I have a number of tank cars I believe were made by Walthers. The trucks on the car snap into a large hole in the frame.
Does anyone know how to install better trucks like Kadee or others?
Thanks,
Dean
First, I'd get the trucks that I wanted to use, and then figure a way to mount them. Sometimes I go for the brute approach and just use a #8 or a #10 sheet metal screw. LIONS were never known to be subtle.
Id necessary, you could fill the existing hole in the farbosy, and then drill out whatever the truck required. But start with the truck you want to use otherwise how could we tell you to use it. I suspect that it will come with instructions and a template.
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SouthPenn I have a number of tank cars I believe were made by Walthers. The trucks on the car snap into a large hole in the frame. Does anyone know how to install better trucks like Kadee or others? Thanks, Dean
I would like to see a picture, but I don't think they were made by Walthers.
I've been at this since 1968, and worked in this business for over a decade, don't remember anything from Walthers with snap in trucks.
That sounds more like old Consolidated Foods era TYCO stuff. Or possibly several other 70's era imported train set lines.
Sheldon
ATLANTIC CENTRALThat sounds more like old Consolidated Foods era TYCO stuff. Or possibly several other 70's era imported train set lines.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
ATLANTIC CENTRAL That sounds more like old Consolidated Foods era TYCO stuff. Or possibly several other 70's era imported train set lines. Did some Life-Like cars have a similar system?? Anyhow a link to George Paine’s fix… https://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/194011.aspx …which I’ve used, to great success. Cheers, the Bear.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL That sounds more like old Consolidated Foods era TYCO stuff. Or possibly several other 70's era imported train set lines.
YES! Life Like had thosesnap in trucks!.
That was old VARNEY tooling they sent to Hong Kong which was retooled to make cheap train sets.....
SouthPennI have a number of tank cars I believe were made by Walthers. The trucks on the car snap into a large hole in the frame. Does anyone know how to install better trucks like Kadee or others?
I agree with Sheldon. If those cars have clip-in trucks, like these...
...then they're more likely to be Tyco, rather than Walthers.
It is possible to modify them a bit, if buying better ones is currently beyond your budget.
I cut off the clip-in portion, then use styrene rod to plug the holes. It's difficult to cement it in place, as the truck is made from engineering plastic, so I use rod slightly bigger than the holes in the trucks, coating it generously with solvent-type cement to soften the surface of the rod, then force it into the holes.Once the plastic rod re-hardens,the excess is trimmed off...
With the styrene now part of the truck, I can cement another piece of styrene to it...
...but because the hole in which the clip-in truck was mounted is too large, I use either more styrene rod to plug it or a piece of styrene tubing...
If rod is used, it needs to be drilled and tapped to allow the modified truck to be re-mounted, using 2-56 screws. (if tubing is used it should be of a size also suited to the 2-56 screws, and similarily tapped.)
Once the modified trucks are have been re-installed on the car, simply tighten the screws as you would any similar (or better) truck, eliminating excess rocking of the car...
With a little bit of weathering, those el-cheapo trucks can be made to look more than passable...
Wayne
I just looked at a new in the box Walthers Trainline tank car, delivered by UPS this morning. It has the pathetic plastic snap-in plug to hold the trucks to the frame.
Thanks for all your suggestions.
SouthPenn I just looked at a new in the box Walthers Trainline tank car, delivered by UPS this morning. It has the pathetic plastic snap-in plug to hold the trucks to the frame. Thanks for all your suggestions.
One step forward, two steps backwards.
Since none of us seem to be familiar with this product, a photo or two would be helpfull.
Is the clip made onto the truck, or is it a seperate part?
I for one don't have ANY Walthers TrainLine rolling stock to look at.
And I have to ask, if it works correctly, is it really an issue? On what is a budget priced entry level piece of rolling stock?
Seriously?!?!?
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
Accurail uses the snap in plug and I think it is a perfectly fine system. I've found the inexpensive plastic trucks to be far more reliable than the metal ones. A couple weeks ago I had one boxcar in a train that kept derailing going through turnouts. I pulled it out of the train and found it was one of the high end cars with lots of fine detail on the underframe and metal trucks with working springs. All the other cars in the train were either mid-range RTR or Accurail kits. I am very unimpresssed with fine detail on the underside that I can't even see when a car is rolling. I was less impressed with the metal trucks that kept derailing. I checked the wheels to make sure they were in gauge, then tried replacing them with my standard Kadee 33" wheels. Nothing worked. I have come to the conclusion that 15 minutes is the most I'm going to tinker with a freight car to get it to work. I replaced the entire underside with an inexpensive plastic one including plastic trucks. I had to file down the edges to get it to fit the boxcar shell but now I have a reliable working car. The underframe with all that exquisite detail that I can't see and the metal trucks went right into the trash and I have vowed never to buy another high end freight car. I'm not sure why I bought this one. What good is all that fine detail if the car won't stay on the track. I've never had problems like that with any of my Accurail cars.
