Branchline wheels

[Maverick1]

A lot of my cars are old (50+) and have been in storage.  I have decided to replace the wheels on some of the cars that have been derailing.  The hobby store recommened Branchline Trains Blueprint wheels.  I put them on two of the cars and when I put them on the track (Bachmann EZ track) it shorts out the whole system.  What am I doing wrong. Package says turned metal, Non-magnetic and insulated.

[Doneldon]

Mav-

Do you have metal trucks and/or rolling stock? If you have metal trucks, make sure that you have the insulated wheels on the same side in each truck. If the rolling stock is also metal, make sure you have all insulated wheels on the same side of the car. Also, be sure the wheelsets are in gauge. Even new ones can be off a little and pose the risk of a short. Last, make sure that the metal wheels are not making contact with any metal parts of the rolling stock like center sills, brake gear, stirrup steps, couplers, etc. Good luck!
                                    -- D

[jonathan]

I have some equipment that is as old as yours (some even older).  Check your trucks.  Some of them are probably metal.  My grandfather's old rolling stock had metal, sprung trucks with plastic wheels.  I discovered real fast that metal trucks and metal wheels only work if all the wheels on the car are insulated on the same side.  Rather than take a chance, I replaced the trucks (with plastic), as well as the wheels.  Imagine the conductivity issues if the wheels, trucks, bolsters, underframe and couplers are all metal.  It has happened.

Don't know if that is your issue, just sharing my experience.

Regards,

Jonathan

[jward]

or........

if wheelsets are shorting out your metal trucks, use them in plastic trucks, and use wheelsets with plastic axles in your metal trucks. kadee wheelsets have plastic axles, and i believe proto 2000s do as well. just be careful not to bend the axles when you install them.

[RAM]

If you go back a few years before your grandfather's old rolling stock.  60 years ago, MDC cars were all metal.  Which was really no big deal, unless you also had metal couplers.  Than you could run into trouble real fast.  all the wheels on all the cars had to be the same.  Now you run into another problem with many of these old trucks.  The axles ends where bunt.  New wheel set are pointed.  Cheapest was to go is just place the whole truck.