Plastic vs Metal Wheel Sets


NYO&W

Member
This is just my own opinion/observation:

After the first season plastic wheel sets were banned from running on my layout. I find that they consistently deposit a thin film of plastic on the rails which then re-deposits on the wheels of my locomotives, resulting in electrical contact issues. I was faced with frequent running problems and constant need for cleaning the drive wheels on my locomotives. This problem could not be blamed on traction tires because none of my locomotives had traction tires at the time. Now I have several locos that do have traction tires with none of the same dirt transfer issues that I’ve had with the plastic wheel sets.

The problem immediately went away once I began operating rolling stock with metal wheel sets only, or those that I’ve converted from plastic to metal wheel sets. Of course now I cannot operate Magnematic couplers in the traditional way but I can live with the trade-off by using a manual pick to do so.

Has anyone experienced the same or have a different opinion?
 
I can't talk to much on this subject, seeing as how ive never actually run a train in the 4 years ive been modeling :eek: lol

But, when i get the money, i will begin the process of replacing all my HO rolling stock plastic wheels with Branchline Code 88 metal wheels. The metal wheels that i have on some of my rolling stock right now really do feel like they are better all around then plastic wheels. Metal wheels roll a whole heck of a lot smoother and easier, which has to be better for the locos to on a long train lol
 



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