Model Power trucks - should I replace them?

[riogrande5761]

SBX

I have just come back to N SCale for the first time in8 years. Being initially tight of budget, I purchased a bunch of Model Power freight cars. I was surprised that they had plastic wheels and knuckle couplers that look odd to me - very cluncky.

My dealer here in the UK has the following for sale.

(1000-10) BETTENDORF TRUCKS WITH SHORT EXTENSION MOUNTED MAGNE-MATIC COUPLERS (10PR)

 

at $76 these are not cheap but are they a worthwhile change? 

Basically Model Power are cheap train set quality trains.  Likely you got those old Rapido style couplers with them - I liken them to the N scale version of the HO horn hook coupler.  They look clunky and unrealistic but they do work.  The plastic wheels are of probably less concern however.

My primary scale is HO although I was into N scale in the early to mid-1980's.  However, last year I started collecting some N scale equipment and one thing I have been avoiding is buying any N scale rolling stock with Rapido couplers. 

There has been a lot of N scale rolling stock produced in the last 20 or so years that with some effort, you can find plenty with Microtrains or compatible couplers and avoid the old clunky Rapido style.

My favorite brands are Trainworx and Wheels of Time, which didn't exist prior to 20 years ago, give or take.  They both make excellent N scale rolling stock.  Microtrains is a long standing high quality N scale maker so they are right up there too and I highly recommend them.  Another favorite maker in N is Intermountain.  Athearn now makes N, and Red Caboose is another maker.

Atlas has always made good quality rolling stock so look to them for especially Engines, and also freight cars.  Their newer freight cars are better than the old ones.

In general, you get what you pay for.  If you find older N scale trains, they are more likey to have Rapdio couplers so beware.

If budget is tight, you can still find good prices on N scale freight cars with Microtrains compatible couplers.  I've found freight cars in the $10-15 dollar price range including Microtrains.  

[Marc_Magnus]

 

Definitively like HO counterpart use only metal wheels set as far as possible.

MT is the best N scale coupler even if some aren't happy with some "dancing effect" in reverse due of couplers spring action.

All the other clones of MT offered after the patends fall down, are copy which have the color......but don't work well as MT coupler for numerous reasons; further some mate with difficultlies with MT couplers.

Anyway the standarsisation and the use of only one kind of couplers on a layout is better.

I use them since they exist on my N scale layout.

You must notice too on some very difficult or tricky place to put them, the MT Z scale coupler is usable and they mate perfectly with the N scale MT coupler; they are also more to the scale.

On the opening page of the MR site is a free article from Lance Mideheim who explain Z scale coupler conversion in N scale

[rrinker]

 N scale seems more tolerant of plastic wheels, although I'm not sure why - getting a little extra weight down low surely would help the cars track better. Seems a step back, too - I was last in N scale about 40 years ago, and I certainly wasn't buying expensive rolling stock on a lawn cutting budget - yet many of my cars came with metal wheels, including brands that are still around today and often come with plastic wheels. Seems backwards to me, especially as HO has more and more factory equipped metal wheels, and ever since the Kadee patents ran out, everything has knuckle couplers. Some better than others - but I switch everything to genuine Kadee because they are still the best. Some of the newer knockoffs are all metal and work well, but they are no cheaper than Kadee so why bother?

                                      --Randy

 

[BigDaddy]

Not an Nscale guy, in the US they are $48 at modetrainstuff.com.  Don't know if they ship across the pond.

[SBX]

I have just come back to N SCale for the first time in8 years. Being initially tight of budget, I purchased a bunch of Model Power freight cars. I was surprised that they had plastic wheels and knuckle couplers that look odd to me - very cluncky.

My dealer here in the UK has the following for sale.

(1000-10) BETTENDORF TRUCKS WITH SHORT EXTENSION MOUNTED MAGNE-MATIC COUPLERS (10PR)

 

at $76 these are not cheap but are they a worthwhile change?