In the recent helpful posting “Wheel Quality,” by Tim Brien he did not name the manufacturer. Later on, in the series of responding posts, the manufacturer’s name was revealed.
Is there a LSC “house rule” or site preference for identifiying or not identifying manufacturers?
What?
The only thing I’d like if you’re going to name a manufacturer, is FACTS. i.e. “I bought a boxcar from XYZ and the door was broken” not “I bought a boxcar from XYZ and it was junk because blah blah blah”.
I guess the difference is in where you are located.
For the same manufacturer mentioned, I purchase his wheel sets at 40% of what the other manufacturer’s wheel sets cost me. Can I afford to discard or otherwise sideline 20 or so percent at that cost? The short answer is YES. I knew about the manufacturing issues before and accepted that risk based on the lower cost ratio. Yes, you also get what you pay for. If you really want the highest quality, there are other manufacturers out there that are also quite a bit higher in price.
My tuppence worth.
Bob C.
Pay a little bit, get a little bit. Pay a bit more, get a whole lot more!
Not one of the Rules of Acquisition, but nevertheless, true.
I have that manufacturers metal wheels on all my rolling stock. I have never found a reason to discard any of them. But then maybe I’m not as fussy as some of you. Having watched lots of real narrow guage trains, they all rock and roll all the time. If I have a wheel that makes the car rock then I just consider it as the way to be. Now if I were running modern era high speed trains, then my opinion might be different.
Ron
Ron Spencer said:Im on your side. All I use is Bachmann wheels and never seemed to have a problem but then yet I run a backwoods logging operation. I just cant see paying 2-3 times more money for a wheel. Now my personal car is a different story but no one going to get killed if my train derails.
I have that manufacturers metal wheels on all my rolling stock. I have never found a reason to discard any of them. But then maybe I'm not as fussy as some of you. Having watched lots of real narrow guage trains, they all rock and roll all the time. If I have a wheel that makes the car rock then I just consider it as the way to be. Now if I were running modern era high speed trains, then my opinion might be different. Ron
deleted
i use Bachman metal weels and found no major problems. Can’t beat them for the price. Of course I only model narrow gauge steam engines in the late 1800’s. Logging, mining and cattle operations. Short trains of six cars or less that travel at slow speeds. I guess if I was running a modern diesel pulling 50 cars at high speed it might make a difference.
Big John
I have Aristo wheels on almost all my freight cars. One car has Bachmann wheels 'cause the shop was out of Aristo when I bought it. I can’t find anything not to like about the Bachmann wheels on that car.
Answer: Report factually supported judgments not esthetic preferences as criticial evaluations.
I don’t know Wendell, but if some can accept the so called wopples, etc. for a lesser price then let them do it. I for one really don’t care if a car has a wopple or shimy, we (or most of us) aren’t modelling high speed class 1 RR’s. My 2 cents.
Randy,
that is exactly the reason why standards have dropped. If the consumer does not care then why should the manufacturer. There is an old saying, “an army rolls on its stomach”. If the food is good then the soldiers will fight well. An analogy may be made with our hobby - a good piece of rolling stock ‘rolls on its wheels’. No matter how good the product, if the wheels are not up to standard then the car’s performance is so judged.
Huh, I never realized it was all that big a deal out there in the world.
Then again, when you are one of 2 people in a little bitty burg out in the sticks . . .
Randy McDonald said:Randy - I agree with you there. I seem to run mostly logging trains these days - steam or electric Shays and Climax locos are about as slow as I am, and to tell the truth the odd wobble/skweek/grundle adds to the ambience of the railroad, such as it is.
I don't know Wendell, but if some can accept the so called wopples, etc. for a lesser price then let them do it. I for one really don't care if a car has a wopple or shimy, we (or most of us) aren't modelling high speed class 1 RR's. My 2 cents.
The youngsters up at the Alconbury base elementary school have never complained yet…
tac
www.ovgrs.org
Supporter of The Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund
As to wheels, are the LGB electrical ball-bearing wheel sets being manufacturered? They work great in the first car behind as supplementry power for the 0-4-0 LGB and Harland diesels.
Per the above re: ball-bearing wheels with electrical contact, are the Aristo wheels equivalent to LGB in use and durability?
Not sure that LGB BB sets are really being manufactured, Train-Li has ones that look superior, all metal wheels, no plastic centers. I have BB wheelsets from Aristo, LGB, Accucraft. The LGB ones are by far better. Have not done enough long term testing on the Accucraft ones. The Aristo ones are definitely lower quality, they are becoming intermittent and need to be replaced, they are on a sweeper car. The LGB’s are on cabeese with lights and smoke. They are still perfect.
Regards, Greg
Over here in yUK my local dealer has a goodly stock of LGB spares, including the BB wheelsets.
If any of you has won the state lottery you might care to bear that in mind.
tac
www.ovgrs.org
tac-
Good to hear from a rep from the mother country. At this point economically, would retroactive colonization be helpful?
Curious, what do the LGB wheels cost - U.S.? Here, when I could order them from TrainWorld and others, the average price was $40 per pair.
Wendell