Installing LGB Container Wagon Wheel Set Control Kit

[phils2um]

I finally got around to installing the LGB 67900 Conversion Kit for Wheel Set Control, Pic 1, today. I found out the hard way that it is a lot easier than the very limited instructions might lead you to believe. I spent well over an hour making a drilling jig to install the kit's bellcranks. I've got quite a few wagons to convert so I figured this would speed things up. Pic 2 of a finished installation shows why making a jig was a total waste of time. I only learned this after remounting the couplers when the kit had been installed. The bellcranks pretty much butt up against the coupler mounts when correctly installed.

All the rest of my wagons were converted in about 10 minutes each after what I learned and no disassembly is required. I held the bellcrank in position butted up against the coupler mount. There are guides molded on the bellcranks that locate them laterally so they are easily positioned. See pic 3. I carefully marked the spot for drilling on the truck with an awl using the bellcrank mounting slot as a guide. The hole needs to be toward the outside part of the slot due to the design of the truck. You do want to leave some room for adjustment though. You'll see what I mean if you decide to install this kit. I drilled the mounting screw hole using a 1/16" drill in a pin vise. A 1.8 mm drill is recommended in the instructions but 1/16" works fine. I then put the bellcrank assembly together off the wagon and installed it as a unit. I used the empty chuck of pin vice as a "driver" to put the wire retaining clips on wire ends. Pic 4 is a closeup of the installed bellcrank.

Pic 1 Pic 2 Pic 3 Pic 4

 

[idlemarvel]

Useful info. To pander to my curiosity what do they actually do to handle uneven track and why are RhB 2 axle container wagons the only ones affected?

 

[phils2um]

The Wheel Set Control aids in turning the trucks in unison when going around curves and straightening them out again on straights. It is especially helpful for long wheelbase two axle wagons. In Pic 2 of my original post you can get some idea what I'm talking about. Both trucks are uniformly turned in the picture. The turning action reduces drag in curves and realigns the wheels on straights. The following pics show how LGB achieved the same on their long wheelbase two axle passenger wagons.



The jig I wasted my time on can be seen just above the instruction sheet in the lower right.

 

[Monty]

Thanks Phil, perfect timing, have just purchased a pack of these but haven't been game to start the process of installation. Your post has made my day, many thanks. Monty

 

[idlemarvel]

The Wheel Set Control aids in turning the trucks in unison when going around curves and straightening them out again on straights. It is especially helpful for long wheelbase two axle wagons. In Pic 2 of my original post you can get some idea what I'm talking about. Both trucks are uniformly turned in the picture. The turning action reduces drag in curves and realigns the wheels on straights. The following pics show how LGB achieved the same on their long wheelbase two axle passenger wagons.

View attachment 261406 View attachment 261407 View attachment 261408

The jig I wasted my time on can be seen just above the instruction sheet in the lower right.

Thanks Phil S. I get it about aligning the trucks into and out of curves, especially R1 I guess, and I can see how this would be useful in fixing that problem. A design failing on LGB's part not to include this as standard I think. I suppose with other long wheelbase vehicles they can hide the passenger wagon mechanism shown in your pictures under the flat bed, but with a container wagon with no container on board that might look a bit silly. Not sure what that has to do with "running smoothly on uneven track" which is what LGB advertise these to fix, though. Uneven to me means does not mean going round bends, but that may just be my interpretation or a translation thing. Anyway griping aside I now see what they are for, thanks to your explanation, and if you're happy I'm happy.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

This kit/mod was made to help long cars on tight curves. That works ok. It creates a theoretical new issue, on long trains, pulling on the couplers would put side pressure on the wheels as the pulling tries to straighten them.

I say theoretical because it's highly doubtful that someone with very sharp curves is trying to run long trains too, i.e. long enough that the pulling force on the couplers would be that great to cause the issue.

(This is why in the real world couplers are connected to the body, not the trucks)

Greg

 

[Fred Mills]

….and I just finished "Fixing" the wheels on a pair of LGB bobber cabeese, so that their wheels will not move...solving another problem where they were not tracking properly....(Cabeese is supposedly the plural of Caboose, in some peoples' minds !!)

