Athern Go Train coaches wheel alignment

[Paradise275]

These coaches don't roll very vell, probably because of their inside bearing trucks.
Has anyone tride to build a jig to center the wheels so they roll better? Is there another set of wheels that would work?

Rick

[peteski]

These coaches don't roll very vell, probably because of their inside bearing trucks.
Has anyone tride to build a jig to center the wheels so they roll better? Is there another set of wheels that would work?

Rick

Just as with the Bachmann Amfleet inside-bearing trucks I have not found a satisfactory solution.  Centering is not the problem. The friction of the inside-bearings is the problem.  Decreasing the axle diameter and the contact area of the bearing should reduce friction, but that would mean totally reworking each truck.  Same goes for installing miniature ball bearings for each axle.

The best inside-bearing trucks are still the Kato Amfleet II trucks. But even those are far from I would call free-rolling.

[Jeff AKA St0rm]

After 10 years I have still not come up with anything that makes them roll any better. I have ruined many trucks trying different ideas.

[jdg]

The worst part is you can tell Athearn they have a problem with the truck and email them links to the forums where the problem is documented and they still say there is nothing wrong with them. They have even sent me some replacement trucks they say are free rolling and they aren't.

[Loren Perry]

Back in the day (mid-1990's), I built for myself a car-by-car replica (including a 200-class F-40PH) of a complete N-scale Amtrak push-pull San Diegan using Bachmann Amfleet body shells and a Life-Like locomotive. Part of the job included improving the horrible Bachmann Amfleet inside-bearing trucks which I found were beyond hope due to very high friction. The Life-Like engine could only move three cars and even that was a struggle - like trying to drive a car with the parking brake still on.

So I scratchbuilt a simple truck frame (actually two for each of the five cars using these types of trucks) out of styrene sheet with small three-sided hollow box girders on the ends to hold Micro-Trains pizza-cutter wheelsets which, as we all know, are made from slippery self-lubricating Delrin plastic.

Although I was using Micro-Trains' No. 1008 Low-Profile wheelsets on all my other rolling stock, I went with the pizza-cutters for two reasons:

1. They would make derailments less likely when operating in the "push" mode, and -

2. The axles were thinner and much better in shape and precision that the 1008s which would allow for better running qualities.

The wheelsets are permanently trapped in the truck's structure and I would have to cut the three-sided box girders off the frames to free them.

Nevertheless, for my purposes, the operation was successful. I now have an eight car San Diegan (two of the cars - baggage and cab car - having conventional outside bearing trucks) that the F-40 can easily handle in either direction with no derailments, even though I retained the truck-mounted couplers. Also, there is no wobbling or shimmying in the cars with the home-made trucks - they all run true and smooth. I operated the train many times at my old club's layout - the Belmont Shore Lines in San Pedro, California.

I still have this train and occasionally pull it out to run on my 1950's layout just to remember the many rides I took on it between Anaheim and San Diego back in the '90s. The home-made trucks have never caused a second's worth of trouble.

FWIW, I stripped and repainted all the Bachmann cars (pretty accurate models as they turned out) with Alclad metallic paints, used Micro-Scale decals to mark them, scratchbuilt the cab end for the cab control car as well as all its unique underbody detailing, rebuilt one coach into a food service car, scratchbuilt a short baggage car working from numerous prototype photos I took of the train in when it stopped Fullerton, CA, and superdetailed, painted, and decaled the Life-Like engine to match. I even installed an N-Scale of Nevada cast metal chassis to replace the stock version to improve the fuel and air-tank appearance, as well as add weight for improved tractive effort. I have an extra Kato F-40PH of a later 300-class engine which means the fuel tank and air tanks are in the reverse position of a 200-class unit) that maybe one day I'll rebuild as a replacement for the old Life-Like engine.

[craigolio1]

Can the wheels be pulled off of the Athearn trucks?  What about building a truck with the bearings used for the metal gear shafts in Atlas (and other) locomotives?

Craig

[peteski]

The worst part is you can tell Athearn they have a problem with the truck and email them links to the forums where the problem is documented and they still say there is nothing wrong with them. They have even sent me some replacement trucks they say are free rolling and they aren't.

I can see how they don't see that as a problem. They work as-designed.

I don't see how a mass-produced N scale inside-bearing trucks can be made to roll any better. Kato is probably the best solution so far, but I don't see Athearn redesigning their trucks to be like Kato (and keeping the Athearn offering within what they consider an optimal price range).  Plus Chinese-made Athearn trucks would not match the precision construction of Kato trucks. Lets face it, Kato still rules when it comes to precise design and assembly.

[peteski]

Can the wheels be pulled off of the Athearn trucks?  What about building a truck with the bearings used for the metal gear shafts in Atlas (and other) locomotives?

Craig

IIRC, Athearn wheels and half-axles are a single brass turning.  Using the bearings you mention will not really be much of an improvement. IMO, the biggest improvement would be to use thinnest possible axle diameter and thinnest possible bearing (like piece of 0.005" brass with a hole for the axle in it).

[Dksw]

I am going to try and tackle the rolling issue with these:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Micro-Miniature-Ball-Bearings-681-1x3x1mm-Unshielded-/321481294519?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item4ad9c742b7

I am hell bent on one single Kato MP36  pushing at least 10 GO Bi Levels.  Will print a truck designed to accept the bearings, graft on the break detail from the original trucks and body mount the couplers.

Once the bearings arrive I will advise if they are the right fit for the axles.  My caliper says they should......

[peteski]

I am going to try and tackle the rolling issue with these:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Micro-Miniature-Ball-Bearings-681-1x3x1mm-Unshielded-/321481294519?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item4ad9c742b7

I am hell bent on one single Kato MP36  pushing at least 10 GO Bi Levels.  Will print a truck designed to accept the bearings, graft on the break detail from the original trucks and body mount the couplers.

Once the bearings arrive I will advise if they are the right fit for the axles.  My caliper says they should......

That should work.  But even he tiniest specks of dirt (or ballast) in these unshielded bearing will easily seize it (as far as its rolling quality is concerned). 

[Dksw]

The design I have on mind at least for the trial is a simple rectangular block with 3mm holes bored through each end for the axles.  Will reuse the tube axle joiner, one side of each bearing will be enclosed in the truck, the other as close to the inside wheel face as possible.  I'll dig around and see if there are shielded ones out there.   

[craigolio1]

If you can make a reliable truck rebuild I'm in for 8 pairs!

[peteski]

You might also consider making a provision for electric pickup (for the interior lighting and the control cab unit lights).

[Paradise275]

I've found that all Athern trucks are poor rollers. I don't change the truck but the first thing I do is install Micro-Train wheels. The improvement is dramatic.
Ive seen one train at a local show where the operator has removed all the Athern trucks and subed Micro-Train long freight trucks. He could pull a 12 car train with one loco. He said no-one can see the wheels anyway. LOL

Rick

[peteski]

He could pull a 12 car train with one loco. He said no-one can see the wheels anyway. LOL

I guess different strokes for different folks.  To me inside-bearing wheels with external disk brakes are very visible on the model.

BTW, what is a "MT long freight truck"?  Buckeye 6-wheel trucks?  Or did he use the MT 4-wheel passenger trucks?