wheel and truck size

[billgiannelli]

Hello,
I want to add steel wheels and power pickups to my tender.
How do I select the proper wheel size?
I see some wheel sizes that say 33"?
What does that mean?
How do I also select the proper truck type and size?
thanks
Bill

[jbrock27]

33" is the diameter of the wheel (to scale). You will likely want to match the diameter of the ones you are replacing.

If you post more details about what make and model you are trying to this for, you may find there are folks who have done just this and can instruct you on how, or can tell you it is not possible for what you are considering.

[billgiannelli]

Hello jbrock27,
thanks for the info!
I have the Bachmann "Jingle Bells Express" 0-6-0 engine and want to add power pickups to the tender.
Thanks
Bill

[jonathan]

Bill,

I have added metal wheels and pickups to all 5 of my USRA 0-6-0's.

I used 33" metal wheels, usually intermountains.  A thin strip of flat brass serves as a good pick up on the axles.

I connect the wires to the loco's metal frame halves.  You will have to removed the loco shell to connect the wires.

You can perform a search in the HO forum, using "jonathan" and 0-6-0 as your perameters for the search.  I have posted a number of times about this procedure.

Regards,

Jonathan

[jonathan]

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,19869.0.html

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,18444.0.html

There's a couple of posts, with pics, for you.

Regards,

Jonathan

[jbrock27]

You're welcome BG.  I knew if you volunteered some more info, you would get some good help.

You will see the Intermountain wheelsets are insulated at one end.

[electrical whiz kid]

To which I would also add;
Tomar makes a very reliable contact system.  Check them out at "tomar.com".
As far as wheels, freight before 1950 or so had 33" wheels, usually with cooling ribs on them.  These were not permitted in interchange service pretty much after 1956 or so. 
RIch C.

[jbrock27]

Indeed. 
I do not believe that Intermountain wheelsets are made with the ribs on the backside.  I have only ever seen them smooth. 

[electrical whiz kid]

JBrock;
Kadee has them on both 33" and  36".  They are metal with a dynamite performance.  Kadee also catalogues a lot of other wheel types, trucks, as well as couplers an d ready-to-run rolling stock.
RIch C.

[jbrock27]

Yes I knew Kadee made them in ribbed and smooth in those 2 sizes, Rich, thank you.  I have several packs of 33" smooth ones. 
I thought Kadee wheelsets did not come with metal axles though ??

[electrical whiz kid]

JBrock; ' The few I have done TIR on seemed to be ok; even with plastic axles.  The only significant issue I ever had was the one of plastic wheels that had been one-piece moulded units of delrin.  As far as I am concerned, these were junk in every sense of the word.  Even early N-scale, which briefly got involved with, had metal wheels.
Rich c.

[jbrock27]

Right, I'm with ya and I get it.  Agree about the all delrin.  TICHY wheel sets and ACCURAIL wheel sets are all delrin.  I don't like either one.

But, a non-metal axle wheel set will not work for BG's  project bc as Jon-Boy demonstrated, metal axles are needed to conduct current from the wheels to the loco.

[electrical whiz kid]

Jim;
Welllll...Yaaaaa...  I have a particular dilemma though with one of the SY mikes I have.  I wanted in the worst way, to put the same pony truck as is found on a Berkshire (BLH) locomotive, but there is no way I can install the one I have (Cal-Scale) with that nice brass pilot deck-without the whole shebang "spahkin'".  Now, in Maine, "Spahkin'" was the name of another activity-besides clearing the Hall-Slater fireboxes on the two-foot-gauge.  SO far, I have tried everything besides going back to the drawing board.  Ayuppp!  Guess I will have to scoff that pony truck.
Otherwise, yep; but Accu-rail has a great looking freight truck.  And you are right; Tichy does fall short with their wheel-sets.  I usually-right after opening the box-"S-C" the wheels and use Kadees, Reboxx, et al.
RIch C.

[jbrock27]

I know a little of the lingo; spent some time in OOB.  Down ahways from Baa Haba.

[billgiannelli]

Thank you all for the responses and all the information!
getting 33" steel wheels seems easy enough. But matching the diameter I need to replace the plastic wheels I have I am finding harder; because I don't see the diameters specified from vendors. I only see 33" or 36" specified.
I ordered 33" steel wheels and the diameter is smaller. Seems my tender is slow now and not smooth.
thanks
Bill