 

[Greg Elmassian]

I would think that the "steering mechanism" needs to be coupled on both ends of the car to work well, could that be the issue with the cabeese?

What issue were you having?

Greg

 

[Fred Mills]

The person who owns the bobber cabooses wanted body mounted couplers, so the wheels being free to swivel didn't make any sense without the pull on the coupler to keep them somewhat in line. Besides, being the last car on the train, it only had a pull on one end.
I haven't heard of any problems, so it must be working fine. The curves they are being run on, are more than 4' radius. The cabooses are rather short wheel based cars. BTW...the Bachmann bobber caboose has about the same wheel base, and its wheels don't swivel...they seem to work fine.

 

[dunnyrail]

Wow at over £100 for 10 vehicles I wonder what sort of wire is used and I wonder if a home made bodge would work? I could see a small length if plasticard and some spring wire may just do the trick. Hm...........

 

[PhilP]

Well, for centring swivelling axles, a single stiff plastic 'bristle' from a yard-broom is all that is required..

 

[phils2um]

Tracking is not really an issue as long as the wagons are being pulled. The tension on the truck mounted couplings naturally causes the wheels of both trucks to align properly. However, when being pushed, swivelling, single axle trucks naturally want to mis-align to the track. A derailment while pushing is less likely as long as the speed is slow. Turnouts can cause problems though. Wheel flanges can split the tongue or catch the wrong side of the frog despite the check rail when the wheels not aligned to the rails. The wheel control kit helps eliminate the problem when pushing the wagons.

Yes, the kit (which fixes 10 wagons) isn't cheap, I got mine for just under $100. And, after seeing what the kit consists of, something similar could be fabricated without too much difficulty. But, this comes down to ease and effort much akin to the rail insulator discussion (fabricate or purchase) few months ago.

 

[David K]

There is an equally effective and cheaper alternative to the LGB kit. Bernd Betz provides a range of coupling rods to suit all types of LGB wagons. I've fitted Set 5 to my LGB container and gondola wagons. They perform very well. By the way Bernd had offered this solution long before Marklin/LGB brought their offering to market. Full details in English can be found at: at Coupling rod – Technical garden rail accessories

 

[phils2um]

David, thanks for the info on Bernd Betz but I could not get the link you provided to work (or maybe his server is slow). Could you provide the actual url?

 

[phils2um]

But, this comes down to ease and effort much akin to the rail insulator discussion (fabricate or purchase) few months ago.

I should have said ease, effort, and how you get your model RR jollies. If you enjoy this kind of tinkering, have at it!

 

[idlemarvel]

David, thanks for the info on Bernd Betz but I could not get the link you provided to work (or maybe his server is slow). Could you provide the actual url?

I get Internal Server Error from his site. You can google it bernd betz garden rail which temptingly describes the site but you get the same result.

 

[David K]

David, thanks for the info on Bernd Betz but I could not get the link you provided to work (or maybe his server is slow). Could you provide the actual url?

Hi Phil, the url is Coupling rod – Technical garden rail accessories (it changed to plain text when I posted it last night!).

His website is www.ib-bb.de, you can choose German or English, and you'll find the rods under Produkte - Kupplestange/Coupling Rods. The price list is under downloads - the rod for the container wagon is €6, i.e. a 40% saving per wagon. Also you can purchase any quantity you require. Hope this helps

David

p.s. watching Storm Ciara pass and thankfully my layout has survived. Hope all is well with you.

 

[idlemarvel]

They look the business and not just for container cars either. Would be useful to align couplings for automatic or manual uncoupling.

 

[idlemarvel]

FYI I have ordered a few of the coupling sets from Bernd Betz, sets #6, #7 and #8. Postage is only €6.50 and he takes paypal. I recently bought a new LGB item, RhB baggage car 41841, which unlike other 2 axle long wheelbase vans I have acquired recently, does not have any mechanism for aligning the wheels round curves. This one is 210mm wheelbase. I'll update this when I receive them.

 

[phils2um]

I'll update this when I receive them.

Yes, please do let us know. I've also got a baggage wagon similar to the 41841 and would like to know what you think of the mod.