Ok so which are good and which are not so good keep in mind I am building a switching layout so reliability of equipment is paramount
I I have only ever used kadee couplers, used to be #5 but started to change to #58, wheel wise I like athearn ones. Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191 using Tapatalk 2
Whether couplers are compatible or not, I feel it is wise to use just one make, especially for switching, and Kadee is the 'industry standard' so to speak. Like Matt, I prefer the nearer scale appearance of #58, but cannot get them for my European plug in type as they are #5 size. Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2
We have had real good luck with KD Metal drawbar type couplers. We have a very strict tolerance for coupler heights. With the train lengths, weights and grades here the plastic drawbar couplers did not fair very well, had a couple of "slip buys" that resulted in the cars taking off back down the grade. Nothing went to the floor, but since the metal drawbar rule, it has not happened again. Reeboxx makes very good wheels too, You can buy them in different lengths to fit different trucks, with 1.025", 1.030", and 1.035" lengths fitting most trucks, they come in all the common diameters. They also sell a little machine cutting tool you can turn with you fingers, to clean or prepare the truck journals. A little work and those cars will roll so freely, almost like they have a set of bearings them. I would also agree, that these new RTR cars, almost all of them, have good metal wheels under them. I dont change them unless there is a failure. Regards,
As far as couplers go, one word only: Kadee. The "ol' reliable" number 5 is a solid performer, but I also have been using number 58s (more scale-size) on my rolling stock without any trpuble. Whatever you get in HO, if it has MCHenrys, remove them & toss these plastic wannabes into the trash. They won't hold up as well as Kadees will. There is a push among some folks for Sergents couplers, which look nice, but cost more than Kadees. As far as metal wheelsets, I have retrofitted some of my rolling stock with Reboxx wheelsets, and they look & perform well. However, my later purchases have been Proto2000 metal wheelsets. I've slowly been replacing all of my pastic wheels for metal ones to reduce the possibility of crud buildup.
Proto 2000 wheels used to be really good, but past few years, the quality has been hit or miss. I stick with intermountain which are cheaper here. As for couplers. I run what they came with and replace them when they break with KD #5s. Old kits get #5s.
I have used kadee wheels/trucks in the past, had no real issues with them, I cleaned the blackening off to give a nice shiny tread. But I prefer the more scale wheel sets now. Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191 using Tapatalk 2
IIRC you used to polish the treads in the lathe. Looked superb, especially on cars where the trucks are close to end.
They do look very good - but if I'm not mistaken (always a possibility) they are not compatible with other brands.
I did this about 20 years ago. At the time, a majority of the locomotivse had very poor running qualities, not like today, plus the availability of roadnames were really limited. twenty years later, I am glad because the old eyeballs aren't as good as they were years ago, plus I enjoy custom painting and detailing locomotives and scratchbuilding structures. It is a lot easier in HO scale, plus the availability of suplies seems to be a lot better in HO scale. I had a fairly large N scale layout with about 16 scale miles of mainline. It hurt to rip it all out at the time, but I do not regret it today.
One observation I have found is there is so many models etc to purchase, pretty much anything u want is available. Received my first Gp38-2 and the detail is amazing, just waiting on my powercab to fire it up and hear the sound
ok here is my first venture into DCC and sound [video=youtube;xmSKIPU1Ffw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmSKIPU1Ffw[/video]
I need to work out a track plan for my layout, one that look s that good would be great but I feel I may never do one, it will be more make it up as I go! Looks a very nice layout design, I will check out the video when i get home the works fun filter will not allow it...
