Try doing a couple of cars with wheels only. Metal wheelsets of course. See how they do and if ok then finish the rest. Make sure you pick up a truck tuner while you're at it.
Springfield PA
IHC metal wheelsets fit right in - if you cna fidn them still. They are the right size - RR and IHC cars have undersized wheels, if you use the correct size for scale, the couplers will be way too high and the car will look like it's riding too high. Correct scale-size wheels will also catch on the detailing on the trucks.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Kadee 36" passenger car wheels work well on Rivarossi cars, although you'll need to trim or bend the brakeshoe castings so that they clear the larger-diameter wheels. For couplers, Kadee makes conversion kits specifically for these cars, which takes care of the height issue and also gives you some adjustment of the distance between coupled cars. You could also opt for body-mounted couplers, shimmed to the correct height using sheet styrene.
This converted Rivarossi diner uses a Kadee conversion kit for the coupler on the baggage end of the car, and a body-mounted #5 on the passenger end, which is usually the end of the train.
Wayne
I ran into this very problem back in the 60's when the Rivarossi cars were about the only decent cars available, problem was they had 28" diameter wheels.
I tried replacing them with 36" standard passenger car wheels but as been pointed out they rubbed so I tried 33" freight car wheels and they fit perfectly.
Also, the 3" scale smaller wheels really don't show up once they're installed and if you use a wheel such as Intermountain you can always light them later. I think Atlas wheelsets also have metal axles as well.
Mark
I can tell you that using the IHC metal wheels in their trucks will make the cars run smoother but they can't even come close to a better quality car like Spectrum's, Athearn, Rapido, BLI etc. I posted a comment recently how I was testing a newly laid section on the layout and ran a Rivarossi/IHC passenger car with metal wheels. It got to one section and It had a problem I inspected it and the only thing I saw was maybe the rail joiner may have been too high but that was repaired and still a little hiccup at that point. Took out a Spectrum car and it sailed through the entire section without a problem tried it again with a couple of Rapido's and finally a brass car.all ran flawlessly. So yes metal wheels will improve their performance don't expect too much.
Raised on the Erie Lackawanna Mainline- Supt. of the Black River Transfer & Terminal R.R.
Well, for one thing the newer Rivarossi doesn't have the huge flanges like the older stuff did and although I have a few of the 60' footers I don't recall for sure but I think they already have the correct size wheels on them. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, they always do............;-)
I am perfect, once I thought I made a mistake, but I was wrong!
I'm in the process of changing mine. I'm using Intermountain 33". They run great and the couplers are the correct height and you don't have to bend the brake shoes. As mentioned though get a truck tuner just in case they are a little tight. These are also good wheel sets if you want to add lighting. I've put a couple of lighted drum heads on the back of the observation cars. Sweet! Don't replace the trucks, way too expensive.
AustraliaJim I'm in the process of changing mine. I'm using Intermountain 33". They run great and the couplers are the correct height and you don't have to bend the brake shoes. As mentioned though get a truck tuner just in case they are a little tight. These are also good wheel sets if you want to add lighting. I've put a couple of lighted drum heads on the back of the observation cars. Sweet! Don't replace the trucks, way too expensive.
I used the IM 33" too so I didn't have to mess with the brake shoes. P2K wheels have too short an axle and tend to fall out. I used the KD 505 truck mounted couplers and was real happy with them.
The very old Rivarossi trucks were made of soft plastic and metal axels will in time cut a slot in the side frame and the side frame will drag on the rail head. I think these had all plastic wheel sets with Pizza cutter flanges.
Agree with Ned. My 30-plus year old RR all need new trucks. I put KD 33s on them when new and they ran well. Now, after too many storage episodes without climate control, no so.
They either become scenery units or get new third party trucks.
Don't the new 60' "shorty's" as you called them already have 36" metal wheelsets on them?
If so, why change them?
If not, I would thnk the same thing applies here as it would on the older cars except these already have 36" wheels in them,,,,,,,,
My 2 cents .....
To convert a Rivarossi standard length car for reliable operation do the following.
Replace trucks. (Central Valley, IHC premium, Tenshodo, or other good quality make). Make a new pivot point for trucks while checking for proper car height.
Install decent diaphragms if you like.
Install body mounted couplers on car body. Use long shank couplers and mount them far enough inside car for realistic close coupling. Make sure coupler height is correct.
Add weight to NMRA specifications. .
Operate full length cars on at least 30" radius curves.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
On an old RR car I have I used the 36" K-D wheels but I removed the brake shoes and shaved down the raised bolster nub flush with the top of the truck frame......I also glued round tube inside the car bolsters and tapped for a 2-56 screw to hold the trucks on the car.
Dennis Blank Jr.
