33" wheelset comparisons

[nkalanaga]

The best option for an American wheel would probably be 40 inches, common on diesels.

If one can find them, 38 inch wheels, from modern 125 ton cars, would also be close.

[babbo_enzo]

(Attachment Link) The best option......

Thanks again to all but : problem solved!
The wagons in question are these flat cars and with Minitrix wheels (Pizza cutters?) all jumped on the handmade code 40 rails!

So to make no mistake nation... I suggested looking for a similar wagon among the Fleishmannn and ordering the relative wheels.... done and solved in 5... cents!
The friend was impressed with the ton of FVM wheels I replaced.

[babbo_enzo]

Thanks again to all but : problem solved!
The wagons in question are these flat cars and with Minitrix wheels (Pizza cutters?) all jumped on the handmade code 40 rails!

So to make no mistake nation... I suggested looking for a similar wagon among the Fleishmannn and ordering the relative wheels.... done and solved in 5... cents!
The friend was impressed with the ton of FVM wheels I replaced.

[peteski]

I'm not sure if I understand the solution.  Are you saying that your friend replaced Minitirx wheels with Fleischmann wheels, and those are compatible with C40 rail?  I'm really surprised since most European models (even new ones) still use rather deep flanges. Maybe not as deep as the original "pizza cutters" but still quite deep.

[babbo_enzo]

Are you saying that your friend replaced Minitirx wheels with Fleischmann wheels, and those are compatible with C40 rail?

YES, I confirm this. They said the wheels are NOT RP25 profile, but are well under the NEM norms = less than 9/10 mm flange, and are compatible with code 40 rails.
He use N-Tram turnouts kits and rails that are distributed by
 https://spur-n-teile.de .
 https://spur-n-teile.de/n-tram-new300l-n-einfache-weiche-ew-300-1-9-links-vollstaendiger-materialsatz.html
 https://spur-n-teile.de/?manufacturers_id=52&listing_sort=shipping_asc&filter_id=0&listing_count=50&page=3

[peteski]

Thanks Enzo. I guess  we  better stop this discussion before we totally hijack this thread.

[Cajonpassfan]

There have been at least a couple of threads recently discussing some of the better aftermarket wheelsets, but I've had hard time understanding their subtle differences without access to specific dimensions. I've acquired some of  the new 33" "semi-scale" wheels from FVM/Scale Trains and Eastern Seaboard Models, and compared them to BLMA and Rapido sets I had on hand. I measured their wheel rim diameter (D), diameter at flange (OD), flange depth (FL, diameter at flange minus rim diameter divided by two) as well as the wheel thickness (T), which is much easier to measure than thread width. My digital caliper may or may not be 100% accurate, but it is accurate in terms of relative dimensions. So here's what I get, in inches:

FVM/ST:    D .204, OD .234, Fl .015,  T .057

ESM:         D .208, OD .246, Fl .019,  T .065

BLMA:       D .211, OD .244, Fl .0165, T .064

Rapido:     D .203, OD .251, Fl. 0.24,  T .068

I did not have the FVM/ST "standard" wheels at hand, but believe their thickness is about .070"
The metal Bachmann's, for comparison in two of the photos, scale at 0.84" thick.

The wheel faces vary quite a bit as the photos show. From left FVM/ST, ESM, BLMA, Rapido; the fifth wheel is Bachmann.
The last one is ESM and BLMA, left to right.
I do wish my iPhone was capable of making better closeup photos.
Fun stuff,
Otto K.

To complete this comparison, I acquired several Intermountain boxcars equipped with their new metal wheelsets.
The latest wheels look good and roll quite well, although they are a bit thicker than the others compared here. Dimensions below, in the same format as the original comp table:

I/M:        D .203,  OD .238, Fl. .0175, T .075

The pics below show the wider I/M wheelset next to the Fox Valley/ Scale Trains semi-scale one.

If anyone has the Scale Trains standard wheels, I'd appreciate getting dimensions posted here.

Otto