Re-wheeling despite myself...

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I never thought that I would get to asking this unless I went for fine standard wheels…

BUT…

I need to re-wheel some Roundhouse cars. Am I right in thinking that they will be 33" wheels please?

Any recomendations?

Thanks

[:P]

2

Are we talking about freight cars here? If so, most freight cars did have 33" wheels. That is not so true with more modern equipment. Not being a modern modeler, I have lost track of the various dates at which larger wheels started to appear.

I model 1954, from the 1890’s to the 1960’s, allmost all freight car wheels were 33" and most passenger car wheels 36".

Sheldon

3

Dave,

The basic rule is that if the capacity of the freight car is under about 77 tons - Then a 33" wheel is correct. Over that figure and you should be using 36" wheels. So, box cars and older 2 bay cement hoppers generally use 33" wheels , 100 ton covered hoppers use 36" wheels. Passenger cars almost always use 36" wheels.

Jim

4

Should be 33" wheels. About the only cars that would use 36" wheels would be the FMC grain hoppers, and maybe some of the coal hoppers. Sometimes adding 36" wheels to a car that needs them helps with coupler height issues as well.

I prefer Intermountain wheels, they seem to roll quite well in MDC-Roundhouse sideframes.