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OLD & WEARY CAR SHOP |
33 Route 303 Tappan, NY 10983 (845) 680-0405 Fax (845) 680-0415
ReboxxHO Scale Replacement Wheel Sets
for the model railroading world
Add These Wheel Sets To Your Existing Truck Frames And Watch The Tonnage Of Your Trains Increase Dramatically!
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It does not require deep study to observe the constantly rising standards in the hobby of model railroading. Merely glancing at the ads in the magazines reveals a level of detail in models that has improved markedly over the years and is still on an upward curve. This phenomenon is seen across the spectrum of model railroad manufacturers from the mass producers of ready-to-run models to the craftsman kit specialty houses.
As an example, discerning modelers increasingly pay attention to see that models of rolling stock are fitted with the correct trucks. No longer are the generic Bettendorf or Andrews trucks sufficient. Manufacturers of rolling stock and trucks, responding to this demand, have expanded their product lines with the result that there is a large array of truck choices available to the modeler today.
However, with the proliferation of trucks have come numerous variations in axle lengths and journal spacing. A look at the NMRA Recommended Practices reveals why this situation occurred. RP 24.1 specifies that the journal bore span (the dimension between journals in the assembled side frame) is to be no less than 1.038". There is no recommended maximum. RP 24.3 specifies a maximum axle length of 1.035". There is no recommended minimum. It is clear that the intent of the RPs is to allow wheel sets always to fit into the side frames.
Despite the increased variety of trucks, many manufacturers continue to offer plastic wheels and axles which result in poor rolling characteristics, allow dirt build up over time, and present a noticeable out-of-scale appearance. Specialty manufacturers, seeing a market, began offering metal replacement wheel sets. But it was a hit or miss thing as sometimes the axles fit the side frames and sometimes they didn't. Modelers learned from experience what worked and what didn't, but couldn't solve all the problems because replacement wheel sets came in one axle length only from each manufacturer.
REBOXX recognized the problem and set out to solve it. Research showed that many trucks required axle lengths longer than those supplied to provide the correct relationship between the needle bearing on the axle end and the journal in the side frame. This should not be surprising, as the last problem a manufacturer needs to have is that trucks don't roll at all. To account for production variations axles are purposely a little short. Also measurements revealed that truck journal bore spans were in many cases smaller than the minimum dimensions specified in RP24.1, 1.038". Conversely, some axle lengths were found to exceed the specified maximum length in RP 24.3, 1.035". With this data in hand the reasons for poorly fitting axles became clear and REBOXX saw the solution: provide wheel sets in multiple axle lengths.
In addition to multiple axle lengths, a number of criteria were specified by Reboxx to insure a quality wheel set and a number of variations were specified to cover all applications. The wheels run true without appreciable run out or wobble. The wheels and axles are brass and blackened to provide a prototypical appearance. The wheels are 0.088" wide rather than the more common 0.110". The RP 25 flange contour is retained. Thus appearance is enhanced, but operability is not compromised on track and turnouts meeting NMRA standards. 33" and 36" wheel sets are available with both single and double insulated axles. The latter are useful for metal trucks and cars to avoid electrical shorts through the truck or car body.
To make it easy for the modeler to select the correct axle length, REBOXX supplies application charts (see below) with an extensive listing of freight and passenger trucks, both old and new, and the recommended REBOXX replacement wheel set. Once fitted, the improvement in rolling characteristics is dramatic, often in excess of 100%. This allows longer trains to be run with the same power or reduced power for the same train. To further improve rolling, the journals in the side frames often need to be cleaned up and re-contoured. REBOXX's Exxact Socket hand tool is perfect for this task. Coupler centering is improved permitting more reliable coupling as the lateral play in the truck is reduced. The correct axle needle bearing to journal spacing also eliminates effects we have all seen - "leaners", rolling stock with a pronounced tilt to one side or the other and "crabbers", cars that ride with the body skewed off its centerline. Leaners and crabbers result from short axles that cause one of the needle bearings to ride too low in the journal.
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