Replacement Metal Wheelsets...What to use? Kadee, Proto 2000, Intermountain?

[michealfarley]

This thread was posted twice, I assume by accident. Maybe we should standadize?

Micheal Farley
Fargo, ND

[orsonroy]

If you're on a budget, or have a lot of cars to convert, I'd suggest Life Like's wheelsets. I've converted my 650+ roster with LL wheels, and they work great. I've been using both 33" and 36" wheelsets, depending on my needs.

Some people will tell you to go with Reboxx or Jay Bee wheelsets, because they sell them in different axle lengths to fit different manufacturer's trucks, which aren't all made the same. I've found it's cheaper and easier to standardize on a single wheelset supplier and find trucks that they work in. The LL axles like Athearn, Roundhouse, Walthers, Accurail and (obviously) Life Like trucks. It's easier for me to pitch a truck that they don't like, instead of stocking 37 different lengths of axles. Getting a "Tool" from Micro Mark will help LL wheelsets fit into questionable trucks too.

[Roadtrp]

Are 33" or 36" wheels the "standard" for N Scale?

Thanks [:)]

[Anonymous]

I have the IMs 36"for my passengers and very happy with them in part because of their greater roll. I believe the IMs 33" are also all metal and therefore heavier than the KDs.

[AggroJones]

Go with the Intermountain. If all the cars are the NMRA weight, their shouldn't be much problem with unwanted rolling.

[mondotrains]

Hi Folks,
I recently began replacing plastic wheels with Kadee metal wheelsets. I had just cleaned my track with an expensive track cleaning car I bought from Ton'ys Train Exchange. I've noticed that the brown coating on the Kadee wheels is dirtying my track. It was suggested that I remove the brown coating from the Kadee wheels with a wire brush in a Dremel but now I've noticed that the track is coated with a gray material which I can only assume is the zinc coming from the Kadee wheels...zinc is a fairly soft metal and it must be rubbing off the wheels when running on the harder nickel-silver track.
In speaking to a few other guys, they've suggested that I scrap Kadee wheels and go for the Intermountain wheels which are brass with nickel-silver plating. The claim is that they will NOT dirty the track like Kadees. The only problem I can see with the Intermountain wheels is that they are so "slick" that if there are any areas on my track that are not perfectly level, the cars will roll.

I can get the Intermountain wheels in large volume for the same cost as the Kadee's, so cost is not an issue.

Any comments or suggestions?