rolling stock metal or plastic wheels


Just batch the wheel size with the plastic ones coming off. After a while you can tell by looking.

Ive found several instances where that wasnt indeed the case though. Especially when it comes to the shake the box kits like Athearn Blue box, Roundhouse, Walthers, etc. Most likely its production costs to just throw a set in the box right on the production line and not worry about the proper size so a modeler can build a complete rolling car out of the box. Do a search on prototype wheel sizes and you should find several good posts on what type cars come with what size wheels on the prototype. I still get confused on some cars out there. Box cars are one of them. When in doubt, I find a prototype photo of car in question and wheel sizes are pretty easy to determine that way too.
 
Chris,

You can also look at the Capacity in the reporting marks. For example, if a car has a Capy of 140000, its a 70 ton car, which would get 33" wheels. I look at it this way, which may not be completely correct. If the car's Capy is below 200000, which is 100 tons, I put on 33". If 200000, & up to 238000, 100 to 119 tons, it gets 36". A car with 238000, (IIRC) & above, it would get 38".

While I generally don't have to worry about it, because of my cutoff date, I do check the build date and the reporting marks to make sure the kit is accurate for my era. I refer to a couple of the ORER's for that data. If not accurate, I sell or give the kit away.
 
Chris,

You can also look at the Capacity in the reporting marks. For example, if a car has a Capy of 140000, its a 70 ton car, which would get 33" wheels. I look at it this way, which may not be completely correct. If the car's Capy is below 200000, which is 100 tons, I put on 33". If 200000, & up to 238000, 100 to 119 tons, it gets 36". A car with 238000, (IIRC) & above, it would get 38".

While I generally don't have to worry about it, because of my cutoff date, I do check the build date and the reporting marks to make sure the kit is accurate for my era. I refer to a couple of the ORER's for that data. If not accurate, I sell or give the kit away.

Actually, we should probably direct our response to the original poster that needs the assistance. Ive been going through replacing wheel sets on 100's of cars the last few months and have learned quite a bit on what size cars take a particular wheelset so ive gotten a pretty good idea sans a few prototype box cars here and there, ive had to go off reporting marks on a few box cars, and used prototype photos on a few others. As an example, it really gets confusing when there are a particular prototype car could have been made with either size wheels like auto racks. Many of the prototype cars could have 28 inch wheels and ive seen a lot of them with 33 inch wheels, BNSF even has a PDF file on thier website of the prototype dimensional and capacity data of a Bi-Level auto rack and that blueprint drawing reports the wheels being 33 inch. I bought about 20 Walthers auto racks in both bi-level and tri-level and actually did a bunch of research through prototype photos and google searching to see if there was a true one size on those cars but responses I found through various forums and photos were about even for both cars. Then I found the BNSF file as one of the search results showing the 33 inch size in their demsional data. I tried a set of 33 inch IM wheel sets on one of my Walthers bi-level, coupler height was so far off that even an offset version of the Kadee I was using still wouldnt be level and making it level with the 33's would be a real pain, also, the wheel flanges rubbed on the floor of the car but I couldnt raise it because the coupler height would have been even more worse. Went out and bought a few sets of the 28 inch IM's and the couplers come out perfect without any shims or offset couplers and the wheels dont rub. I do have a few kits of these cars that I just finished building recently and Walthers actually did include 28 inch plastic wheels with the car.
 
I'm not concerned about what the diameter is as much as if the metal wheel sets I put on get or keep the car at the correct coupler height. I won't hesitate to put 36" metal wheel sets on if it means the car gets/keeps the car's coupler height, even if the car is "supposed" to have 29" or 33" or 36" wheels. The same with diesels; I don't care if it's "supposed" to be 40" or 42", I want the unit at the correct coupler height.

I'm not building contest quality models, I just want good operation. That is more important to me than the correct wheel size.

Photoman475
 
Metal wheel sets are easier to clean, and they paint up better if needed (rust, rail brown, flat black etc). if you decide to ignore the million year old NMRA weight standards and put weighed metal wheels on your cars and leave out the car weights, you can pull lots more cars up the grades. I have done this with my hopper fleet, both empties and loaded hoppers. The smooth rolling JayBee wheel sets I use are pre-blackened. I used mostly MDC side frames which with the JayBee's roll very smoothy, which also allows for lots more cars in your train. The weight is as low as you can get, right on the rails. Smooth rolling cars that are lightweight is the secret. I model the 1930's where 33" was the freight standard and 36" was standard for passenger cars. I used the Kaydee 36" wheels on my passenger fleet because of the scalloped back side of the wheels looked more accurate.
 
Typically, coupler height isnt a major concern even when you use the prototype size wheel for the car. Most of the time, you will have to put a small washer (like the Kadee red and black washers). All ive ever really needed to do is put a red or black washer under the truck to raise it up a tad and the coupler height comes out perfect. Its those Walthers auto racks that are a unique case here. I personally like the Intermountain wheels. Personally for me though, I like the appropiate size wheels on my freight cars and when I come across a car that is too far off on the height, a underset or overset height coupler has always corrected the problem.
 
One thing that you have to look at with plastic wheels. is that the manufacturing can have a difference. Especially if the company doesn't replace there molds. Even with just using plastic molds can wear out. causing problems. I remember reading in the N-trak newsletter years ago about a guy who made his own wheel sets IIRC with tolerances finer than human hair. Able the back multiple 85' cars with truck mounted couplers throught S curves without problems.

When I got out of the hobby in 1999 the most talked about replacement truck/wheel set was the Bachman proto 2000. What is the standard ones today.

Tim
 
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