I have just switched to n scale. In a train show, I picked up a bunch of used and weathered freight cars with non-operating knuckle couplers and metal wheels (You have to couple the cars by hand). Now, I wanted to replace the couplers with micro-trains operating knuckle couplers, but the mictotrains trucks come only with plastic wheels. I have been in HO for many years and metal wheels are the norm. Is plastic wheels ok for N scale, or would Metal wheels be better?? Thanks for all your help!!
I’m willing to be the same rules apply - ie use metal over plastic.
Can you buy the MT couplers as body-mount as opposed to talgo? If not, you could always swap the axles out so that you get metal wheels in your MT trucks…
MT sells them as body mount also?? I can’t find it on their web site…it only lists talgo trucks w/ plastic wheels. It dosn’t list metal replacement wheels either. Where can I get this info? Is there a link to another web site?? I can’t find anything on micro-trains.com about body mount couplers…
I would use Metal Wheels, I ran Metal wheels on my HO for a awhile, I would use the metal wheels in N scale. The MT Couplers that are body mounted I belive is 1015
If MT sells body mount I’m as much in the dark about it as you. In my earlier post I was just asking if the sold them as body-mount.
As for the metal replacement wheels - I meant to pull your current (metal) wheels out of the trucks they’re in right now, and replace the MT plastic ones with those. You could also try Intermountain and see if those wheels would work.
Oops. ,… totally mis-read your post. [oops][:I] Ok, I tried installing the metal wheels I had, but they don’t roll as freely. I may switch them out. I will check out the intermountain wheels. thanks!
Micro Trains makes several body mounts, but I don’t remember the part #'s right off hand. Most don’t use them because they don’t work as good on the tighter curves that many use in N scale.
Intermountain makes very nice metal wheelsets in a couple different sizes.
Atlas also makes metal wheelsets for Micro -Trains trucks. I have them in some of my cars and they roll real nice.
In N scale it’s the same as HO. Metal wheels rule.
I thought I saw that the other day but I didn’t want to say anything in case I was mistaken.
I’ll be the voice of dissent then. I have some metal wheels in N but most of my stuff has the plastic MT pizza-cutter wheels and they roll very, very nicely. I may replace them with metal eventually, but for now they work perfectly.
To be honest, I use mostly low profile plastic wheels myself. They work just fine and are very DCC friendly. I have heard that the metal wheels keep your track cleaner, though I can’t verify that.
Metal wheels and micro trains coupplers all of my "N"have metal wheels .Now All i have to do is the couplers 1015’s and 1011’s will work,I try to use the put-together ones, At age 65 I need all the help I can get!!!
JIM
What N scale metal wheels do you metal-wheel users recommend? I’ve tried the Atlas ones and wasn’t satisfied. Maybe I got a bad batch but they sound as if they have a few flat spots.
Thanks for the replies!!
Atlas and Intermountain both make metal N scale wheel sets. Atlas has a special number that has the correct axle length for MT trucks. Body mounted couplers are better, but many N scale modelers use the ‘talgo’ trucks from MT. If you use them, at least start converting to metal wheels.
Jim
METAL WHEELS are the best choice if you want reliable and realistic operation.
I disagree. The vast majority of my equipment has MT pizza-cutters. Last weekend at a show I ran two trains at a time continuously for over 16 hours (8+ per day per train) with only 4 unexplained (i.e., train wasn’t bumped or switch misaligned) derailments. Of those, two derailments occurred with one of the very few cars I have with metal wheels. That’s roughly one derailment every 8 train-hours. That’s pretty darned reliable. I’ve never, ever had a problem with MT plastic wheels.
As for realistic operation, I don’t see how wheel type effects that. If you mean the sound, then yes, metal wheels sound better.
I’ve been back in the hobby purchasing trains for about a year. I have mixed couplers, some rapido, some knuckle on 3 different trains. But here’s what I’ve found.
Atlas works best, metal or plastic with knuckle couplers. Model Power stuff is always iffy; but
the plastic wheels seem to have less problems on turnouts. My Bachmann Spectrum rolling
stock with metal wheels that came with the starter set work well even though the cars are
relatively long and I have tight radius curves. Last week I picked up a couple of Micro-Trains
cars and a caboose at a train show. I think they have metal wheels. They rule.
But you know what? My findings may be irrelevent since I’m running on the Bachmann
EZ track (boo, hiss).