New wheelsets for Atlas 55-ton hopper?

[Maletrain]

You forgot Intermountain Healthcare.. Thats the result I get when I type "Intermountain" into a search engine.

 

My post was just a cut-and-past of the list I found when I Googled "IMRC". 

I assumed you meant InterMountain, but I wanted to check the website to see those wheels, and I was thinking that Googling "IMRC" would get me to it faster with a search than looking though my bookmarks.  Turns out there are many pages of other IMRCs, so then I Googled InterMountain model trains and got the link that I posted for others to use.

[nkalanaga]

Either Atlas or IMRC metal wheels should work, if you can find them,  I've been buying them as they appear - and disappear - at my favorite online dealer.  Right now both seem to be unavailable again.

[cjm413]

My post was just a cut-and-past of the list I found when I Googled "IMRC". 

I assumed you meant InterMountain, but I wanted to check the website to see those wheels, and I was thinking that Googling "IMRC" would get me to it faster with a search than looking though my bookmarks.  Turns out there are many pages of other IMRCs, so then I Googled InterMountain model trains and got the link that I posted for others to use.

Any time and effort that you potentially could have saved by searching for "IMRC" vs "InterMountain Railway Company" was easily negated by providing a list of the search results...

[Maletrain]

Any time and effort that you potentially could have saved by searching for "IMRC" vs "InterMountain Railway Company" was easily negated by providing a list of the search results...

Not clear what you mean.  I posted the direct link to the Intermountain wheel sets to save anybody looking for their website to see the wheels mentioned in this thread.  I posted the list of "meanings" for the IMRC acronym that came up in my original search, because I thought it amusing.  Not meaning to seem critical of the original post you made.  It was helpful to point out that IMRC makes wheel sets in that length - I did not know that until you posted.  That is why I went looking to see what other lengths they might make.

[peteski]

Sometimes humorous  or cheeky posts go over other member's heads.  It is normal in any social media venue. I understood the "joke",  maybe because I work at a high-tech company, and suffer acronym abuse on a daily basis.

[u18b]

I think I have some Atlas 33" black and brown plastic you can have if I can find them

John, sorry I didn't reply.
Thank you.

I have plenty.  Most run OK, but a few wobble.  That's why I was looking to go with metal wheels.

[bbussey]

Sorry I couldn't resist   
Wishful thinking on my part   

Maybe late next year for the .553" axles, after the HO XIH launch and some funds come back in.  The .540" wheels seem to be growing in popularity so the .553" wheels are the next logical progression.  We also will need to machine .540"/28" for the next well car release, as well as tool new truck frames.

[Missaberoad]

Maybe late next year for the .553" axles, after the HO XIH launch and some funds come back in.  The .540" wheels seem to be growing in popularity so the .553" wheels are the next logical progression.  We also will need to machine .540"/28" for the next well car release, as well as tool new truck frames.

That all sounds like great news! Here's hoping everything is successful for you... 

[Englewood]

Good news on the .553 wheels! Maybe by the end of next year I'll have all the MT wheels swapped out.

[nkalanaga]

Bryan:  How about doing 48-packs of wheels?  I tried the 33" wheels, and 48 sets, four packages, will easily fit in one package.  The only change needed would be to change the numbers on the insert card.  Not only would it make buying easier, but reduce packaging costs, possibly shipping costs (reduced volume, but not weight), and reduce trash in the landfills, as the packaging isn't readily reusable.  I doubt there are many people who only buy one package!

[bbussey]

You'd be surprised at the number of onesie and twosie direct orders we get, with the $9 shipping on top of it.

48-packs and 96-packs are a good suggestion for down the road. Expanding the axle-length options is a higher priority though.

[pedro]

N Scale Supply offers an unofficial “96 pack” of ESM wheels. Saves you a few dollars:

https://www.nscalesupply.com/esm/esm-wheels.html

[nkalanaga]

Pedro:  That's the way I've been buying them!  I have a few hundred cars that I'd like to convert to metal wheels.

Bryan:  I agree that the longer axles are more important, as hard as it is to get them.  A 96-pack would be nice, but would require all-new packaging, so the 48-pack would be much easier to do.

You're right, I'm surprised that people would buy one package, and then pay 2/3 the price in shipping!

[bbussey]

Pedro:  That's the way I've been buying them!  I have a few hundred cars that I'd like to convert to metal wheels.

Bryan:  I agree that the longer axles are more important, as hard as it is to get them.  A 96-pack would be nice, but would require all-new packaging, so the 48-pack would be much easier to do.

You're right, I'm surprised that people would buy one package, and then pay 2/3 the price in shipping!

I agree that the 48-pack is a more viable option than the 96-pack at the moment because there would be no start-up costs other than two new blistercards.  I sent an inquiry to our dealer network to both gauge interest and to gauge how the 12-pack demand would be affected by 48-pack availability.  We'll see what they have to say.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I agree that the 48-pack is a more viable option than the 96-pack at the moment because there would be no start-up costs other than two new blistercards.  I sent an inquiry to our dealer network to both gauge interest and to gauge how the 12-pack demand would be affected by 48-pack availability.  We'll see what they have to say.

You could always do the 10-pack hotdog/bun trick.