Back to back wheel gauge

[dwbeckett]

I am in need of back to back wheel gauge, Who makes the most correctly gauged wheels I have MDC,B-mann USA Trains and Aristo Engins and cars to use as a guide to make my own. I just don't know who is right or as close to right as can be, so I can make my own. I use all Aristocraft stainless steel track And I know some cars are binding on curves and thur switchs.

PS I HAVE DONE A SEARCH ON WHEEL GAUGES AFTER 12 PAGES I STOPED LOOKING

Thanks Dave

[Greg Elmassian]

 At the risk of making you crazier, please look at this page, scroll down until you see the Kadee coupler height gauge picture, then where it says wheels:

 (from my site, where I was evaluating the Aristo gauge)

The back to back can be set properly on almost every brand of rolling stock wheels. This is NOT true for most locos!

Aristo track can have a wide variation in gauge, look on my page for more info.

http://www.elmassian.com/trains-mainmenu-27/track-mainmenu-93/track-and-wheel-standards-mainmenu-95

Oh, who makes the most correctly gauged wheels? AML.... usually spot on. Aristo and USAT always undergauge... don't EVEN ask about Bachmann.

Wheels: 

Wheel back to back maximum (Aristo out of spec (too wide) for existing NMRA standards, just meets G1MRA max)

• 1.755" Kadee gauge (Note: there are 2 notches, this is the measurement of the notches, when used to set an old Aristo "split axle" wheelset, it set the back to back at 1.587", EXTREMELY dependent on flange contour)
• 1.594" Aristo gauge actual (Ted Doskaris measured 1.595")
• 1.594" G1MRA Standard (Note target is 1.574")
• 1.582" S-4.2 standard (standard 1:20.3 ) (Note target is 1.580")
• 1.576 NMRA target
• 1.574" S-4.3 standard (Hi-Rail) (Note target is 1.576")
• 1.574" S-4.2 standard (Standard LS) (Note target is 1.576")

Wheel back to back minimum (Aristo too wide/restrictive in all cases, the true allowable minimums are smaller)

• 1.591" Kadee gauge (Note: there are 2 notches, this is the measurement of the notches, when used to set an old Aristo "split axle" wheelset, it set the back to back at 1.587", EXTREMELY dependent on flange contour)
• 1.578" S-4.3 standard (Hi-Rail) (Note target is 1.576")
• 1.578" S-4.2 standard (Standard LS) (Note target is 1.576")
• 1.576 NMRA target
• 1.575" Aristo gauge actual
• 1.574" G1MRA Standard (Note target is 1.574")
• 1.567" S-4.2 standard (Standard 1:20.3) (Note target is 1.580")

 

Regards, Greg

[dwbeckett]

So far I've been able to determine that most whell set's on my car's that operate well are set 39mm to 41mm back to back so I made 2 guage's 1 from 2 3/4" blocks glued together 39mm and the other from a plastic speader wraped with duct tape. Now if some one would be so kind as to give me the correct mesurements I can confiditly reset my wheels.

Dave 

[dwbeckett]

Thank's Greg, I should have just sent you a PM, I did find mm to inch convershion chart and with the info you provied I now have  a tool that cost me $0.00 and will last till I misplace them.

Dave  

[Jerry Barnes]

 SVRR has a nice metal wheel/track gauge.

[kstrong]

I am in need of back to back wheel gauge, Who makes the most correctly gauged wheels I have MDC,B-mann USA Trains and Aristo Engins and cars to use as a guide to make my own. I just don't know who is right or as close to right as can be, so I can make my own. I use all Aristocraft stainless steel track And I know some cars are binding on curves and thur switchs.

The long-accepted standard for back-to-back spacing of large scale wheels is 1.575". The NMRA recently adopted this standard, and G1MRA has been using it for decades. (G1MRA is technically 1.574, but in this scale, .001" is negligible.) If your wheels have thicker flanges (.090" or larger), then you can narrow the back-to-back a bit to around 1.560 and still be okay. 

How close the manufacturers come to this number straight out of the gate varies not only on manufacturer, but model (and sometimes which axle you're looking at!) But history has demonstrated that if you're able to adjust the back-to-back spacing, you're not going to go wrong using 1.575 as a gold standard.

Later,

K

[dwbeckett]

Thanks for all the replys so something in range of 40 to 41 mm will work just fine .

Dave

[dwbeckett]

dwbeckett

Thanks for all the replys so something in range of 40 to 41 mm will work just fine .

Dave

UPDATE, I used my back to back gauges yesterday with some good results. I corrected 3 of four Aristo steel cars with the old split-axels lubed them for the first time ( where used as shilf queens ) WOW did they become some good performers IT WAS WELL WORTH THE TIME AND EFFORT TO REGUAGE AND LUBE. I ran them thorugh a pair upgraded 10W switchs without any problems. I also noted that since I upgraded my switchs the do perform better. one of these day I will have that prefect railroad.......

Dave 

[Greg Elmassian]

 I have a small inner loop that is about 20 feet across, all 10' diameter, and several switches.

 When I started I could only run about a 6 car train without derailing.

I gauged all of my rolling stock (which was typically undergauge)

Now I can run a 45 car train for hours on that track that is so long that the caboose is only about a foot ahead of the loco!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7Uc45xkNcc

 

Regards, Greg

 

[dwbeckett]

Neat vidio, I am going to try a 4-F3,24 cars and 1-caboose train latter today. ( I need to cut the grass first ) That will be the longest train ever for me. The bad sad part is I will need to remove some cars when when I done because that section is only 45ft long and with all four F3's the train is 46.5 ft. Vidio hopefully to follow..........And if this works I may add my 17-MDC hoppers to the end of the train

PS I did run a 3 F3 and10 passenger car train the other day before I lubed and adjusted the heavywhight cars on a shorter passing siding. 

Dave