WALTHERS BUDD CARS - Evaluation

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SILVERCHAMPION

I have the Kato business car and it roll down the train ok for me but the coupler is too high for my IHC cars.

I too have the Kato business and it's stock roll is far superior than my stock budds so I didn't have to upgrade.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the info on the Walthers cars. To me paying $35 to $50.00 per car is alot of money when you use 7 to 8 cars on a train. I have the Kato business car and it roll down the train ok for me but the coupler is too high for my IHC cars.

[Anonymous]

I too have tried Don's KD graphite procedure besides Conducta lube & cleaner by Aero Locomotive works, LaGrange Illinois.
This lube is recommended for enhancing all electrical contact areas such as motor brushes &, commutators, wheel & chassis sliding wipers and axle bearing contact points..
Comes witha neat needle point applicator, just flip the car , point & shoot the lube while rotating my new upgraded IM all metal sets.(This negates the lighting system) This is a very thin lube that actually conducts electricity.

How long does it last between applications, don't know but the is the easiest method for this old fart.
I have great IM momentun(no lights) even w/o the lube but do pick up an occasional squeals.

http://www.aerocarlubricants.com/trains/index.htm

[AntonioFP45]

Hello Robert,

The Moly grease I'm referring to can be found in electronics stores. According to a good friend of mine one of the components is "crushed graphite" so it lubricates and conducts electricity without making a mess. He also shared with me that technicians often use it to lubricate the moving parts of record album turntables (like the type used by professional DJs).

For the Walther's trucks all that is needed is a dab that will fit on of a toothpick.

10-4![:D]

[bogp40]

Don,t use a moly grease from Auto parts stores unless your lubing metal to metal. I don't believe they are plastic compatible. I have been tempted to use engine assy lubes and cam lube. I feel safer using the hobby brands like Labelle. The only place I recommend any grease would be for gears and worms(Labelle 106 w/ teflon). A moly grease might be appealing to use but rotating axles/ journals lubed will have a tendancy to gunk up with all kinds of road dust, lint ,scenery, etc. I have had very good luck with lubing Central Valley truck axles with graphite.
Bob K.

[rexhea]

QUOTE: Originally posted by fiverings

I suspect many modelers think the Walthers couplers are too high because the actuating trip pins are higher off the rails than are Kadees. Walthers may have used shorter trip pins to help eliminate them as a source of derailmants--but I have yet to test them to see how reliably they uncouple.

It is true that the trip pins are shorter and higher and they do give the illusion that the coupler is too high. No, they don't uncouple very well if at all.

I will tell it again as in other threads that some of the Budd car's couplers do not match the NMRA Gauge and must be dealt with by replacing with the proper type KD coupler or by forming the pickup contacts on the bottom of the car upward to relieve the pressure from the trucks letting the car sit lower. Also, the EZ-Mate couplers supplied on some cars do not fit the coupler box very well and have a tendacy to lean down. This can also through you off thinking that the coupler and box is too low. All observations were made with an NMRA gauge, not with a loco of any brand. I don't even own an Athern.

Again, just take it car by car and see if anything needs to be done. Yours may need nothing. Mine did. Usually simple replacement of the couplers is all that needs to be done.

Walthers has done an excellent job designing the Budd cars. These little problems are simple and easy to overcome and shouldn't prevent anyone from purchasing these beautiful passenger cars.


REX

[Don Gibson]

LUBRICATION:

REMEMBER the sayings : "location, location, location"... and "too much of a good thing" ... ?

If graphite spills out on the track, It can be wiped up with a rag. If it is picked up on wheels (along with dirt etc.) it comes off with the dirt.... but Unlike oil, it doesn't 'attract' it..

I use ALL lubricant's sparingly.

In the case of Graphite, it's elecrical properties make it desirable for the WALTHERS cars - since Walthers cars have insulated axles.

[Anonymous]

I've only got one of these cars as yet (A Pullman 6-6-4 Sleeper), and I've found that Kadee #5s are a straight swap, resulting in the correct coupler height. I did think about using graphite in the bearings but considering the tendency of this stuff to get everywhere I used some "Vaseline" petroleum jelly - this seems to work ok, I've noticed a drop in rolling resistance, no squeaks or groans, and the lighting kit works well (these are definitely worth buying, very easy to fit and an even glow at scale speeds). All in all, these are excellent cars and good value for the money - over here they're priced about the same as Fleischmann (German) passenger cars, and the quality is roughly equal in my opinion.

[Anonymous]

I suspect many modelers think the Walthers couplers are too high because the actuating trip pins are higher off the rails than are Kadees. Walthers may have used shorter trip pins to help eliminate them as a source of derailmants--but I have yet to test them to see how reliably they uncouple.

As a solution to the coupler height mismatch problem, I would suggest raising the couplers on the Athearn equipment (by using a Kadee or Kadee-compatible coupler with an offset shank) rather than lowering a Walthers coupler that specs out at the industry-standard height.

[AntonioFP45]

Thanks Cacole!

Happy Hobo Trains in Tampa sells it, so perhaps it may be available at shops in your town. A friend of mine gets his from Electronics dealers.

Cheers!

[cacole]

I think the product is called Molybdenum, a by-product of lead mines. It is basically lead that did not solidify. More commonly called simply Moly. I don't know if you can still get it, but I used to use a motor oil sold under the brand name of Auto Moly. According to my dictionary, Molybdenum is a hard, heavy, silver-white, metallic element having properties similar to tungsten, used in electrical equipment and hard steel alloys. I've never seen it in any hobby shops, though. Based on the dictionary definition, it should be a good product to use as a conductive lubricant.

[AntonioFP45]

Great job, Don.

This is another one of your posts that I'm printing up and using as reference! You should have a column in MRR! [4:-)][tup]

Re: Graphite. I thought about using it but a friend of mine used graphite before and stated that when it smeared on top of his rails he had a hard time removing it.

He's trying a lubricating product called (sic) "Mulidamin" which is commonly sold in hobby shops under another name (Molly magic something?). It supposedly lubricates and conducts electricity at the same time since one of the ingredients is crushed graphite. [;)]

Cheers and Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Nice job!
This recommendation should be added to every text in Model Railrailroading Course 100, 01 & 02.

Boy, you must have some high profitable passenger runs to have all those cars

[Don Gibson]

CHECKING OUT BUDD PASSENGER CARS.
:
COMPLAINTS:
1. Couplers are "too high" and don't mate with Athearn.
2. Out of Gauge wheels.
3. "Drag" or 'poor rolling' .

FINDINGS: Out of 21 cars:
1. 20 had correct NMRA coupler height.
2. 3 cars had out of gauge wheels
3. All cars: had poor rolling from friction from the metal axles and metal journals, for lighting. .

CORRECTIONS:
1. All (ecept 1)matchNMRA specs. Athearn' engines don't.
One car was had one end.higher. Trading trucks on the car brought it to correction - both ends.
2. see below.
3. Use of 'Graphite' increased rolling without losing opportunities for lighting. (Regauge any wheels while out of trucks).

COMMENT; may I recommend KD #47, #37, or #27 with offset's for your Athrearn equipment? NMRA specifications are only RECOMMENDED. Some maufacturer's prefer to use their own.