Hello everyone! I’m new to this forum. I recently acquired a set of Rivarossi “1930’s era” 85’ streamlined passenger cars. I want to replace the crummy trucks/wheels/couplers that came with these models. Does anyone know if someone makes a one-piece easy-to-replace set of trucks with wheels and coupler unit that accepts Kadee couplers? Thanks much! … Al (You are welcome to reply directly to almodelrr@aol.com)
The single piece construction of the Rivarossi trucks is precisely the reason why these trucks are so crummy. This construction is called a “talgo” truck and will still derail when the train is backed up even if you replace the X2F couplers with Kadees or other similar type couplers. The coupler boxes have to either be body mounted (if you are going to operate on extremely large radii or allowed to rotate independtly of the trucks.
Just separating the couplers from the Rivarrossi trucks would make a big difference.
Mount the coupler box on a thin sheet of plastic or brass that is the same width as the coupler box and long enough to reach back to the bolster (the pivot point for the truck). Drill a hole in the end of the sheet where the bolster is and remount the truck. Lubricate this area so that the truck and coupler sheet do not bind. You might also want to glue a support bar under the coupler box that will allow the box to swing back and forth but not bend down if the car is pushed.
One other issue: The Rivorossi cars are all plastic and weigh far below the NMRA weight strandard. Any added weight, even if you don’t achieve the standard of 1.5 ounces plus 1/2 ounce per inch, will make a significant improvement in the tracking characteristics of this model.
Al;
MCH offers snap in replacement knuckle couplers, make sure you get the kind with the metal knuckle coil springs. These are quite an improvement. Kadee offers a kit, that requires some effort and tools to install. You need drill and tap some holes.
IHC offers some nice replacement truckes, not inexpensive.
IHC and ReBoxx offer metal wheels that fit.
Leon’s advice is very good.
I use the MCH couplers, add some wieght and free rolling metal wheels, and call it good enough. The models are not great representations of the prototype, and that is as much as I am willing to invest in them. Brachline, AMB, Brass Car Sides, etc are another matter altogether.
In a word, NO.
‘EASY’ is expensive. IHC makes some nice metal replacement trucks for $16 - $20 per car. Hello. Still there?? Then you add the appropriate KaDee couplers.
As both you and Leon have said, the trucks are the problem. ‘CHEAP is for the bird’s’.The rest of the car is decent, and worth the effort.
A WORK IN PROGRESS is the 'modeler’s option. It involves replacing the 32" wheels, body mounting the couplers, and adding weight’s - and add’s approx. 8 hrs, and $6 per car plus any tools needed. Since you mentiones the word “EASY”, I declined to further detail this.
First off, what is the size of your layout, and are you aware if 85’ car’s will even fit on it?
Don, Please do go on about the Body mounting, I got a 60 foot Rivarossi car recently that I want to body mount the couplers on. Please expain the details.
Noah
Noah (Basement) Hofrichter
I have had little experience with Rivarossi’s current 60’ cars, and therefor am unqualified to give you any worthy answer’s.
Body mounting any 60’ car should not be much problem once ‘coupler height’ has been dealt with. If you have Rivarossi’s 60’ Baggage RPO car, THAT one I used Jaybee 110 or 111 coupler pads, Jaybee 36" wheels, and Kaydee #38 couplers were perfect… A Line weight’s brought it to 3 3/4oz.
Clip out the ersatz brake shoes, and apply a touch of teflon grease to the axle point’s, and away it’ll go.
Train Station Products offers replacement trucks that would work and look much better. Their trucks are Talgo as well but, can be easily converted to body mounted. A .40 inch pad on each end of the car and use The Coach Yard Darwin Universal Coupler box
Ch
I have a small fleet of 85’ Rivarossis and Bachmanns, most from the 70’s and 80’s, and all are equipped with the KD conversion couplers, and most have weight added to close to NMRA recommendations. None of them derail going forwards or backwards. There is nothing inherently wrong with truck mounted couplers, and in fact on these long cars I think they are an advantage on tighter radii.
The stock Riv wheels will lead to a quiet train :-), but if you replace them with metal ones you need to stick with 33" as anything bigger will hit the brakes. I kinda like the Riv trucks, and have purchased replacements when I damaged some.
If you go witht he IHC wheels - be aware they make 2 different types. One is for the genuine Rivarossi cars, the other is for the IHC ones, and they don’t work on the wrong cars.
