Should I replace plastic wheels

I have just started with g scale and I have bought rolling stock from various sources.
 
The new Bachmann trucks/coaches all have metal wheels. The new Pico have not. Also I bought several LGB on Ebay and they dont' have metal wheels.
 
I read on a forum that plastic wheels make the track harder to clean. should I start replacing my plastic wheels with metal wheels? Is it worth the cost?
 
Thanks,
 
Dave

I never used to bother, but since I re-built my railway I've banned the use of plastic wheels. Believe me (as someone who was sceptical for many years) it makes a MASSIVE difference.
 
Got yet another 8 axles worth of Bachmanns from Telford yesterday.

yb281


I never used to bother, but since I re-built my railway I've banned the use of plastic wheels. Believe me (as someone who was sceptical for many years) it makes a MASSIVE difference.
 
Got yet another 8 axles worth of Bachmanns from Telford yesterday.

Grateful if you could tell me the name of this supplier.
 
Kind regards,
 
Dave

Hi Dave
 
YES! they are much much better - Bachmann wheels are £11.00 for 4 Steve at Back2bay6 has some they are a standard price. Don't forget there are 2 sizes.  Youcan get spoked versions but they are mich more expensive - have a look at the Brandbright site for instance.

Use the old ones for a flatcar load  - heres a photo
 

 
 

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definatly worth doing, best to try and do every bit off rolling stock as u buy it, i tend to buy a coach, buy the wheels then the lights then the figures, ecvt beefore i move on to the next item on me wish list..save buying 40 sets off wheels in one go!!

davecar

yb281


I never used to bother, but since I re-built my railway I've banned the use of plastic wheels. Believe me (as someone who was sceptical for many years) it makes a MASSIVE difference.
 
Got yet another 8 axles worth of Bachmanns from Telford yesterday.

Grateful if you could tell me the name of this supplier.
 
Kind regards,
 
Dave

As Peter says, Steve at Back2Bay6 sells the Bachmann wheels at a very competitive price (that's who I got mine off yesterday). Same goes for Jeremy at Dragon G Scale too (guess where I got the previous 8 axles from?) .

I was amazed at the difference it makes to everything.  Clean track, better movement through points, better weight on the actual wagons/coaches - but mostly - CLEAN TRACK ;-)

I totally agree with the other posters.

My initial experience with plastic wheels was to cause some grief.  So all plastic wheels were replaced with metal ones -from various suppliers and differing makes.  I t depended on what was available and an advantageous price at the time.

Discarded plastic wheels are suitable as yard junk and also flat car loads (as per Peters pic).  My inital purchases of rolling stock was the Bachmann Big Hauler range and whilst I have sold a couple of their freight cars some are slowly being made into line side features, sheds etc.,  as this is far cheaper than buying some ready made items.   Big Hauler stock does not command high second hand prices (well, it shouldn't as it is cheap enough in the first instance) so you can have a  cheap structure and spare sets of wheels quite easily. 

And use the new wheels as a delivery load to stores
 
 

 
 
Before using them as replacements

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They also produce a satisfying noise effect !!

I use Accucraft  AZ6  30mm for my freight sock

£4 per two axles from Trackshack IOMan

I glue steel washers on to make them look better.

 

I le the steel rust naturally look well run well

he axles are long a they are designed for narrowguage, so will fit aristo and can be cut down for lgb

pete

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Metal wheel help to keep the track clean and lower the centre of cravity of wagons which helps prevent delrailments. I find it depressing that LGB and Aristo-Craft still fit plastic whels as standard to most of their rolling stock, when it would not cost them much more to use metal.

Totally agree and with everyone else. I don't know why manufacturers think plastic wheels are good enough. Just to add insult to injury I'm not sure that the wheels on the Aristo 53 foot box cars can be replaced with standard metal wheels, it looks like you have to use Aristo ones. My experience with two Aristo 53 footers and their plastic wheels compard to the metal wheeled USAT 50 footers means that I wil not be in a hurry to buy any more plastic wheeled stock at all, especially if it can't easily be convertedl.

davecar


I have just started with g scale and I have bought rolling stock from various sources. 
 
I read on a forum that plastic wheels make the track harder to clean. should I start replacing my plastic wheels with metal wheels? Is it worth the cost?  
Thanks,
 
Dave

Absolutely NOT worth the money in my book.
 
Save your money and spend it on track or trains. If you're just starting out it's more important to have trains running than feeling good because you have metal wheels.
I only have plastic. Never noticed dirty track when I ran track power (but now it's all battery)
 
All the 'benefits' mentioned by all other respondents really are marginal or cosmetic. The main thing is to run trains. You say you have some metal wheels, so do your own experiments as time goes on.
 
If you do decide to convert, send me all your plastic ones please

Sorry Greg, couldn't disagree with you more! ;-)

I didn't think metal wheels could make such a difference over plastic ones, but I proved it to myself.

I don't have a huge stable of stock, so the investment i made in changing to metal was relatively small.  But, if you're running track power, I'd really recommend metal wheels.

If you're on battery power it may be a different matter, but metal will still add weight, and make the stock roll better - sounds better too.  That I agree is subjective, but on track power, there really is a HUGE difference.

gregh

davecar


I have just started with g scale and I have bought rolling stock from various sources. 
 
I read on a forum that plastic wheels make the track harder to clean. should I start replacing my plastic wheels with metal wheels? Is it worth the cost?  
Thanks,
 
Dave

Absolutely NOT worth the money in my book.
 
Save your money and spend it on track or trains. If you're just starting out it's more important to have trains running than feeling good because you have metal wheels.
I only have plastic. Never noticed dirty track when I ran track power (but now it's all battery)
 
All the 'benefits' mentioned by all other respondents really are marginal or cosmetic. The main thing is to run trains. You say you have some metal wheels, so do your own experiments as time goes on.
 
If you do decide to convert, send me all your plastic ones please

Well Gregg thats a bold statment!! and if you run only battery and no track power then it makes absolute sense! heck you could run wooden wheels if you wanted too but for us poor souls who need lecktrickery running through the rails then with the same absolutness? we need to run metal wheels for all the reasons stated prevously, for me it 'aint coz it looks cool or makes me "feel good".............................Paul...............
 
Beat me to it Martin........................

gregh

All the 'benefits' mentioned by all other respondents really are marginal or cosmetic.

Sorry Greg, but for someone running with track power the benefits are certainly not marginal - as far as keeping the track clean is concerned (as I've proved to myself) and niether are they cosmetic - they are emminantley practical.
 
Of course, as pointed out by Martin and Paul, it don't matter a jot if you're running with battery power.

Please Sir, please Sir! Or steam only, Sir!
 

One minor point that seems to have been overlooked is that metal wheels also give better rail joint sounds. Plastic sound quite dull in comparison.
 

peterbunce


Hi Dave
 
YES! they are much much better - Bachmann wheels are £11.00 for 4 Steve at Back2bay6 has some they are a standard price. Don't forget there are 2 sizes.  Youcan get spoked versions but they are mich more expensive - have a look at the Brandbright site for instance.

Use the old ones for a flatcar load  - heres a photo
 

 
 

hi mate..i was gobsmacked about yr flatload tht i got the same..lol,....do u want see my photo of scatchbuilt mate?.......it good idea to use plastic wheels to been paint up in rusty colour and put on the flat car load or put in layout with junkyard....clever way

 

bobg


One minor point that seems to have been overlooked is that metal wheels also give better rail joint sounds. Plastic sound quite dull in comparison.
 

Except in post #11 Bob .