williams 2-8-4 berkshire's pulling power

[bluerose lady]

Hello rOgruth.........
I didnt make up these stories, what will i gain from it ? all i know is that when i was bowsing in the E-bay looking at lionel FM and some showed parts and i saw one of the power wheel trucks without the sideframes for the 2321 and it showed the wheels with heavy grooves on it but was missing roller pick up assemblies. it looked like pulleys........SMILE
the woman who loves toy trains
Tiffany

[phillyreading]

I have heard people say that Super O gauge track, from the late 50's, will wear groves in the center rollers over many years of use.
From experiance I have seen that lower end engines roller wheels(low end castings of roller wheels, or cheap metal) are quick to have groove marks show up in them.

What I have had happen on a Lionel # 249E steam engine is the trailing wheels wore thru after almost 60 years of use. I replaced them with a set of wheels from a Lionel diesel I took apart.

Lee F.

[bluerose lady]

Hello PhillyReading.......
thats interesting to know SMILE.  i wonder if that ultra expensive  pre-war 700E scale hudson of 1937,38  with its pot metal (zinc) driver centers and flanges do in terms of wear ? But they do come with nickel plated steel tires.  It is the driver flanges that take the most wear & tear like the lionel 726's berkshires as i have seen alot of them on evil-bay.  but the 736's have harder wheels and flanges so  that helps.  The williams berkshires have harden driver wheels and flanges and nickle plated steels tires with traction tires and without makes them best runners with least amout of flanged wear.  my williams berkshire has been runing on lionel fastrack for 40 hours now and the berkshire's flanges are wearing out the curve sections of the outside rail  and very little wear and tear on the williams berkshire's drivers flanges !!!
the woman who loves toy trains
Tiffany

[phillyreading]

Tiffany,

Some of the older Lionel steam engines came with Baldwin Locomotive Works hardened steel drive wheels, example # 224E (1941).

As for wearing out track, I have only bent the rails on any track I have when I had a derailment happen. The track was Gargraves stainless steel.
I may try Atlas track to see if it is more solid.

Lee F.

[bluerose lady]

Hello Phillyreading.......

is the lionel # 224 entire wheel is hard steel ? or its zinc wheels with steel tire ?
the woman who loves toy trains
Tiffany

[phillyreading]

Tiffany,

The drive wheels on the 224E are solid metal and has Baldwin Disc stamped on them, don't know what kind of metal but it isn't magnetic, as a magnet won't attach to it.
The wheels are not a soft metal, that is for sure. I am not into the study of metals so I can't tell you what the wheels are made of.

Lee F.

[r0gruth]

Tiffany,

Some of the older Lionel steam engines came with Baldwin Locomotive Works hardened steel drive wheels, example # 224E (1941).

As for wearing out track, I have only bent the rails on any track I have when I had a derailment happen. The track was Gargraves stainless steel.
I may try Atlas track to see if it is more solid.

Lee F.

Lee,How did/do you bend the rails?
Just curious.

[DominicMazoch]

Atlas ads say it is solid.  But it may not work with Magne-traction!

[phillyreading]

If Atlas has solid rails, I may try it when I can afford to do so.

As for bending rails with Gargraves, it just happens when an engine falls over on its side and smashes the rail. I have not purposely bent the Gargrvaes track!!

Lee F.

[bluerose lady]

Hello phillyreading......

I used to have soild rail atlas track, i think it is nickle silver rail so it is not magn-traction type rail.  one thing  to be aware of is that the rail joiners are soft metal (thin) and they dont stay on tight to make a good soild connection between track sections.   I believe later  production runs, the rail joiners were harder (thicker) and that it has improved the connections tightness.   The tracks is well made, except maybe the switches but check it out.
the woman who loves toy trains
Tiffany

[bluerose lady]

Hello Guys,Gals.....
Has anyone have williams berkshire that pulled more than 40 cars ? just wondering, anyone ?

the woman who loves toy trains
Tiffany