The MCH coupler conversion is the way to go - heading the advice to get the metal knuckle spring type. The plastic whisker couplers just do NOT work worth a darn - MCH or EZMate or P2K.
Weight it very important. Since the cars come apart very easily, it’s not hard to do. And you can keep it low - the underbody detail is open to the inside so you can fll those spaces with weight and still not obstruct possible interior detailing.
My father-in-law is a huge passenger train fan, and he has tons of these cars. With the MCH couplers and metal wheels, we’ve takes a 5 car train and BACKED it through #6 crossovers at ludicrous speed with nary a problem. No problems pulling them in the normal direction, either.
–Randy
When adding weight just be certain to keep it even from side to side. Since the underbody detail openings are of different sizes, the car could lean to one side if they are all totally filled.
I have a set of riv cars from the sixties. Besides switching to metal wheels and McHenry couplers I found that adding interiors drastically reduced derailment problems. Obviously the interiors added weight and this would explain the improvements. Havent weighed them to see where they stand to the recommended standard, but much better.
As far as the IHC wheels, yes there is a difference. The IHC type metal wheels were very loose in the pocket. The IHC RIv wheels work well.
As long as these cars are, I would be careful with body mounted couplers if you run the cars on a tight radius. May not be enough play for the bend.
The IHC wheels are 32" and some come with NEM axle’s, which is probably why they were “very loose” . Rivarossi car’s use NMRA axle’s.
If you are going to the trouble of buying Metal wheel replacement’s, make sure they are 36" and NMRA .For the record, Jaybee makes 36" replacement wheel’s in both NMRA and NEM axle’s and they are listed in Walthers’ Catalog.
The heavier weight of metal wheels help trackability by keeping the unsprung weight and center of gravity low, which is one of the reason’s I prefer Jaybee’s wheel’s.
Thanks for all the info, fellas. My layout is 5x9 with 18" radius curves, thus sounds like I should stay with talgo trucks. Can you give me the Train Station Products item number for these replacement trucks, and do you know if the coupler box on these accepts Kadee’s? I couldn’t find a website for Train Station Products and Walthers website had very few pictures of their items. Thanks again! … Al
I don’t know too much about HO, but several months ago I was so proud of myself for saving money on a set of N scale Lima Santa Fe heavy weights I won on ebay for almost nothing,but when they came in, I hated the trucks on them, and replaced them with Arnold/Rivarossi trucks and they’ve worked fine ever since. But like I said, that’s N scale…
trainluver1
You WILL have to modify the brake shoe detail if you put scale 36" wheels in them. Rivarossi used the smaller size (scale 28" actually, not 32") probably because ont heir earlier cars they had HUGE flanges typical of European trains - so as not to appear overwhelmingly large, my gues is they used smaller wheels to offset the giant flange, like a lot of N scale equipment has done and still does. 36" wheels are more prototypically correct for most of the models, but the brake shoe detail will drag.
–Randy
I have the Rivarossi cars and the newer ones that IHC sales. I love the Rivarossi cars and the newer once are ok for the price. I had to replace the trucks for these cars also, but willing to pay $16 for the trucks. Lucky for me I live in the Philly area and can go to IHC for parts. IHC now do not sale parts anymore. What is a good trucks that I can buy.
The $20 IHC passenger metal trucks are available right now from Wathers for $16 accoding to Chuck Walsh. These are very good roller’s, and with metal 32" wheels.
The older car’s may need bolster relocation - where they pivot.
If you do replace some of those Rivarossi trucks, I would be interested in buying a couple of pairs of 6 wheel or 4 wheel. Please email me. And I was FIRST ! 
MR ran an article about putting Athearn trucks on these cars awhile back. However, I don’t remember the issue.
If you want to use metal wheels with these cars, couldn’t you just file back the brake shoe detail a bit?
I have an eleven car train of these cars that retain the Talgo coupler mountings: I used the Kadee conversion kits, #508 for four-wheel trucks, and refitted Kadee 36" wheelsets: this required removal of some material from the brake shoes. I also lowered the cars by filing down the bolster boss and replaced the mounting pins with screws. I made custom interiors for all of the cars and then added additional weight. Originally, each car was ballasted to about 12 oz., but I was concerned about wearing out the bearing surfaces in the soft plastic trucks and subsequently reduced this to about 8 oz. per car. They still track well around my 30" minimum radius curves, but they look a little ungainly. I intend to get rid of them, mainly because they’re a bit too modern looking for my secondary mainline type of operation set in the mid-'30’s.
Wayne