I prefer to use Reboxx wheelsets to replace Atlas wheelsets because the Reboxx ones roll so much better. But I can’t find the 33" 0.950 wheelsets anywhere.
They’ve been out of stock at modeltrainstuff.com for weeks. So I called the store (MB Kleins) and asked why their stock hasn’t been refilled. They said their distributor can’t get them from the factory.
Does anyone know why?
Jeff
Have contacted Reboxx directly?
I have been very happy with contacting Reboxx directly.
We talked on the phone (remember them?). He gave me advice. I took it.
You/we are lucky to have him.
Ed
Yup, I tried emailing them. Told them I was having problems finding their wheelsets, told them what the guy at MB Kleins said - several days ago. Haven’t heard back. Radio silence.
Jeff
Jeff,
When did you email them?
The reason I ask is because you just asked this question on Wednesday, today is Friday.
Most manufacturers in this hobby are very small operations, they don’t have full time customer service people waiting for your email. They are not Apple or Amazon, they are a handful of people in a small spot in an industrial park…
Give it a few days.
Now, my thoughts on Reboxx.
Nothing wrong with the quality of their stuff - top notch. But personally, I don’t use their wheel sets because I don’t like the semi scale ones and that’s all they sell.
And, their chart of axle lengths is great for rigid plastic trucks, but don’t trust it for sprung trucks - they have them sized too long in most cases.
Sheldon
Sheldon,
I emailed them before I posted my question here. Reason being - I thought someone here might know why seemingly no one has or can get Reboxx wheelsets and would answer my question before Reboxx, assuming Reboxx would ever answer. Some companies, big and small, aren’t real good at answering inquiries. Not knowing how or if Reboxx would respond, I posted the question here.
I use Intermountain wheelsets for most cars, they cost less than Reboxx. But Reboxx has the only wheelsets that will fit in Atlas trucks. So, I’m waiting for modeltrainstuff.com to get resupplied with that particular size.
Jeff
Did Reboxx ever respond?
No, they didn’t and I’ve emailed them twice. MB Kleins had a few in stock recently, but their stock is about all gone now.
No idea why the supply has dried up like it has.
Jeff
I’m going to venture a guess as to why you have not heard from them.
I suspect business is not all that good…
As someone who years ago did a lot of research on making trucks more free rolling, I found no use for their products on my own layout.
Their published axle lengths for Kadee sprung trucks are incorrect.
And they insist on making only code 88 wheels wheels which I rejected for several reasons.
Now, not everyone agrees with me on these issues, but based on nearly a decade of conversation on this forum where I have shared my findings on free rolling trucks, I am also not alone.
I suspect that many modelers simply found their products expensive and unnecessary.
Sheldon
According to the latest Brass Trains video, your suspicions are likely valid, Sheldon. Seems the Reboxx containers are also difficult to obtain so they (BT.com) has decided to take up the slack and come out with their own containers.
It was difficult to tell from the non-closeups during the video whether the exterior shells were of the same quality as the Reboxx containers. The interior cut foam grid for custom-fitting your locomotive or rolling stock did sound similar.
Tom
I have exactly 1 piece of rolling stock that needed Reboxx wheels, that is the old Life Like caboose (not the P2K one which already has metal wheels). None of the common metal wheelsets fir its rather odd axle length. Reboxx had the right ones (though the chart was incorrect, got the wrong ones the first time. He updated that entry on the chart back then, this was like 12-14 years ago). Since it’s normally just pulled along behind the train, I haven’t had any issues witht he semi-scale wheels, but neither do i want to equip all my rolling stock with them.
I have quite a few Atlas gons that came with metal wheels, haven’t had any issues with the rolling qualities. I’m sure I hit them with the truck tuner tool which helps a lot. I think I only ever had one RTR or kit that came with metal wheels that I needed to swap - a Branchline kit had one wheelset with a chunk missing, like the mold didn’t fill properly. The Kadeee cars I have, with Kadee trucks, all have the stock Kadee wheelsets and they roll fine. Those and the Kato covered hoppers, I was really careful with when adding track detection resistors, because they are pretty unique wheelsets. Kadee I could always get more of, but those Kato covered hoppers are long gone, though they pop up on eBay sometimes.
–Randy
The only Reboxx product I ever bought was a sample pack of differing axle lengths in case I needed to test a truck for a size that Intermountain or P2K or ExactRail wheels wouldn’t work for. If Reboxx is out of business, then I suppose that sample pack will be a relic and binned eventually.
If Reboxx is discontinuing production, it seems a fair thing to do would be to post it on their website rather than just go into crickets mode and all radio silence out of courtesy to customers at large.
I found Reboxx wheelsets very useful when I needed to control truck swing clearances on logging flats.
And I don’t suppose a business could survive if that is the typical lifetime sale to a modeler.
Ed
Their website is down…
Once upon a time, Atlas had the best rolling freight cars available. But recently their cars won’t pass my roll test, even after using the Truck Tuner and applying graphite in the journal boxes.
So I tried Reboxx wheelsets. Definitely more expensive than the Branchline and Intermountain I usually use, but Reboxx was the only company that had an axle length short enough to fit Atlas trucks. And when I replaced the Atlas wheelsets with the Reboxx, the cars easily passed my roll test, big difference. So, when I buy an Atlas car, I replace the wheelsets with Reboxx.
Maybe I’ll try calling the company and see what happens.
Jeff
I usually replace plastic wheels with Intermountain wheelsets, but when I applied them to a Bowser caboose, the fit was so sloppy that the wheels rubbed against the floor of the car. This was one of those cases where Reboxx wheels solved the probleb. Just can’t remember what size they were.
Reboxx makes a variety of axle lengths; which fits the Atlas, assuming Reboxx is still making product.
I yakked with the guy on the phone back when I was trying to find a solution to my wheel problems.
He was very helpful. And very likable.
I hope he’s doing OK. Personally. I felt he was doing me a favor by being in the business of supplying “silly little wheels”* so I could play with trains. And I like people who do me favors.
Ed
*a term normal people would use (who don’t play with trains)
Reboxx bet the farm on the idea that everyone would want to convert to code 88 wheels.
The irony may be that many of the cars that are good candidates for Reboxx wheel sets are the older, Blue Box kind of stuff. Modelers happy with those cars are not likely to be the kind to be fussy about code 88 wheels vs code 110 wheels.
Or, like me, not everyone is sold on the code 88 wheel thing. I still say it is just trading one out of scale feature for another. so with code 88 you have a narrow tread, but a big gap between the sideframe and the wheel. To me it does not look better…and while the do “work”, they do “drop” into my Atlas code 83 turnout frogs - code 110 wheels do not.
So it looks like Reboxx may really be gone or in trouble. Expensive locomotive boxes are also not something I ever bought…
Sheldon
It’s true.
Sometimes the pursuit of quality just doesn’t pan out.
Ed