Metal Wheels Questions: USA Trains R2093 vs LGB 67419

[Tripoli]

I’m playing around with operating outdoors for the first time, and all my LGB cars have plastic wheels. I’m having to clean the track daily to keep up with the gunk. I’m interested in upgrading everything to metal wheels, but I can’t decide what to get.

I like that USA Trains have an option for blackened wheels. Seems more realistic to me. But what what I can tell online, they’re about 2mm smaller in diameter than the LGB wheels. I’m running all LGB stock and track. Is these any reason the USA Trains wheels wouldn’t work or would cause issues, or should I just stick with LGB?

 

[Fred Mills]

Save yourself a bit of money....look for the Bachmann LARGE size metal wheels...living in the USofA, they should be readily available, and are good replacements, for most LGB, USTrains, and Aristocraft wheels. They are blackened, at no extra cost.
Bachmann Item # 92421 31.0mm

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Well, you might check if you want prototype wheel diameter.

31mm ~= 36 inches in 1:29, about 30" in LGB gummi scale.

What scale are you modelling? The LGB wheels are huge if you are running 1:29 rolling stock, but right for passenger cars.

The Bachmann wheels are cheap (in cost and quality)... normally good enough, but not near the quality level of USAT or even Aristo.

Would be interested to hear what you are running, European or American, and what scale / locos.

Greg

 

[Tripoli]

What scale are you modelling? The LGB wheels are huge if you are running 1:29 rolling stock, but right for passenger cars.

Would be interested to hear what you are running, European or American, and what scale / locos.

Greg

Pretty sure mine are all 1:22.5. It’s all LGB from the 80s and 90s, mostly American cars, with mostly German locomotives for now. Some freight and passenger. Kinda working on a set to resemble the Durango & Silverton trains, have a couple of the yellow D&RGW cars and such and an old Mogul locomotive and sorta fits the look.

 

[dunnyrail]

Bachman wheels are a perfect replacement for LGB wheels and as said should be easily obtained in your neck of the woods. As you have said that you are using LGB STOCK Bachman Wheels and if you can face the cost and shiny rims LGB metal are what you need. Other makes in my experience and I have bought other makes when in USA give a disappointing running experience and can be of smaller sizes.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Halfway down this page there is a chart with the wheel diameters of commonly available wheels:

Wheels & Trucks

Greg Elmassian web site on large scale trains and garden railroads, cigars, and computers

elmassian.com

 

[Gizzy]

I've also used the Bachmann wheels on LGB wagons. Sometimes they are branded as Lilliput.

They are around half the cost of LGB wheels....

 

[Tripoli]

Halfway down this page there is a chart with the wheel diameters of commonly available wheels:

Wheels & Trucks

Greg Elmassian web site on large scale trains and garden railroads, cigars, and computers

elmassian.com

Yeah, I came across that (very useful) page before posting. He didn’t seem to address the difference in ride height between LGB and USAT, and if that causes any issues, or looks too small on LGB narrow gauge cars, though I do think most of my LGB cars sit too high on their factory plastic wheels.

Right now, it looks like I can get USAT for $12.99 per pair, Bachmann for $18.99, and LGB for $20.99, making the USA Trains ones sound like a great option. It’s just that smaller diameter I don’t know if I should be concerned about or not. I’m wary of the quality of Bachmann, as I’ve read wobbling is a common problem.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

I did not mention anything about "ride height" because you said:

It’s all LGB from the 80s and 90s, mostly American cars, with mostly German locomotives for now. Some freight and passenger. Kinda working on a set to resemble the Durango & Silverton trains, have a couple of the yellow D&RGW cars and such and an old Mogul locomotive and sorta fits the look.

(by the way "he" is me if you are referring to my web page, that is my web site, about 750 pages of information)

Scale and coupler heights are addressed on other pages..

Many many locomotives ride too high, especially diesels, where extra clearance for the trucks to swivel on our non-prototype curves is needed, so they simply put more space between the chassis and the trucks. This is also often true on rolling stock.

"Looking too small" is another giant conversation... you will find all scales out there, and "looking right" together when scales are mixed is a completely subjective matter, to some, they can mix 1:22.5 and 1:24 and 1:20.3 and it looks fine... to others it is a glaring disparity. You will have to make up your own mind.

If you are wanting to stick to a narrow gauge look, then some of the Bachmann locos will be appropriate, and they too vary in scale.

Greg

 

[Tripoli]

(by the way "he" is me if you are referring to my web page, that is my web site, about 750 pages of information)

Heh, nice! My powers of observation failed me, and I had not put that together yet. I started looking around there a few weeks ago, and it’s some of the best info I’ve found, which I’m sure doesn’t surprise you. I’m still quite the amateur at this, but I’ve been at it off and on for 37 years (since I was 3). Trying to breathe some life into these old beauties, and so far really enjoying taking them outside.

So, suffice to say that functionally speaking, you don’t think that the USAT wheels will cause me any trouble? It’s a $150 difference in price for the quantity I’m wanting, and I just can’t make myself love the bright stainless look of the LGBs.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

They are quite a bit smaller.

One way is to get all the dimensions of your axles right now, and verify the overall axle length is similar, and the axle tip diameters are similar, and then look at the trucks and see if the smaller diameters would cause issues (normally it does not, but sometimes brake shoes drag)

Or you could order one set and check it out on one car.

I'd be happy to measure overall axle length and tip diameters this weekend for you on the USAT axles... maybe I should extend my table on the site.

Greg

 

[JimmyB]

and then look at the trucks and see if the smaller diameters would cause issues (normally it does not, but sometimes brake shoes drag)

Greg

On a couple of my Bachmann JS carriages I have replaced the wheels with Bachmann 31mm wheels, and found the brake shoes need to be thinned otherwise they catch, so a wise precaution.

 

[PhilP]

By altering the ride-height of your stock, there is the potential for there to be a problem with the coupling between the loco and first piece of stock..

Perhaps to the point of causing stock to uncouple? - Though I believe this to be rare.

Greg,
Any comment?

PhilP.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Well, if you are converting a lot of cars, and you change wheel diameter, you need to be prepared for adapting coupler height.

But if you are going to mix different brands, you are ALREADY there ha ha!

Get the rolling stock the way you want, and then figure out your coupler details, i.e. best thing is to standardize on a coupler and a height.

Here in the USA, we normally go back to Kadee.

Greg

 

[Tripoli]

Couplers are a whole different conversation, I know. I’m still stuck in the hook & loop days, and indoors have already had issues with uncoupling when the track around my tree goes up onto the rug. Double hooks seems to solve that, if I’m desperate.

 

[Tripoli]

Perhaps also worth my consideration: It occurred to me I could play it safe with the LGB wheels, and to get the look I want, I could blacken them. A little searching suggests this is not unheard of.

 

[JimmyB]

Birchwood casey do a Steel Black, worth a try on the LGB wheels.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

What is birchwood casey? (Note the OP is in the USA like me)

Greg

 

[Tripoli]

What is birchwood casey? (Note the OP is in the USA like me)

Greg

I’d assume these guys: https://www.birchwoodtechnologies.com/

Not sure which is the right product. I don’t know if the LGB wheels are just stainless, or if they have a coating of some sort.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

blackening wheels is often as simple as a black sharpie / felt marker. Does ok...

How many locos and cars are we talking here? If the scope of the project is not huge, then the difference in price would be negligible overall