New 1.20 trucks

[Larry Green]

Any chance the trucks of the new 1.20 freight cars can be available separately? With a small drop of lube, using the flip-up journal box lids, they roll great.

Not being able to leave anything alone out of the box, I have converted a pair of the arch bars to inside-hung brakes, for use under the hopper. the Vulcan trucks from the hopper are going under one of the boxcars that will have the truss rods removed and be equipped with a "steel" underframe made from styrene structural shapes. Swapping trucks requires reaming/bushing the bolster holes, which is easy enough. I probably will move the brakes inboard on all the archbars to update the era of the cars.

Thanks for all the effort with the new site. Having to login will be worth it to (hopefully) keep the trash out.

[Colorado]

You can stay logged in, no need to log in for every visit.

[Kevin Strong]

I second the motion for selling the trucks individually. I swapped the Vulcan trucks for archbar trucks under my hopper, too, and am going to use the hopper's trucks under a box car. I'll want to swap future hoppers as I get them in the future, and unless I can find a willing trade partner, I'll have to buy a flat car for each hopper just to use the trucks.

Later,

K

[Tim Brien]

It would have been nice with the upgrades to finally put some decent wheels under the new 1/20.3 scale rolling stock.  Two steps forward, one step back.  With Bachmann wheelsets selling for basically the same price per set of four,  as other manufacturer's quality wheelsets,  then I do not see price as the problem. 

[traindude109]

I also agree, I would love to swap out some trucks on my cars for the new ones.

[Curmudgeon]

Tim- What's wrong with the wheels?
I have several, they have smaller flanges that before, work fine.
TOC

[Tim Brien]

Dave,
         I simply hate Bachmann wheels.  I have yet to find Bachmann wheelsets that do not run eccentric or wobbly.  My 'failure' rejection rate is around 20%.  I have since gone towards Aristocraft or USA Trains wheelsets as I know that I will get reliable wheels.


         Bachmann are not on their own.  LGB also has its fair share of wobbly wheels,  not just current metal wheelsets (made in China)  but wheels from up to ten years ago, presumably made in Germany.  I demand a wheel that runs true.  Paying a premium price for an inferior wheel is simply unacceptable.  If AMS put the same wheels on their 1/20.3 scale rolling stock then the critics would have a field day, considering that both manufacturs share similiar price levels.

[Bruce Chandler]

I suspect that the new Spectrum wheels are different.   They come with solid metal axles and have a smaller flange than the ones that came on my old Bachmann caboose.    They seem to roll quite smooth and reliable.

I'd love to have these sold separately for my scratchbuilding efforts.

[Kevin Strong]

Unfortunately, the Spectrum wheels still are occasionally wobbly. I've got one wheel on each of my two cars that's off-kilter. It's not enough for me to worry about, but would it be too much to ask of the folks assembling the trucks to give each axle a spin test? 

Later,

K

[Curmudgeon]

I hear ya on the wobble.
But, the wobble is pretty far down on my list of issues right now.

[Jon D. Miller]

I'll bet $2.00 and a brick watch that no one can pick a car out of a consist that has a axle set with a wheel that wobbles.

I have a friend that is always woofing about Bachmann wheels that don't all run true. He pays extra $$$$ for after market wheels.

I took six identical box cars to his place to run. Five of the cars had axle sets with wheels that all ran true.  One car had an axle set on each truck that had a wheel with a wobble.  Ran the consist.  He could not pick out the car with the wheels that did not run true.

I guess we all have to have something to woof about.  Bachmann wheel sets are as good as any for the purpose of woofing about something.

[Curmudgeon]

Especially if one is using "wobbly" track.

[Kevin Strong]

I'll bet $2.00 and a brick watch that no one can pick a car out of a consist that has a axle set with a wheel that wobbles.

For the most part, I agree wholeheartedly--which is why it's not high on my list of worries. On the other hand, I have an off-kilter wheel on my combine that gives it ever so gentle a sway back and forth. If you've ever watched an EBT train rolling down the track, the effect is quite prototypic. (And if you haven't, think of a rowboat on 20' swells.)

Still, it doesn't change the fact that a quick spin test would eliminate the perception of poor quality, regardless of how it actually effects the operation of the model. A little positive PR goes a long way. (Call it "spin" control.)

Later,

K

[Tim Brien]

Jon,
      I will take the $2.00 and the brick watch please.  One should not make idle bets.  I go so far as to disassemble the Bachmann wheelsets and salvage the wheels that are not wobbly to rebuild as smooth running sets.  However the wobbly wheel is not the only symptom as a wheel may run true but the car lopes along the rails.  A check will reveal a wobble free wheel but closer investigation will disclose that the wheel is actually eccentric. 


      I have enough Bachmann rolling stock and enough Bachmann wheelsets to know what I am talking about.  If I purchased six cards of Bachmann wheelsets then I could guarantee that at least one card (four axles) would finish in the garbage bin and that is after carefully interchanging wheels on axles to attempt a decent running set. 

[Larry Green]

I have eight of the new cars, and each truck averages one wobbly or excentric wheel. I agree with Kevin that improved quality control is in order; however the cars have operated for a couple of hours now on "good" track with no noticeable sway.

Whenever buying replacement wheels, I use Gary Raymond's, which I consider to have a superior tread/fillet/flange contour. In a hundred or so wheelsets, only one had a misaligned wheel, as I recall. If Gary can do it, then so should any quality manufacturer. (Hear that, Mr B?)

That said, I STILL want to be able to buy the trucks separately!