I had some box cars given to me for presents. They have plastic wheels. I have some other cars that have metal wheels. I really don’t want to change the wheels from plastic to metal if I don’t have to. Will the plastic wheels be a problem?
I believe it is a matter of opinion, but I have had no problem with plastic wheels on rolling stock.
The plastic wheels can leave a residue on the track.
The extra weight of the metal wheels track better. I think metal wheels sound better too.
Ralph
Gives a little extra weight as low as it can be attached to the car.
Thanks. Lowering the weight makes sense, as they do seem to be a little top heavy and light weight. I guess I will be changing out the wheels on a few, the others I will just run the plastic until I have to change them out.
If yer using Batt/RC, they aren’t a prollem.
It’s just that metal offers the aforementioned weight and a nice sound.
“Clickety - Clack”
And they roll easier.
I have to agree the metal wheels are better. I use all bachmann metal wheels and have had no problems.
I came to large scale from decades of HO, N, On30, indoor layouts where clean railheads for electrical contact is of primary importance. It appears that plastic wheels attract more grime, via static?, than metal and then deposit that grime on railhead. Perhaps there is even some plastic wearing off wheel tread.
Swapped out as many plastic wheels for metal as could be afforded.
With only having been into large scale since 2009 and having a grand total of 5 usable freight cars, I’m probably not the world’s greatest guru on G scale wheels.
Prefer metal wheels and am using Bachmann’s, easy to get locally, metal wheels in USA Trains truck frames on 3 scratchbuilt cars.
Intend to use metal wheels in future whenever possible.
Don’t know how realistic the thought is that given mass of large scale cars plastic wheels will wear down over time faster than metal, but that is one big reason for going metal.
Plastic wheels will get flat spots and leave a skin of plastic on our tracks in the desert. My tracks were too hot to touch bt 7 a.m. this morning!
While working at Niagara Hobby & Craft Mart back 20 to 25 years ago we wore grooves in the basic LGB starter set car plastic wheels. The flanges were also literally razor thin too. Also the inside of the railhead on the basic curves was worn down to the web of the rail. This was inside on a basic oval but was after literally several years of use. With the newer layout they switched to metal wheels and I’ve not heard of the same problems. I’ve not worked there in 13 years now.
Chas
My experiences, outdoors
PLASTIC PRO
Came with the rolling stock
PLASTIC CON
Picked up a lot of gunk (static cling?), needed a lot of cleaning
Tracked terrible through turnouts, straights, curves
Began pitting (pot marks), I think it was the bird droppings
Adding weight made little difference
METAL PRO
Tracked well everywhere, I was using Gary Raymond wheels, had a more prototypical profile
Added weight down low, out of the box most cars are too light, especially 2 axle cars
Stayed very clean
METAL CON
More $$ per car just for wheels
Matching diameters by car type was a hassle
Some brands cost to much (in comparison)
Some looked like tinplate wheels that did little to improve “handling”
The metal (and plated) rims on plastic hubs were not the way to go
Some would become magnetized (no idea how that was happening)
LGB metal wheels were terrible
Aristo wheels kept falling apart ( did they ever fix that? )
And they would rust (which might might not be what you wanted)
Disclaimer
I could be wrong.
Your mileage may vary.
Always wear a seatbelt.
Don't drink and drive.
Old age isn't for sissies.
RichK
I’m voting with Rich here. I don’t allow plastic wheels anywhere near my track. No exceptions.
At the Fall ECLSTS Nicholas Smith was selling boxes of Bachmann metal wheels. It worked out to $10 for a card of 4 - enough to do one car. I decided to go to better quality cars instead of so many. That’s what I told my wife is why I bought them - That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!
Lou
I have actually changed camps in my metal wheel opinion. Previously, the first thing that I did was ditch the plastic wheels for metal type. These days are battling with the dreaded Bachmann wobbly wheel problems, I am sticking to using plastic wheels. Rarely have I seen a wobble on a quality plastic wheelset. Even the basic Newqida wheel mostlu runs true. Now before the Bachmann wobbly wheel lovers say how supposedly prototypical the effects of wobbly wheels are on rolling stock, I did not invest a lot of energy laying a flat, level track to have it undone by sloppy wheel manufacturing standards.
