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Re: [BRHSlist] Truck Rollability, Was: Question for RR freight modelers.

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Subject: Re: [BRHSlist] Truck Rollability, Was: Question for RR freight modelers...
From: Val Nelson <super-chief-val@cox.net>
Date: Mon, 10 Nov 2003 11:35:17 -0600
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Denny, thanks for your treatise; it was fascinating.  Where is a good place to 
get such wheelsets in an ecconomic fashion?  I have close to 1,000 pieces of 
equipment that could benefit from such conversions.  Also, does Reboxx make a 
wheel tire that has a prototypical profile?

Thanks again!
Val



Denny Anspach wrote:
> The good Rev. Harding makes a very good case for truck improvements 
> by replacing wheel sets. He is on a good straight and narrow path. 
> Although initially taking his same exact footsteps over the last 
> several years, I have in the interim changed directions slightly, 
> however. I now custom fit each and every new car, or any car that 
> arrives on the rip track with new Reboxx .088" wheels. The 
> improvement in rollability has been an absolute revolution; and the 
> results a revelation.
> 
> To measure improvement, I use a "roll tester" purchased from Reboxx, 
> a 2' stretch of track that describes a  "dip" about 4" high on the 
> ends and 1" in the middle, the track actually following the segment 
> of a circle. One takes a truck and allows it free to roll, and you 
> count how many times it rolls back and forth, counting every single 
> movement, no matter how miniscule. You do this three times to five to 
> average out errors. Then you remove the old wheel sets and measure 
> the axle length. On most trucks, I also then take the "Tool", 
> actually a cutting bit, and "clean out" the journal holes.
> 
> Then you trial fit in the new Reboxx wheelsets, using the measured 
> length of the original axle as a starter. Reboxx wheels come in axle 
> lengths of .005" segments from 0.950 to 1.055". I keep a full supply 
> from about 1.00 to 1.050, concentrating on 1.015 to 1.040. As a try 
> these out, I measure them on the roll tester, keeping a note book of 
> results. Because NONE of these trucks, plastic, cast metal- old or 
> new-, or (and especially) brass are precision instruments in any 
> fashion, it is not at all unusual that a given truck will roll best 
> with axles of differing lengths.
> 
> Inasmuch as I model only steam/transition era, all my tests have been 
> on older prototypes.
> 
> Notes:
> 
> 1) Kadee metal "Bettendorf" improve on the average 75-95% by 
> replacing the kadee 1.015" wheels with Reboxx 1.020" wheels (10 rolls 
> vs. 17-19).
> 
> 2) Athearn metal sprung trucks will improve "most" of the time, but 
> not significantly (3-4 rolls with Jay Bee 1.015 wheels vs. 7-8 with 
> Reboxx 1.045"). Except for "historical" purposes, I now retire all of 
> these trucks.
> 
> 3) Silver Streak metal trucks: Original metal wheels 5, Reboxx 1.045" 12.
> 
> 4) Lindberg plastic sprung (famous for "free rolling"): original 
> plastic wheels 3, Reboxx 1.015 23!
> 
> 5) Kadee Bettendorf T: 15 original, 20 1.020 Reboxx.
> 
> 5) Central Valley metal sprung: 4 original, 14 1.020.
> 
> 6) Trans Canada plastic AAR: original 5, Reboxx 1.020 19.
> 
> 7) Similar spectacular improvements have occurred with a variety of 
> passenger trucks, most of them Central Valley, but also with the most 
> current Walthers.
> 
> IN any given truck, the above results may be only a guide, because 
> there can be such individual variability.
> 
> Placing tiny drops of oil in the journals has been a "no-no" since 
> Linn Westcott so decreed a generation ago. Well, although I think 
> that he was correct, and remains so in most instances in this regard, 
> I have on occasion had even more spectacular improvement at times 
> when oil is present.
> 
> I have now converted over 100 cars, and have been marketing to others 
> boxes of removed metal Kadee and Jay Bee wheel sets. The sheer 
> palpable improvement in rollability translates directly into the 
> increased ease with which any given locomotive can handle heavier or 
> long trains over your rolling and curving profiles.
> 
> Keep in mind that these wheels will help only in those trucks with 
> tapered journals. In trucks with straight journals, i.e. a lot of 
> brass, the only salvation currently are the ball bearinged wheels 
> from Intermountain and/or PSC. I am experimenting with experimental 
> coned bearing inserts in several of these trucks so that the standard 
> Reboxx wheels might be fitted. No results to report as yet, however.
> 
> Denny
> 
> If you are doubtful about the .088" wheel tread width, be reassured. 
> They will track repeatedly and faithfully through the most 
> complicated "dog's breakfast" variety of NMRA-standard trackwork 
> without a single hitch, and they have been doing so now for some 
> time.  And best of all, they simply look great (they make the common 
> .110" wheels that we have used for 75 years look "positively 
> porcine"- quoting Tony Thompson).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 

-- 
The only time we have had lasting peace is after a Military victory.
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