xl_special

I building some 1/32nd scale passenger cars. I'm able to get everything except the trucks (I don't need the wheels). If you have any for sale, let me know. Thanks

Yes, I removed the sliders. I've had no trouble with electrical pickup just using the wipers on the inside face of the wheels. I think it depends on how dirty or clean your track is (and mine is always dirty). As far as for tracking thru a turnout, there are some turnouts where the outside edge of the oversize flange, actually carries the weight of the locomotive thru the frog. I'm not really too familiar with all the manufactures and how their turnouts are designed. I use Gary Raymond metal wheels on all my rolling stock. They have a flange detail that is almost exactly like NWSL. From the looks of the picture above, it appears you are using Nickel Silver .250, is it MicroEngineering? I'd say the least expensive way to find out, is to order a set of scale wheels, install them on a piece of rolling stock and see how the scale flange tracks thru your turnouts. If you already have replaced the stock wheels on your rolling stock, and they don't derail all over the place, you should have no trouble with the locomotives. Good Luck PS. 2 really nice CNW units. I've kitbashed some Aristo Evans boxcars to 1/32nd scale.Would you like me to post a picture of them?

I've attached a picture of one of my freight engines with the NWSL wheel conversion. If you have any fears about reaming out the NWSL wheels to .3235 inside dia. you might ask them to deliver the wheels with this configuration. They have always been willing to help me with any special work I needed done. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

I keep the MTH trucks, gears etc. and replace the wheels with NWSL. You can get these wheels in bulk in 3 different wheel contours. The MTH trucks are perfect except the wheels, which are very toy-like. I've attached a picture of everything I use, except for the cheap $100.00 drill press from ACE. Press the whells and bushing off the MTH axles using the NWSL tool, then press the MTH bushings from the MTH wheels. (I use a small rivet here, roundhead) you'll use these bushings again. Now ream the NWSL wheels to .3235 Dia. Be careful to get the wheels centered when you ream them. Now press the saved MTH bushings (using your cheapo ACE drill press) into the NWSL wheels of your choice. This will give you the exact interference that MTH designed into their trucks using the old bushings. You can now press the MTH axle assemblies into the NWSL wheels with the MTH bushings installed. Use care here, and make sure you are pressing them in at 90 degress to the wheel face. I set all my whells to "Old Pullman" standards, but you could use any gauge here. Not only do my MTH engines look better, they run much better thru switches.

I've been building some SP G scale engines using the MTH F7's as starting points. For those of us that came to G scale by way of H.O., the MTH egines are very similar to the Highliner shells. They are componet based, meaning you can replace just about everything on the shell. If you wanted a freight version and they model you owned had the steam generator pipes on the roof, You could just replace it with a part from another body. Its too bad MTH didn't catch on to this fact and offer all the componets as parts. Anyway, this engine has NWSL wheels and was made by splicing two F7 shells together. It will be painted in scalet and grey (Bloody Nose) paint.