State of the Art switching in N scale?

[peteski]

This has been a very informative and interesting thread to read.  I have a question regarding metal wheels.  It seems like the Fox Valley wheels are highly favored by most.  There are now a handful of choices when it comes to metal wheels in N scale, and at least when I look at pictures of them online, they all seem to have similar characteristics.  Is there a reason the Fox Valley wheels are favored over some of these others?  Or is it just a function that some of them haven't been around long enough to make a fair comparison?  I'm thinking of the wheels offered by Rapido, ESM, InterMountain....

Thanks,
Brian.

IIRC, FVM metal wheels were the first wheels sold specifically as replacement wheels for pretty much all the various N scale models. They were available in several axle lengths, and had the most realistic (semi-scale) appearance from all the N scale wheels.  So they were quickly adopted.  Then they even came out with wider tread wheels - so even more choices for the modelers.

Later on, several new players have sprung up in the replacement wheels area (BLMA, Intermountain, ESM, and others), and those sell well too, but they don't have the variety of axle lengths that FVM had.  However FVM has not been regularly producing their wheels. A lot of us are waiting and hoping that FVM will start producing their wide range of wheels again.

[Maletrain]

There is one difference in metal wheels that hasn't been mentioned and might be important (I really don't know) concerning rolling resistance:

The FVM, old BLMA, ESM and maybe some other wheels are machined metal, so their diameters are very constantly round and tread surfaces are very smooth.  Some more recent metal wheels are sintered metal, with conspicuously (under magnification) less smooth tread surfaces and I wonder if they have consistently round shape or may be a little out of round.  I am thinking that the new MTL wheels are sintered from looking at the mircophotos posted here, but am not sure.

I am also not sure how much difference this makes in rolling qualities.  In theory it should make some difference, but in practice, it might not be significant to modelers, even for especially long trains.

Has anybody checked that?

[sd45elect2000]

IIRC, FVM metal wheels were the first wheels sold specifically as replacement wheels for pretty much all the various N scale models. They were available in several axle lengths, and had the most realistic (semi-scale) appearance from all the N scale wheels.  So they were quickly adopted.  Then they even came out with wider tread wheels - so even more choices for the modelers.

Later on, several new players have sprung up in the replacement wheels area (BLMA, Intermountain, ESM, and others), and those sell well too, but they don't have the variety of axle lengths that FVM had.  However FVM has not been regularly producing their wheels. A lot of us are waiting and hoping that FVM will start producing their wide range of wheels again.

Don,t forget also that FVM sold their wheels in 100 packs !

[Sokramiketes]

John, that video looks (and sounds) great!

What is the consensus on implementing drag springs? A MT coupler spring sliced in half? I recall a somewhat recent discussion about this but I couldn't find anything after a quick search.

Lucas

Southern Alberta Rail implements the drag springs, but that's less for switching and more for long train dynamics.  Grant wants the locos to run as smooth as possible, and the weight of the train on grades to react like the prototype.  He's the one that suggests a half of an MT coupler spring, and not the other axle spring that MT makes. 

[Bill H]

Don,t forget also that FVM sold their wheels in 100 packs !

Good luck trying to find those 100 packs for MT trucks .540 axle length. They have been generally back ordered for several years - despite reoccurring rumors that they are "on the ocean". I have six 100 packs already ordered, and waiting for two years now.

Kind regards,
Bill

[ednadolski]

He's the one that suggests a half of an MT coupler spring, and not the other axle spring that MT makes.

Do those springs work effectively in non-MT trucks?   and/or with FVM (or other) wheelsets?

That said, I've has some ER trucks which always seemed to roll as if they had drag springs or such in them...   


(All YMMV, I suspect, but perhaps not...)

Ed

[Bill H]

IIRC, FVM metal wheels were the first wheels sold specifically as replacement wheels for pretty much all the various N scale models. They were available in several axle lengths, and had the most realistic (semi-scale) appearance from all the N scale wheels.  So they were quickly adopted.  Then they even came out with wider tread wheels - so even more choices for the modelers.

Pete:
NWSL and IM were selling metal replacement wheels before FVM existed. IM's wheels did not have the best appearance but were cheaper than NWSL. NWSL had emplacement wheels sets for about everything decades ago.

Kind regards,
Bill

[Bill H]

Do those springs work effectively in non-MT trucks?   and/or with FVM (or other) wheelsets?

That said, I've has some ER trucks which always seemed to roll as if they had drag springs or such in them...   


(All YMMV, I suspect, but perhaps not...)

Ed

Ed:
I have used them with FVW, IM and NWSL wheels in all manner of trucks. The biggest issue is that using only one in a truck sometimes skews the wheelset to the opposite side of the truck from the spring, which sometimes can generate a tracking issue.

Kind regards,
Bill

[sd45elect2000]

For a long time I've wondered if it would be practical to deliver power to a locomotive via induction. Mount a series of emitter coils along the underside of the track, and a pickup coil in the loco fuel tank. Wouldn't be practical for a whole layout, but maybe just yards and switching areas.

I certainly feel that pain Bill ! I think I was paying $75.00 for 100 pack of FVM wheels. Lately I’ve been buying the ESM wheels for $1.27 ea. The ESM wheels I think are about the best replacement for the FVM wheels but the price certainly limits what I can get.

I can’t find 100 packs of 33 inch wheels for any axle length.

Randy

[Bill H]

Randy - I just checked the FVM website and they are not even listing that they sell wheels for N scale. Just HO and TT.

[sd45elect2000]

Not to be Mr. negative but it’s not looking good for your 6 back ordered wheels.

[Bill H]

Randy, interestingly, there seemed to have been sufficient supply for those cars that FVM marketed themselves, just nothing for retail. I bought a number of FVM reprints of B&O cars, that came out later than the wheels disappeared in retail. I guess it is a business decision, after all it is their company and the owner has had some family issues to contend with as well.

[peteski]

Pete:
NWSL and IM were selling metal replacement wheels before FVM existed. IM's wheels did not have the best appearance but were cheaper than NWSL. NWSL had emplacement wheels sets for about everything decades ago.

Kind regards,
Bill

True Bill, but at the price NWSL charged for their wheels I have never considered them as a viable source for bulk wheel replacement.  Intermountain?  Well, yes, but as you said, they don't look that great.  I actually used to buy metal wheels from Con-Cor in the late '80s - those actually looked pretty decent.

[peteski]

Randy - I just checked the FVM website and they are not even listing that they sell wheels for N scale. Just HO and TT.

Yes, the website is not really easy to browse, and a bit stale, but they are there.
http://www.foxvalleymodels.com/NWheels.html

[CRL]

@ednadolski

Here's a short video of one of my RS-3's coupling on to a 50' boxcar (I think this is an Atlas boxcar, but I can't remember).  Both the boxcar and RS-3 have MT1015 couplers; body-mounted on the boxcar.  The boxcar has MT trucks and lo-profile wheels with retarding springs on one side of each of two axles. The car has been weighted to 1 oz.  See if this is good enough for you on the switching front.

John C.

@jdcolombo - you might want to check the wheelsets of the boxcar. You appear to have an out-of-round wheel because the end of the car is bobbing up & down.