels also roll nice although if your layout has Atlas switches, the wheels may drop into the frog (it's atlas' fault) The roller bearing wheels are on the expensive side, but they are the best of the best.
If you can't get Intermountain wheels, Proto 2000 wheels are a cheap alternative. Intermountain wheels are metal wheels on a metal axle insulated on one side (which means you can use them for power pickup). Proto 2000 wheels are metal wheels on plastic axles with plastic needlepoints. They don't roll as nicely as the intermountains but they will work in a pinch.
I agree about metal wheels. They may be a bit noisy if you don't have a good roadbed and scenery down but your cars will run better and your track will stay cleaner. Since they are heavier than plastic wheels they also lower the center of gravity of the car, which helps if you have sharp turnouts. The best deal I've seen on Intermountain is at
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/product_p/imr-40055.htm. $60 for 100 axles, same price for 33' or 36". They seem to fit just about every kind of truck and the needlepoints are sharp enough to ream out any bearing hole with a few trips around the layout.
Metal! Metal! Metal! I love them, if they are set right they roll with no effort (yes you can not set them up right and they are worse...) I have my latest contract with the EEire Mad River MR Club, I am making all their 200-300 cars all metal. Lots of work, but I mean you really can't beat that sound or smoothness. Mike
I have mostly Tyco rolling stock. The trucks all came with hornhook couplers. I recently purchased a Athearn F unit with what looks like Bachmann Ez Mate plastic couplers. I then purchased several packs of The Ez Mate to convert my freight cars and other locomotives. The problem is, the pin on the trucks is a much smaller diameter than the hole on the couplers. As a result they sag and now none of my rolling stock will stay coupled. Do I need to switch over all the trucks to ones with differnt coupler mounts? If so, which ones? Thanks again in advance, Steve
kadee makes a truck mount coupler (although I'm not sure if they are compatible with tyco)
Tyco is low quality stuff, I'd suggest getting rid of the tyco stuff and getting Athearn rolling stock as they are inexpensive and generally good quality.
If you want to stick with the tyco stuff, try replacing the trucks although the trucks will cost you about the same price as a piece of athearn rolling stock.
I bought 3 sets of 33" and 3 of the 36" proto wheelsets and replaced most of the ones from Walthers. I put the 36" on the 72' centerbeam cars and it made a world of difference. Although the original size was 33", the 36's made the coupler height match up perfect with a height gauge. I checked the one Walthers car that had metal wheels, and they were 36", so I assumed they put the wrong size on the others.
The 33" went on some Athearn blue box kits and a couple other cars. and they now roll excellently.
As for a TYCO, you should convert those over to body mount using the supplied draft gear boxes that came with the #5's. You will have to put some shims on some of the cars, but it will be worth it. Dont mess with truck mounted couplers, just go to body mounted, you'll see an instant difference in performance.
Back in the 90s I converted all my couplers to Kadees then went on a crusade of changing all the wheels to JayBee. I highly suggest like the others to go with metal that for sure. For the sound and realism that plastic just doesn't have. Only good thing about plastic it picks up too much crud and puts it back down in other places, where metal will stay cleaner. Heck I have noticed that the metal starts to show realism by the shine that appears where its made contact with the rails.
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