Plating steam locomotive drive wheels and tires

[graymatter]

Mark

Greenway has some drivers that might work. I tried to contact Greenway about a year ago but failed to reach anyone. That said I now know to ask if the drivers have solid nickel tires. 

[graymatter]

Thanks for all the input. I have gone full circle with this issue of plating.

Because of the expense I have decided to finish assembling the locomotive and run it!

One of the plate shop owners I called told me that it would be better if I had several guys that wanted their brass done. He could do a lot of brass for the $118 minium.

There is a caveat, he didnt know if the insulation between the wheel and the tire would survive.  He wants to strip off the remainng nickel and copper flash then nickel plate. 

The wheels I  have were never copper flashed. So this maybe why the nickel came off. 

Thomas

 

 

[hornblower]

Check out Micro Mark as they offer their "Plug N' Plate" nickel plating kit for $55.  Certainly cheaper than replacing your drivers with Greenway products - and you won't have to rework your frames to accomodate the larger axle bearings.   

[dknelson]

You might find that a steam locomotive model with freshly plated drivers has less traction than it did.  New brass steam, especially smaller steam such as 4-4-0s and the like, are almost worthless for hauling until the original plating has had a chance to wear away.

Dave Nelson

[PRR8259]

Why worry about lack of plating?  I do not understand.

I've operated many steamers that had brass showing on the drivers, and they ran just fine.

The plating is more cosmetic than necessary.  I've put countless hours on engines whose drivers were bare brass, though perhaps there sometimes can be a little more oxidation.

I use Conductalube, electrically conductive lubricant, from various suppliers, to keep my rails clean...

John

[richg1998]

This is a service I used some years ago. I actually lost the URL. Had to Google it.

I pulled the wheels on my Roundhouse steamer and sent them in.

http://www.sierrascalemodels.com/plating.htm

Rich

[emdmike]

Check the Greenway Products website for replacement steam locomotive drivers.  I also remember there was a place online that did replating of model train wheels and drivers without having to disassemble them.  But I cannot remember who it was.  A good indepth google search might turn something up.    Mike the Aspie

[graymatter]

Ed

I sure don't want to find out the insulator  can be damaged by the caustric solution. So maybe the 'solution' is to just dress up the side of the wheel with the silver salts or even paint. 

Thanks 

Thomas

[Mark R.]

graymatter

Mark

I checked NWSL website for the large drivers but I didnt see anything above 44 scale inches. Did I miss something?

Thanks

Thomas

 

Probably not .... I was working with diesel wheels.

Mark.

[graymatter]

Mark

I checked NWSL website for the large drivers but I didnt see anything above 44 scale inches. Did I miss something?

Thanks

Thomas

[graymatter]

Thanks Bernd

 

[SeeYou190]

I think our old friend Auric Goldfinger had some ideas on this topic.

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Maybe he will drop in again and share his experiences.

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-Kevin

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[Mark R.]

Those Caswell kits do a good job .... in appearance. That appearance is only a few microns thick and would wear through in a short period of time.

One option that I pursued with at one point was to have a local jeweller silver plate some wheels for me. I then discovered NWSL had the same same wheels in solid NS, so I never went any further with the silver plate idea.

Mark.

[gmpullman]

If you go the electroplating route you will certainly have to remove the insulated tires from the driver center or the insulated axle from the hub. I imagine the chemical bath would not be kind to the insulating materials.

In my former line of work I used "Cool Amp" silver plating powder on large copper electrical buss bars. This stuff mixes into a paste and will make a silver coating over copper, brass and bronze. I don't know how long it would last on a driver tread if you plan to run the locos but it would at least restore some of the appearance of nickel plating.

https://tinyurl.com/y2cuvgac

I have several brass locos that have worn their plating off the tire tread. I haven't noticed any detrimental operating characteristics. I just keep running them.

Good Luck, Ed

[Bernd]

graymatter

Hello 

I have several old steam locomotives that have the 'yellows.'

The metal plating on the tires (or tyres) has worn down to the brass.

The locos are vintage Varney,Bowser and Teshendo.

My questions are;

Is the plating used on brass wheels Nickel?

Has anyone bought a plating kit and re-plated the brass tire with nickel or someother metal?

If so did you first copper plate and then Nickel?

-called several plate shops and they have a minimum charge of $250 or more depending. They discouraged me form buying the kits because the are "dangerously corrosive." 

Caswell has plating kits. The cheapest being $187.

https://www.caswellplating.com/electroplating-anodizing/nickel-plating-kits/electroless-nickel-mini-kit-5-pint.html

Bernd

[graymatter]

Hello 

I have several old steam locomotives that have the 'yellows.'

The metal plating on the tires (or tyres) has worn down to the brass.

The locos are vintage Varney,Bowser and Teshendo.

My questions are;

Is the plating used on brass wheels Nickel?

Has anyone bought a plating kit and re-plated the brass tire with nickel or someother metal?

If so did you first copper plate and then Nickel?

-called several plate shops and they have a minimum charge of $250 or more depending. They discouraged me form buying the kits because the are "dangerously corrosive."