Is there an easy way to tell if a freight car or passenger car has metal wheelsets? I know they are not magnetic, which I tried to no avail, so please let me know of any ways to tell. Thanks in advance.
Woodyg
Woody,
Most of the time, plastic wheels tend to have a glossy “sheen” to their appearance. Most metal wheels look like shiny metal, like Proto 2000s. Some are painted or darkened to give them more of an oxidized appearance. Kadee, in particular, does this on their metal wheel sets.
Tom
Don’t know how reliable this really is, just an observation on my own layout.
When passing over a wide rail gap (insulated rail joiner,) metal wheels Click! Plastic wheels thump.
My metal wheels are either plated brass or nickel-silver. Almost without exception, my plastic wheels run on steel axles. Therefore, a magnet isn’t very useful for sorting one from the other. OTOH, touching the test leads of an ohmmeter to different points on the tread of a single wheel will give an infallable indication - zero = metal, high resistance = plastic (or, possibly, caked-on grunge if the wheel needs cleaning.)
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Even though many people paint wheels, most do not paint the tread. The tread will be black for plastic and metalic or shiny for steel. Even when the tread has been painted, the paint usually doesn’t last long.
If you really are unsure whether plastic or metal, just take a blade and scratch the back of the wheelset. You will know in an instant, the paint or coating will scratch if metal and if plastic will just dig into the surface. After you become familiar with all the various metal wheels offered, you can readily identify them by some careful examination.
It takes me about half a second to tell if they’re metal or plastic. I use the best visual aid available to the modeler, the Mark I human eyeball.
Jeffrey,
Can Woody stop over and borrow your Mark 1 some time?
If I can’t tell visually, I tap it with the end of my fingernail. The sound and feel are different between plastic and metal.
Enjoy
Paul
You can use a continuity testor. It will tell you if it is metal when you touch the probes to the wheel you will get a reading. If ti’s plastic you won’t get any reading.
My multi meter gives a low tone when the probes are in contact with each other. So if the car has metal wheels it will give a tone when the probes are put in contat with the wheel.
You could also use a low voltage light bulb and put the wheel between the connecting wires. If it lights they’re metal if not they are plastic.
Bill
Jeffery,
You need to get the upgrade on the eyeball- The Mark VIII is the latest version.
Yeah, I was gonna say the same thing. I currently have the Mark VII B, and am soon to upgrade to the Mark VIII. Get with it, man!!!
A continuity check is a good idea, but I can tell by their weights. The metal ones are clearly heavier. Also, many of the metal wheels have the ribbing on the back, and I am not familiar with plastic ones having that ribbing…maybe I just haven’t looked hard enough.
Selector-I’ve got a bunch of old plastic with ribbed backs in my junk drawer. I was going to say take a lighter to it. If it melts, it’s plastic and no great loss anyhow.[:D] (it’s a joke. No “that’s not a very wise idea” posts please.)
I was also going to mention something about the ribbing. Very few of my metal wheels have ribbing on the back of them. Ribbed back wheels are too early for the era I am modeling. It seems to me that most of the wheels that I have come across are just the opposite. The only manufacturers of metal wheels (in HO) that I have come across that have ribbed wheels are P2K and Kadee. I am sure there are more. Didn’t the older Walther’s kits have the plastic ribbed back wheelsets?
D’ohh! Wouldn’t that be funny if I had swapped out metal wheelsets for plastic ones!? [:O]
The P2K tank car kit, for example, came with shiny metal ribbed-backs. I have anodized sets that are also clearly metal.
Quote- Didn’t the older Walther’s kits have the plastic ribbed back wheelsets?
Yep! Got two 23,000 gal tankers that had them. Installed in 100ton roller bearing trucks to boot![(-D] Hows that for prototypical?
I think Jeff is from the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” camp! [;)]
Thanks to all who replied to my thread. I knew there were mrr’s here that would provide answers.
Woodyg
Woodyg, if you have too buy wheels I like the Proto 2000’s 33 ribbed or none ribbed. If you can see the ribs on the bench you must have a Mark XXV E! If you are going to added metal wheels make sure you tune the trucks. I have a Reboxx T-100 Exxact Scoket Tool. Make for very free spining axels.
By the way [#welcome]