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[quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by HighIron2003ar The ribbed back actually is a outlawed technology on prototype roads as of the late 30's. The wheels have to be turned so many times before they are unsafe to be used (sorta like brake rotors) eventually they get scrapped. The ribbed material on the backs supposedly assist in cooling during long braking. Lee [/quote] The December 2003 issue of MR had a guide to freight car trucks. The ribbed back wheels were made of cast iron with a steel tread welded to the wheels. The ribs were used for cooling the wheels, as Lee stated. Modern freight car wheels have either a 1W or 2W rating. The 1W is scrapped after the tread has reached the limit of wear. The 2W have a thicker tread which can be reshaped and returned to service. Obviously, the 2W wheels are more expensive, but they pay for themselves because it's cheaper to reshape the tread than to buy a whole new wheel.
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