Metal wheels for Atlas cars

[Ken Rice]

This is my first post on the railwire, I used to participate on the Atlas forums.  I've been ignoring N scale and my own layout for a couple years, but I'm picking up where I left off now.  I've got about half my track laid and I need to get enough rolling stock into shape to test my operating plan.  So, on to the actual question...

I have a bunch of Atlas freight cars (fairly recent vintage).  They all have plastic wheels.  My layout is all Atlas N code 55, with #10 turnouts.  My immediate goal is to get them all swapped out to metal wheels, and to keep them as free rolling as possible.  Nice to have goal is a reasonably narrow wheel tread, but reliability trumps appearance.

I seem to recall from when I started looking into this a couple years ago that it seemed like FVM wheelsets were the best way to go, being careful to pick the right axle length for each car.

I've done a bunch of searching and I get the impression that Fox Valley has possibly changed the shape of the wheels slightly, and possibly the tread width too?  What I'm wondering is if the samples I ordered a couple years ago are still representative of what I'd get if I ordered a large package.

Is there a better way to get really free rolling metal wheels under an Atlas freight car?

(Trackplan and progress photos here: http://rices-rails.blogspot.com/search/label/N%20Scale)

[bbussey]

FVM offers two thicknesses of wheel tread.  What you want are the #3302 and #3602 wheels.  The former is 33" prototype, the latter is 36" prototype.
 

[victor miranda]

and Atlas makes metal wheelsets....

[Ken Rice]

Bryan - thanks for the part numbers.

Victor - is there an advantage of the Atlas wheels over the FVM wheels?  For some reason I have the impression that FVM are better, but I don't remember where I got that impression...

[Chris1274]

I think the FVM wheels look much better than the Atlas ones, which have a very wide tread.

[victor miranda]

Hi Ken,

I suspect there is no difference.
and I have never felt there was any difference between metal and plastic wheelsets.

one post I recall a fellow said after 20 cars there was a measurable difference.
and went on to a discussion about performance in curves. (in favor of metal wheels)

as long as the wheelsets are free rolling I'd think them interchangeable.
if one tread profile is better than another, that i do not know.

I mention that atlas ones because they exist...

victor

[mark.hinds]

One difference between the Atlas metal wheelsets and the FVM wheelsets is that the former (Atlas) are ferrous and the latter are not.  If you have under-track uncoupling magnets, this matters a lot. 

I base this comment on my experiments with my single Atlas PS-1 (which came with ferrous metal wheelsets) and FVM replacement wheelsets (in this case non-ferrous 33').  A 3rd alternative is the MT plastic "standard" wheelsets, which are very free-rolling (note that these are *not* the old-style MT "pizza cutters" nor are they the "low profile" with sharp-edged flanges).  The under-track uncoupling magnet I use is the MT #308 full-size one. 

MH

[Mark5]

The Atlas metal wheelsets look primitive compared to the FVM wheelsets. See before buying if possible.

Atlas has some new metal wheelsets that are very nice that they are including on the Master PS1 boxcars, but I don't think these are available separately yet.

Mark

[Ken Rice]

Thanks for all the info everyone!  I'm not using under track magnets, strictly pick uncoupling for me, so I don't care about ferrous vs non-ferrous.  If the fox valley look better I'll go for them.

Pulled out a selection cars cars and the calipers this evening.  I found 3 wheels diameters - 33", 36", and 38" (on the Thrall gons).  And four axle lengths - 0.536, 0.557, 0.562, and 0.569 (on the Thrall gons).  Looks like I might be out of luck on the Thrall gons, but everything else seems to be covered or at least close enough.  Time to start counting up how many of each I need I guess.

[CodyO]

I`d recommend FVM wheels
I like using the wide wheels and think they also look better than atlas and perform better than plastic wheels 

[Chris1274]

Here's a pic of the Atlas wheels:

Mark5 said it best, they look kind of primitive.

[mmagliaro]

I have used both Atlas and FVM metal wheels.  Now, I use only FVM except in certain "special" applications.

My frustration with Atlas wheelsets was that a large number of them are not in gauge right out of the package.
I would have to open a pack of 12 and adjust nearly all of the them by checking them on an NMRA gauge,
giving the wheels a little pull/twist to get them wide enough, and then put a little drop of ACC in behind each
wheel so they wouldn't work their way inward over time while running.   If you run on Atlas c55, you will
surely run into this when those wheelsets go through turnouts.  They will be narrow enough to
bump on the frogs.

I don't think I've seen even 2 out of hundreds of the FVM wheelsets I've used that are out of gauge.

As to the "special" applications... 
FVM wheel flanges, at least on the standard ones I use, are only .015" deep.  They look beautiful, but
that's a very fine flange.  For the 36" wheels on my passenger cars, I had one or two cars that
simply rock or lean just enough once in a while to pull those wheels up and over the rail.
I fussed with the cars for a while, adjusting the pivots and adding weight.  But in the end, it was just easier
to put Atlas 36" wheels in there, which have .022" flanges, and are more forgiving.

[eja]

The Atlas metal wheelsets look primitive compared to the FVM wheelsets. See before buying if possible.

Mark

 I guess old age is a blessing  ..  after 3+ feet I can hardly tell a box car from a covered hopper in low light, never mind one wheel type from another.

But, who cares, as long as the trains are rolling and we are having fun.

eja

[nkalanaga]

Eja:  That's basically my opinion.  Metal wheels are nice, and I'm not going to get rid of them if a car comes with them, but as long as the car rolls and stays on the track, I'm satisfied.

The only place I insist on metal wheels is tank cars, simply because the wheels are so visible on most of them.  There the metal treads look better.  I also have a few hoppers and covered hoppers where Atlas 100-ton trucks with plastic wheels just wouldn't fit.  The flanges scraped the hoppers on curves.  Atlas metal wheels apparently have just enough smaller flanges that they fit some of these cars.  On others nothing fit, and I had to grind some plastic off.

[jpwisc]

I've been putting metal wheels (mostly FVM) on my cars. The tank cars are definitely the most visible. I wish Exactrail would get their N Scale wheels out for sale. The back cut on the wheel would add to the appearance nicely.