CEO,COO,CFO,CMO,Bossman,Slavedriver,Engineer,Trackforeman,Grunt. Birdsboro & Reading Railroad
OK..........That makes more sense. Personally I'd suggest the Walthers trucks, they're free rolling, look good, and if you check their monthly flyer they usually have them on some sort of a sale. As a matter of fact they have several in this months flyer.
I have a "pile" of the old Hallmark MKT passenger cars, also known as "sleds" with those junk trucks they came with. I sold the trucks on Ebay, I couldn't beleive it myself, amd purchased the correct amount of Walthers trucks to replace them. I've already finished a few of them and the difference is amazing!!! They actually "roll"!!!! And roll nicely as well.
So my sugestion would be to check out their sale flyer each month to see what they have, the price is right and they are nice looking trucks as well.
Hope that has helped some.............Mark
Are these the passanger car replacement thrucks? I saw several sets of those at the hobby shop. I need to change my trucks and couplers on all my passange cars as I want to run Kadee's.
If you have some of the old AHM/Rivarossi cars, you can replace the trucks with Central Valley 6-wheel passenger trucks, but you will need to make a new offset mount for them, since the CV trucks have offset mounting pivot holes (the centered holes on these trucks are threaded for their "Snap-On" kingpins). Not a difficult project, but a bit annoying. Here's a diner I just finished, with CV trucks:
If you have the truck frames from the car, you can just drop Kadee 36" wheelsets into the existing frames. I have never had any clearance problems doing this, and they are the smoothest and free-est running cars on the layout.
---
Gary M. Collins gmcrailgNOSPAM@gmail.com
===================================
"Common Sense, Ain't!" -- G. M. Collins
http://fhn.site90.net
Nice job on your diner, gmcrail.
While the Central Valley 6-wheel trucks work well under the Rivarossi cars, they're few and far between around here, commanding prices in excess of $20.00/per pair in some instances.
I have some of their 4-wheel passenger trucks on hand and they work well under shorter or lightweight cars. Below is a shortened Athearn Pullman, converted to a wooden express car, riding on CV 4-wheel trucks:
While I've run some fairly long express trains, most are only four or five cars long, so I don't worry too much about rolling qualities as long as they track well. The cars below are among several older Athearn coaches and Pullmans which I converted to baggage cars. They retain their original Athearn metal trucks and wheels, and have rolling properties similar to that of a brick.
I've installed P2K wheel sets on my Rivarossi streamliners over the years and have had no problems with them.
In fact, after I filled the floor pockets with BB gun pellets, secured them with Elmer's glue, then installed the P2K wheels, the rolling qualities of the cars instantly became incredibly smoooooooooth and free rolling!
Only catch now is that I want to install lighting in 4 of my "Rivs", so I'm going to have to get metal axle sets with one side insulated. But that's long term, after I finish metalizing all of my Walthers corrugated streamlined cars first.
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
A belated thanks, Mark for the info. concerning 60' shorties. Any other recommendations are appreciated if you've replaced trucks/wheelsets on them. I also would like to know how to spot the 60' versions on ebay listings. Part # or descriptions to look for. Thanks.
doctorwayne Nice job on your diner, gmcrail. While the Central Valley 6-wheel trucks work well under the Rivarossi cars, they're few and far between around here, commanding prices in excess of $20.00/per pair in some instances. Wayne
Thanks, Wayne! Coming from you, that's high praise, indeed! Your passenger cars always turn me some interesting shades of green.
I happened to get a bunch of the CV 6-wheelers "back in the day" (like 40 years ago!), when they weren't so pricey, intending to put them on some Walthers wood/metal cars. Still have 4-5 cars around that I haven't built yet....
Just replace the wheels with Intermountain metal wheels and be done with it.
Rich
Alton Junction
The so-called "shorty" Rivarossi / Walthers cars (they're all correct length models of cars that were 60' long in real life) came with metal wheels from the start AFAIK. They roll quite well and probably don't need to be replaced. The older Rivarossi cars had plastic wheels until maybe the mid/late 1990's when they started coming with metal wheels. KIM too that the recent IHC cars are not the same as the old AHM / Rivarossi passenger cars.
LOL
"I am perfect, once I thought I made a mistake, but I was wrong!"
You a Navy Man? That was one of our sayings. Flawed logic tho...
Not to hijack the thread...... I have all Kadee couplers on frieght cars but as I don't switch many passenger cars around I am happy with hornhooks. Dummy knuckel on tail and Kadee on front head end, 2 kadees in the middle when I do park a passenger train as I don't have 10 foot parking spaces :D
Not to hijack the thread...... I have all Kadee couplers on freight cars but as I don't switch many passenger cars around I am happy with hornhooks. Dummy knuckle on tail and Kadee on front head end, 2 Kadee's in the middle when I do park a passenger train as I don't have 10 foot parking spaces :D