Help for AHM U25c and GG1

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

You know the ones with the pizza cutter flanges-I’m contemplating code 70, so… anyone aware of drop in wheel replacements? NWSL? I’ve never seen any offered, and I’d rather not have to lay a line of code 100 to be able to use them, and don’t really want to seem them sit on the shelf, either. Thanks- Mike

2

Telephone NWSL to see if they have any solutions.

For the U25C; I’d re-chassis it with a Spectrum E33 - same style of truck.

3

I managed to rewheel my U25C with NWSL 40" wheels for Athearn diesels. I pressed the axles out of the NWSL wheels and put them on the Rivarossi axles with some masking tape and super glue. It’s extremely crude and I may redo it eventually, but it works for now.

I don’t know of any direct rewheel kits for the U25C and GG-1. One common method used on old Rivarossis was to grind the flanges down to RP-25 size. At least a few here have done it, so you may be able to get some tips on doing it.

4

There is another option…Kaslo Shops apparently makes a powered chassis to fit the Rivarossi U25C shell.

http://www.central-hobbies.com/products/kasloshops.html

Part # HCK-2. It’s about a third of the way down the page. Kind of expensive, but it might be worth it.

5

NWSL does make direct wheel replacements for the U25C that press right on to the original axles.

HO AHM/Rivarossi U25C upgrade nickel-silver wheels
#2693-6 $7.95 HO AHM/Riv U25C 40"/110 wheels (12) to fit original geared axles
#2694-6 $7.95 HO AHM/Riv U25C 40"/88 wheels (12) to fit original geared axles

http://www.nwsl.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/Price_lists/Product_Price_Lists.pdf

There’s also a Yahoo group for the Kaslo Shops U25C project: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/u25cproject/

I repowered mine with a can motor, flywheel, and a belt drive. http://tinyurl.com/y7qvub5

I don’t know of any wheel replacements for the GG1, unless you could obtain wheelsets for the IHC-Mehano version (which IIRC aren’t RP25 but are smaller than pizza cutters) and press them on the Rivarossi axles. The Rivarossis have well-detailed but fragile plastic wheel centers, so the only safe way to reduce the flange depth is to chuck each wheel tread in a lathe and turn them down one at a time to avoid putting stress on the plastic castings.