At our scale, and I would like to know, is it important that wheels on automobiles, trucks and other scenery vehicles have they wheels capable of turning or rotating? For instance, I know that some N scale "cast" vehicles have fixed wheels and there is nothing on them capable of moving or rotating. Ben
Depends on who the layout is for..........you or the kids. For an "adult" model railroad, there's no reason the wheels need to turn, and in most cases the scenery is not designed to stand up to actual vehicle traffic. On the other hand if the layout is built for children to "play" on, they would probably appreciate rolling wheels and the scenery is designed with children in mind. On the third hand, I don't glue my vehicles down, so they do move around the layout, so having a tractor/loader/dump truck with moving parts ( but not wheels) can be handy to have so I can pose the vehicle at a different spot on the layout. At times having rolling wheels can actually be a detriment if you try to park a vehicle on a slope.....I have some grain trucks that roll right down the ramp if I try to park them at my grain elevator.
Ben, I guess it depends on the modeling goal. So far, Loren seems to be the only person I've seen to take advantage of rolling vehicles. Of course if you're looking at a product design that incorporates rotatable wheels (like snap-in wheeled axials) I wouldn't complain. Mark
Mark, While my vehicles on the highway do move on down the road, the wheels do not rotate. Z is just about too small for moving wheels. Not that is isn't able to be done, and may have been, but I don't think we are talking critical on this subject. Physics just gets in the way all too often when we go tiny. Glowing headlights and taillights in stationary vehicles...now that is about as good as it gets. I"ll bet some day if we live long enough we will see someone make very tiny motors that will accomplish the desired effects. Not holding my breath on this idea though.
I model HO scale and I don't see the need for turning wheels...nor for any scale. As mentioned above, may actually be a negative point. I have glued some axles to insure that there's not any unplanned rolling.
I have not seen any small-scale vehicles that were not compromised in appearance by rotating wheels (some quite badly, in fact). I honestly don't know what gets into the minds of manufacturers that insist on making them turn--I sometimes think they forget that they're not making toys for the toy market, but instead models for the model market. And for those altogether rare instances where turning wheels are important (such as moving vehicle effects), I believe it should be up to the modeler to make it happen: if they have the wherewithal to make them turn, then they'll also be able to make them look good doing it. That said, Loren has shown they don't need to turn even for moving vehicle effects.
Good points David.......now if I could just get the horns to honk and the wind shield wipers to move..........then we'd be talking 'outrageous'
Hello guys! By my side i already built some cars with working wheels and opening doors and hood, but those cars were unique, i built them for Jürg. Not easy to make them in big quantity. I must confess that a few days ago i take one of my resin car (a Lamborghini) and manage to make the wheels running, i have to make a hole in the wheels with a tiny drill (0,5 mm diameter) and it was not easy because the wheels are not perfectly round and you must drill exactly in the center. But the car is working, but i make it for fun and i don't think that it is really necessary to have working wheels on Z cars. Maybe for some trucks or pickups it more easy because we have more space between the wheel and the body of the car for the wheel turning without touching it. That's my point of view. Greetings Álvaro
Álvaro, your Cars are still the best in the world in our Scale! Be sure you will find your Cars in Rosetown later this Year and to answer the Question, I think it's not necessary that the wheels can turn. Take care Amigo!
I know how some excellent quality wheels could be made and I know the two guys who could do it. First David Smith would have to make some excellent tiny wheels on his lathe and then make molds of them and then I could cast them in any sort of metal you choose. Gold, silver, bronze, technique metal. you name your poison... Then I had another thought....shall we go for a working trans axle and universal joint? )
excellent for z scale cars wheels are the landing gear of herpa or dragon airplane line in 1/400 scale. Today I made my first test on a z scale car made by marklin. I'll do other tests with the magnet, in order to create a guide to movings car and truck. Alessandro
