I have some wheelsets that, at first glance, appear to be metal, but when I hold a magnet up to them, the wheels are not attracted to the magnet.
Could these be non-magnetic metal wheels?
Rich
Probably solid brass Rich
Most metal wheel sets are nickel plated brass - non-magnetic.
Jim
Ahh, I appreciate the responses.
This prompts me to ask another question.
If the wheelsets are magnetic, they have to be metal, correct?
So, brass and nickel plated brass is non-magnetic.
What metal are the wheelsets made of if they are magnetic?
Rich
It’s my understanding that some (older? BB?) Athearn locos used sintered-iron wheelsets. Not sure if they’re magnetic or not.
There are sintered metal and machine metal wheels. Kadee sells sintered metal wheels.
Sintered are not solid metal and can pick up some dirt like plastic. Rivet counters do not like them,. No shiny thread.
Machined are shiny. One company use to sell sell them weathered. Not sure they do now.
Rich
From what I have read in previous discussions, sintered have somewhat better traction for locos than machined metal wheels.
Rich
Iron, and its more useful offspring steel, are magnetic.
Most model railroading metals are copper-bearing alloys (brass, nickel silver) or low/moderate temperature castable alloys. They are non-magnetic.
I never have tried to see if a Kadee magnet will attract Athearn BB diesel wheels - mainly because I don’t have any. It will attract some toy train sectional track. It will most definitely lift a large percentage of my freight stock off the rails. Mr Endo manufactured them out of stamped sheet steel(!) Interestingly, he then equipped them with fine RP25 contour nickel silver wheels. The needle-point axles in steel journal boxes will roll at a hard breath. If you figured out that a single loose car will center itself above a Kadee magnet, you got it in one.
The up side is that I can build flat car loads on refrigerator magnets and they anchor themselves to the cars’ decks.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with real tinplate rolling stock)
Interesting stuff. I appreciate it, guys.
Rich
A loco can get away with magnetically attractive parts around Kadee magnets. It’s self-propelled, stays in gear, and will resist the pull. Rolling stock, on the other hand, will have all sorts of problems around Kadee magnets. I’d presume Chuck doesn’t use Kadee magnets with steel rolling stock, but sounds like he does?
Anyway, that’s one reason for all the brass, etc around model RRs, so as to avoid issues with Kadee magnets.
Actually, the use of brass in model construction far predates the use of Kadee magnets. Brass is much easier to deal with than steel when soldering or machining with hand tools a la Mel Thornburgh.
I do use the magnetic uncoupling feature of Kadee couplers - but with due care. Most of my Kadee magnets are retractable, mounted on hinges under the roadbed. The fixed magnets in the netherworld uncouple plastic kitbashes including cars with wheel wipers (part of my empties in/loads out operation) or powered DMU. No steel freight cars are ever routed across them.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Just tested 6 Athearn BB SD40-2’s and three Athearn F7’s and they are all magnetic. All the rest are put away, but my guess would be they are magnetic also. They are, 60,70, 80’s era. 50’s era, Varney, Tyco,Bowser and Athearn, all magnetic. All NS wheels are not. [:)]
Frank
Turns out, these non-magnetic wheelsets are “blackened metal”.
Thanks for all the replies.
Rich