Who out there owns Walthers Budd cars?

[Anonymous]

Hey, I have a few of the Walthers Budd cars and I've had problems (of various and assorted types) with them in the past, but I modified them to perfect performance. Who else has had problems, what were they, and how did you rectify them? I'm just curious to see what others have done. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

I have five in UP name with light bars and six in Amtrak with IM ball bearing wheel sets.
The IMs are 100% metal that preclude me from using
the bars since electrical contact is thru both of the stock wheels that has a plastic axle.
Since I have only 22" radius I converted to the KD
#26 longer shank.
This prevents the diaphragms from rubbing together
on the curves(less of a de-railment problem on 22") I also had to shave one rung off the dinner ladder since it was rubbing on a curved switch.

I use two Walthers F40PHs Amtrak SeriesIV
or either an Atlas Amtrak Dash 8-32BWH Series IV.

The UP is a bit of a dilemma. I bot the Rivarossi
Challenger to go with the UP cars since this
excursion train still runs today but the traction
tires would not stay on. ( See my Post"A Trainworld Return and Surprise).
Until Lifelike's new E8/9 comes out later in December I will use their F3 A & B as a substitute
which are fast units in UP road name.
In a comparison test I ran the A-B pulling the Amtrak(IM wheels) and then the UP with stock wheels(lighs on and adjusted for the additional voltage draw) and my Amtrak(IM) was 14% faster.

I enjoy the lights better than the 14% increase in
speed(free rolling) but that's the learning experience.

The instruction sheet that came with the cars recommended oiling the axles but now according to
Walthers, that's wrong.
Please share your operating experiences.

Chuck
[e-mail]

[Anonymous]

I've had similar problems with the diaphragms, but I ended up just taking out the springs, because they were awfully tight and derailed the cars on curves. I haven't tried lighting the cars but I hear that the Walthers kit lighting is pretty cool. Oh yea, I primarily model Amtrak throughout a 1990's era period. These cars were a blessing for those Heritage Fleet trains! Thanks for sharing!

Joe
Atlanta,GA

[Anonymous]

Hi Joe,
I got the light kits from Trainworld at $8.00 bucks a piece. Three bulbs in the bar and NO Flickering obviously because of the dual wheel pick-up.

I had the old Rivorssi cars and still have the Athearn 70' with single lights and flicker-flicker-flicker.

I can mail via US Mail you the install sheet if you wish.
There's one small catch, inside car tabs are pushed down to make contact with the bar.
Don't put the roof back on until you see light.

I will probably get the Kato business car when it comes out next month since Walthers hasn't offered
one as yet.

[Anonymous]

I bought a Budd baggage car for my Amtrak consist, and had a lot of problems with it jumping off the track, especially at frogs going through turnouts. My first thought was maybe it was my track, but I run Walthers MHC and Superliners with no problems. My NMRA gague showed that all four axles were too wide. I wrote Walthers and they said to exchange it, which I did. My new one seems to work much better.

[cbq9911a]

I've got a lot of the Walthers Budd cars. The gauge on all of them is consistently 0.01" too narrow, and the couplers are 0.01" too high. I put a Kadee fibre washer between the wheel and axle to correct the gauge, and shimmed the couplers 0.01" to lower them.

[Anonymous]

Interesting tip on the axles. Thanks.