I recently assembled my first rolling stock, 6, USRA 55, Ton Hoppers made by Accurail. Assembly went fine. I put them on my test track seeing how well they tracked, coupled and passed through turnouts.
After a few hours of testing I noticed squeaking sounds coming from the train. I disconnected the hoppers from the engine and pushed them by hand. The sounds were coming from my new hoppers.[:(] I also noticed that they didn’t roll very freely, probably because they came with plastic wheels.
I had 12 Kaydee metal wheels that fit so I replaced them on one car and tried it out on the track. They still didn’t roll free like other cars I have with metal wheels but the squealing was gone.
I happened to have a bag of dry graphite powder so I thought I’d give it a try on the friction points. I took the axle/wheels off, applied a small amount of graphite with a #1 paint bru***o the axle point and the trucks, put the axle/wheels back in place and tried it again. WOW what a difference! The car went 6’ with the slightest push. [:0]
I did three cars with metal/axles since I only had 12 axles. The other three cars I just used the graphite with the existing plastic wheels/axles. Believe it or not the plastic wheels were even more “free wheeling”. Not only did they roll further they are quieter than the metal ones.
Now the question. Since I used graphite on the axles, (only enough to lubricate each), am I going to have any problems down the road from using it? If not, I’ll be using it on each new car I build.[:D]
If you use too much it will get on the wheels and track. Did you check for plastic flash in the journals? You can use a #11 Xacto blade or a Truck Tuner to clean them out. You should also check that the wheels are properly gauged with an NMRA Standards Gauge.
I will second the Truck Tuner. That is the best 10 bucks I have ever spent on modeling tools. The only complaints that I have heard from some folks is that they roll a little too well, and won’t sit still.
I use graphite in the journals of some of my cars and other than having excess fall out, have had no trouble. My Walthers Super Chief cars were especially squeaky. It took a couple applications of graphite to quiet them down, but they’ve been going along quietly since. I usually only use graphite on trucks that need it. If they’re already quiet and free rolling I leave them alone.
I use old metal sprung trucks with Kadee wheels on my freight cars. Some of the trucks are squeak a little, I don’t mind that, the prototype railroad cars do. Several reasons that I like the sprung trucks: They operate like the prototype when they go over uneven track and when I spot a car at an industry it doesn’t roll away. Atlas car trucks are great for running long trains, but their trucks roll to freely for switching on my layout.
Hmmm,Been in this hobby for 30 years,and this is the first i,ve heard of the trucktuner,guess i need to pay more attention to the Micro-mark catalogs when i get’em…lol
I bought this Micro-Mark tool about a year ago for about 6 bucks. It has improved the pulling power of all my equipment by 20% or more. Believe me, this is money well spent, even at twice the cost!!!
I picked mine up from the LHS for 9.95 plus tax. They said that they have a hard time keeping them in stock. I in fact bought the last one that they had at the time.
I have the REBOXX version of the truck tuner. I use it on every piece of rolling stock before it ever gets put on the tracks, as previously noted it’s the best $13 CDN I’ve spent in the hobby so far…
Tell me about it. Micro-Mark’s prices are some of the highest on the internet. And $8.95 for shipping on a small tool like that is crazy. But if you want it, that’s what you have to pay.
It’s costing me over $20. for the Truck Turner.
Bill