Opinion — desired wheel diameters / axle lengths (ESM)?

[bbussey]

All,

We have the 33" and 36" wheels in the .540" axle length currently available, and will have the 33" and 36" wheels with the .553" axle length available mid-fall this year. What other wheel diameter/axle length combinations have a high enough demand to warrant expanding the line?  Fox Valley, for example, also had axle lengths of .526", .563" and .576" in addition to .540" and .553".  Note that the 28"/.540" wheel will be introduced in 2023 with the GSC Well Car release.

NOTE — This is just in reference to diameters and axle length, not resistor-equipped or non-resistor-equipped wheelsets.  There isn't enough demand for resistor-equipped wheelsets to warrant mass production.

[Chris333]

Maybe you could mold the blister pack so there is a built in magnifying glass for Ed. 

[garethashenden]

I think .563/33 is a size I've used a bunch of. Atlas cars seem to be split between this and .553"

[nkalanaga]

0.563 was widely used by ConCor, others that used the same freight trucks as ConCor, and on early Kato cars.  It doesn't seem to be too common today, but there are probably still a lot of these around.  I have 44 cars in service, and a lot of spare trucks, that could use these.  I've never changed them, because the early CC wheels were quite nice, metal, with small flanges, and work fine on code 40 flex track.  But yours roll better.
Early CC passenger cars, made by Kato (Sekisui) from the late 60s and early 70s, used 0.563 inch wheels, and had 36 inch wheels.   Later CC passenger trucks used 33 inch wheels, and mine work fine with 0.553.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

.563 was used by some Atlas 100t trucks, but I don't believe these are in production anymore. This could also be a molding problem as the frames that fit the 563 look just like the ones that fit the 553.

Athearn has some good trucks but they really upped their wheel game so these do not need changing.

28" in .553
38" in .540 and .553

Fine scale wheels with half axles for Atlas and LL engines. Especially LL engines which do not work well on C55.

Rib back 33" wheels in .540 and .553. Not exactly sure how one would do this. Cast the wheel back and machine the rest? Use a plastic insert behind the metal wheel face?

[bbussey]

Rib-backed wheels aren’t going to happen. Ditto the locomotive wheels. The 28” wheel is a low-demand item in general, if the .540” wasn’t needed for the well car it probably wouldn’t be done. What models/trucks exist currently that utilize 38” wheels?

[sd45elect2000]

I use the 28 inch wheels for vintage street cars. 38 inch is a locomotive size.  Second the axle sizes for Atlas trucks in 33 inch.
Randy

[bbussey]

The 33” and 36” wheels with .553” axles (for vintage Atlas trucks) are coming this fall, with the HO XIH shipment.

[sundowner]

Rib-backed wheels aren’t going to happen. Ditto the locomotive wheels. The 28” wheel is a low-demand item in general, if the .540” wasn’t needed for the well car it probably wouldn’t be done. What models/trucks exist currently that utilize 38” wheels?

Kato Maxi I and IV used 38” wheels at .553 on the interwell trucks, 33 at the ends.

Those and the ST 36” wheels on the there 5188 hoppers I would replaces if I had that option.

[nstars]

The 33” and 36” wheels with .553” axles (for vintage Atlas trucks) are coming this fall, with the HO XIH shipment.

Bowser hoppers also use .553 axles. I still need lots of axles for those.

Marc

[Spades]

Rib-backed wheels aren’t going to happen. Ditto the locomotive wheels. The 28” wheel is a low-demand item in general, if the .540” wasn’t needed for the well car it probably wouldn’t be done. What models/trucks exist currently that utilize 38” wheels?

Ribbed back wheels weren't they banned in 1970? 

Kadee's rib back wheels were definitely a testament to injection mold makers skill.  Possessor of above average visual acuity (At least to the late 1990's) unless the wheel set popped out of the truck, I couldn't tell you if the wheel set were smooth or ribbed. 

[peteski]

Kadee's rib back wheels were definitely a testament to injection mold makers skill.

While nicely molded (like all MTL items), they were made using conventional 2-part mold.  The wheelsets were 3-piece. Wheels and axle were separate parts.  Early version used die-cast wheels with plastic axle, and the subsequent version used plastic wheels and a die-cast axle.  Then wheelsets became single piece molding, all-plastic. But those never had ribbed backs.

[BCR 570]

I have used 28", 33" and 36" wheels with .540" and .553" axle spacings.  I cannot foresee a need for anything else.

Yes the locomotive wheels for Atlas/China diesels are sorely needed.

Tim

[peteski]

Yes the locomotive wheels for Atlas/China diesels are sorely needed.

Tim

Not surprisingly Bryan stated that this is not an option.  Kato replacment wheelsets work perfectly in old Atlas-China midels with just a slight modification.  Those wheels have low flanges, narrower than standard tread, and good looking faces. They are also not too expansive.  More info in https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=33107.msg596466#msg596466

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Not surprisingly Bryan stated that this is not an option.  Kato replacment wheelsets work perfectly in old Atlas-China midels with just a slight modification.  Those wheels have low flanges, narrower than standard tread, and good looking faces. They are also not too expansive.  More info in https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=33107.msg596466#msg596466

Making them work on LL engines is a pain in the a$$ though. I know it can be done, but it still is a pain. We also don't know how long Kato will have these available as parts.

28" will be good for possible future auto racks and to replace the rare Atlas Front Runner.

Bryan, I'll look through my truck catalog to see if anything else is needed. I think there may some edge case passenger trucks with strange axle lengths.