Well as some of you might know I am just getting started in N-Scale after being in HO all my life. I have decided that since I am starting new I am going to do everything right and upgrade things as I go. I am curious about the best trucks and wheel-sets. I will be going with mostly good quality rolling stock such as Atlas, Deluxe, Red Caboose, and MTL. How are the stock trucks on these? Also I am using Atlas Code 55 track and want some good quality wheels with low flanges and free rolling. Which company makes the best wheel-sets to replace the stock ones? I would like to be universal with my decision so everything looks and performs perfect and uniformly.
I use the stock trucks and replace the wheelsets with fox valley brand as they come in several different axle lengths to fit the various trucks. many of my cars have been converted to body mount couplers, more will follow. At this point i'm considering switching to Z scale couplers as they are closer to scale. I'm installing them on a few cars now for evaluation. There should be several threads already on this forum discussing these topics. try some searching and good luck what ever you decide! have fun!:tb-cool:
yeah I've read several in relation to couplers but haven't seen to many recent ones on wheel-sets. I also was thinking about doing Z-scale couplers but I'm not sure they would stand up to my demands. The layout is going to feature a 40'+ 3% grade and 20-30 car trains.
On deciding whether to use Z scale couplers, all you need to do is convert one end each on two cars so that the z is pulling on another z. Then test it out out with a heavily weighted car on a test track or on someone else's layout. Bet you'll find out they will work. I can't personally address the wheel/truck question, but if now or in the future you'll be considering block occupancy detection, then the fox valley wheels would be the way to go, with at least 1 axle on each end of the car.
I think we had this kind of discussion some days ago here. Sometime the title of a thread might be misleading. In my personal opinion there is no _THE_ truck-wheel combination. Micro Trains is always a good choice , BUT for Atlas code55 you have to use low profile wheels instead of the normal "Pizza-Cutters" (= high flange wheels). Fox Valley (FVM) Metal Wheels are great, but they do have their price. The newer Atlas trucks with Accumates, as used in their new 40' box cars (the USRA and ARA types) are also good looking and running well, no need to change them. When I first built my Intermountain car kits, I used the original trucks plus body mounted couplers, which worked fine, but now I am converting the gradually to MTL trucks with truck mounted couplers for the sake of uniformity. Just a personal choice. But as I said before, this is my opinion and others might disagree. The best will be that YOU make some tests, and find out which solution you like best. Collecting different opinions before helps but cannot substitute your tests.
Fox Valley Models wheelsets! I'm a huge fan of Fox Valley Models wheels. There's nothing that compares to the prototypical look of their wheels. Definitely worth the cost.
Definitely Fox Valley wheels, they look more prototypical than any other wheels made in N scale and run well on what ever track you have, code 55, 80, Unitrack, home layout, Ntrak, as long as its laid properly. No wheels, fine scale or pizza cutter, will make up for bad track. I'm slowly converting to Z scale MT couplers, I haven't tested them much on grades but run 50 or so car trains on the Ntrak layout with no problems.
I use different MT trucks depending on the car. For wheel sets, Four years ago I switched to metal wheel sets using Atlas metal wheels. I never had any problems with the Atlas metal wheel sets. When FVM metal wheel sets came out, all new cars received the FVM metal wheel sets. FVM has three different axle lengths depending on the truck manufacturer. MT trucks use one specific length FVM axle. Atlas, Bachmann and Intermountain are all different. That's why I like to change to MT trucks if at all possible. I discussed metal wheel sets in one of the articles in my new website below.Also discussed is the MT Z scale #905 coupler. Have fun with metal wheelsets.....
You will find out sooner or later that with every product; be it wheels, couplers, trucks, locomotives, rolling stock, track, or anything else in this hobby that there are trade offs between price, availability, appearance, and just about everything else. There is nothing wrong with running original manufacturer's wheelsets and trucks on code 80 track. That is as basic as you can get. But every change you make will cost $. Code 55 track, $, Low profile wheels $, FOX Valley wheels $, MTL trucks/couplers $, Z scale couplers $. Pick your level of involvement.
FVM wheels are now a bit over twice the cost of MT low profile wheels. You'll need one or the other to replace the stock wheels on the MT cars, since you're running on Atlas code 55. Same with other brands that may come with MT equipment. (e.g. Red Caboose). I add another vote for FVM myself. Otherwise, especially with Atlas, I think you should wait and see what you think. Costs can be saved by keeping OEM equipment, although some flanges may have issues with certain track spots, and there's something to be said for standardizing on wheels to make solving track problems simpler.
All those dollars don't have to be spent at once though, most of the above can be done over time. NIevo, if you're just starting in N scale practically all US equipment made today has wheels that run on code 55 track, except Micro Trains cars. The Accumate couplers that come with Atlas's and others cars have improved in quality enough to be used until you get around to changing them. Z scale MT couplers will couple to their N scale cousins and Accumates so you don't have to do your whole fleet at once. If you are just starting off in N scale and will be using Atlas code 55 the only extra dollars you will have to spend right off the bat is low profile wheels for you MTL cars.