It is ussually not the truck but the wheels that are the proublem. You can tune the truck and put in good wheels. Example are the Ertl cars, they are well done but bad paint schemes and bad wheels (they are early Tichy stuff). I replaced a set of trucks on one fiquring that was the way to go, wrong and it was a pain, but new wheels and they are fine, didn't even have to tune them.
I have a Walthers Trainline caboose that I bought new, and the trucks are screwed down.
I also have a set of Walthers Mainline passenger cars that I bought new, and the trucks are screwed down.
I have never seen any rolling stock from Walthers with push pins or "clip-ons".
Rich
Alton Junction
The Walthers instructions look like it is the ''push in pin/plug/stud'' type. It does look something like the ''old'' Accurail type ''bolster pin/plug/stud". I just looked at some Accurail yellow box and white box NIB cars, some have the plastic bolster pin/plug/stud and some have screws for the truck bolster and coupler cover. So I would try a 2-56 brass screw to upgrade the Walthers TrainlineTank car bolster plug/stud/pin. That would be my first thought.
Do not use steel screws to secure the trucks in place if you are using between the rail uncoupling magnets. Steel axles are not so good either.
John-NYBW Accurail uses the snap in plug and I think it is a perfectly fine system. I've found the inexpensive plastic trucks to be far more reliable than the metal ones. A couple weeks ago I had one boxcar in a train that kept derailing going through turnouts. I pulled it out of the train and found it was one of the high end cars with lots of fine detail on the underframe and metal trucks with working springs. All the other cars in the train were either mid-range RTR or Accurail kits. I am very unimpresssed with fine detail on the underside that I can't even see when a car is rolling. I was less impressed with the metal trucks that kept derailing. I checked the wheels to make sure they were in gauge, then tried replacing them with my standard Kadee 33" wheels. Nothing worked. I have come to the conclusion that 15 minutes is the most I'm going to tinker with a freight car to get it to work. I replaced the entire underside with an inexpensive plastic one including plastic trucks. I had to file down the edges to get it to fit the boxcar shell but now I have a reliable working car. The underframe with all that exquisite detail that I can't see and the metal trucks went right into the trash and I have vowed never to buy another high end freight car. I'm not sure why I bought this one. What good is all that fine detail if the car won't stay on the track. I've never had problems like that with any of my Accurail cars.
I have about 800 freight cars with those metal sprung trucks, I don't have any derailment issues? In fact, I go out of my way to install them on nearly all my freight cars.
While there are various ones I use, most are Kadee trucks re-fitted with Intermountain wheelsets.
Didn't Walthers by Life-Like? That would explain having some rolling stock with plugs and others with screws.
I bought some Intermountain wheelsets. I am installing them in my rolling stock as needed. If the car works fine, don't fix it.
I have sworn off the metal trucks. They are nice but they short the track out in a derailment. They are being replaced as needed too.
SouthPenn Didn't Walthers by Life-Like? That would explain having some rolling stock with plugs and others with screws. I bought some Intermountain wheelsets. I am installing them in my rolling stock as needed. If the car works fine, don't fix it. I have sworn off the metal trucks. They are nice but they short the track out in a derailment. They are being replaced as needed too.
Derailment? What is that?
DigitalGriffin SouthPenn Didn't Walthers by Life-Like? That would explain having some rolling stock with plugs and others with screws. I bought some Intermountain wheelsets. I am installing them in my rolling stock as needed. If the car works fine, don't fix it. I have sworn off the metal trucks. They are nice but they short the track out in a derailment. They are being replaced as needed too. Walthers bought LL about 17 years ago. (Give or take) You think they would have retooled by now.
Walthers bought LL about 17 years ago. (Give or take) You think they would have retooled by now.
Being very familiar with those old LifeLike/Varney products, I can tell you none of the Walthers Trainline products in question are old LifeLike tooling.