Ribbed / Smooth back wheels

[Anonymous]

What wheels are appropiate for which era and what type of rolling-stock. I am modelling 1940-50 and logging. What are the ribs for, surely they don't add that much strength to the castings.

[thirdrail1]

Ribbed back wheels would still have been common in your era. Wheels are no longer cast, they are now forged. I believe the ribs were to dissipate stresses so the wheel would not crack.

[Anonymous]

The ribbs increased the surface area of the wheel to dissipate heat generated during braking. Cast wheels were less tolerant of excess heat than forged wheels.