In so far as supposed deposits from plastic wheels, then with the old R1 curve rule and multiple sectional track pieces, I can see that plastic wheels could lay down deposits as the wheel traverses each sectional join. Also, plastic wheels on track used in desert regions will leave a deposit as plastic does have its limits.
The main fallacy I believe about dirty plastic wheels is due use of brass rail and laying track on the ground. Any arcing caused as power flows from the rails through the driving wheels leaves a carbon deposit. Couple this with brass oxidation and any wheelset will pick this crud up and transport it along the rail surface. Inevitably, the deposit will be attracted to plastic wheel treads. It would be interesting to see an analysis of this crud to see just how much is actually a plastic based material and how much is carbon based due power pickup arcing.
I run stainless track, which by its nature is generally very clean and run elevated 24 inches. When running with plastic wheels, there is no crud buildup on the tread. Now if one is experiencing crud buildup, then is the incriminating factor the plastic wheel or the fact your brass rail is layed in the dirt. The plastic in this situation will be picking up the dirt on the rail, where as the metal wheel does not.
I do not believe the crud buildup on the wheels is plastic wear material, but more the fact your rail is on the ground. I would be interested to see experince from those who run elevated track with plastic wheelsets. I believe the little plastic wheel is receiving undue critical attention.
I “prefer” metal wheels, for all those reasons listed above.
I have a lot of plastic ones because the darn metal wheels often cost more than the whole car! (even used are too often ridiculously overpriced to fit in my budget…)
Compromise: Metal wheels go on the pieces I run most, and plastic ones will hold the rest up off the railhead. And when I need to sell an item, it gets plastic wheels installed because the final price difference is usually less than the cost of the metal ones.
And when all else fails, try begging… I was given about 6 worn sets last year… plenty of life left - even with no plating and rusty axles.
Mik said:
I "prefer" metal wheels, for all those reasons listed above.I have a lot of plastic ones because the darn metal wheels often cost more than the whole car! (even used are too often ridiculously overpriced to fit in my budget…)
Compromise: Metal wheels go on the pieces I run most, and plastic ones will hold the rest up off the railhead. And when I need to sell an item, it gets plastic wheels installed because the final price difference is usually less than the cost of the metal ones.
And when all else fails, try begging… I was given about 6 worn sets last year… plenty of life left - even with no plating and rusty axles.
Thats why Im glad I had a very small collection of rolling stock. I coulnt image having over a hundred pieces of rolling stock and then adding metal wheels and kadees. I just met a guy down the road from me thats into large scale and has all modern stuff. Prob the biggest collection I ever saw. Garage and basement full. They all had Kadees and metal wheels. I wouldnt know what to do with all that.
Thats why I like bachmann wheels a lot cheaper. I have heard about the wobbly wheel issue but I really dont notice it.
Metal are best by far. You can keep using plastics but the metals help eliminate alot of tracking issues as mentioned.
The extra cost is worth it. Now if you REALLY want to improve your rolling quality, invest in Ball Bearing wheels. They are frighteningly expensive but wow what a difference as you get almost zero rolling resistance which means less wear and tear on your engines. I am slowly making the transition to BBs on my rolling stock, its painfull but on my uber-tight curves and tiny rolling stock its been worth it.On large stock it makes pulling heavy cars easy.
Shawn said:We know
I just met a guy down the road from me thats into large scale and has all modern stuff. Prob the biggest collection I ever saw. Garage and basement full. They all had Kadees and metal wheels. I wouldnt know what to do with all that.
The center of gravity thing is the biggest reason for my transition to metal. Personally, I feel that the cost difference between cast metal wheels (Bachmann) and CNC machined wheels (Aristo, USA Trains, Gary Raymond etc.) was well worth it in both additional weight and trueness (My spell checker says that istn’t a word. Too bad!). I have a few cars with BB wheels too, but mostly just regular metal wheels.
Actually, trueness is a word, your spellchecker is just ignorant. My spellchecker agrees with yours, so I have an ignorant spellchecker, too. I just educated mine. 
I prefer the lower center of gravity afforded by the metal wheels, too, and will use Botchman’s wheels until I can get something better. That said, I still have a lot of cars with plastic wheels.
Sigh.