# Accurail wheels



## GN.2-6-8-0 (Jan 10, 2013)

Have 4 of the Accurail 2500 series 55 ton panel hoppers coming and it occurred to me they may have plastic wheel sets rather than metal ones is this correct? Have a supply of intermountain 33" metal wheels and hope they'll match up with the Accurail trucks/sideframes.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

If they are in kit form, then yes, the wheels will be plastic. I replace all my Accurail plastic car wheels with Proto 2000 wheels that I had stock-piled when they were readily available. 

Accurail RTR cars come with metal wheels.


The Intermountain wheels should work as well.......


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

you are probably correct in assuming that the wheelsets are plastic, there doesn't seem to be any clear indication on thier website other than they sell only plastic wheelsets as parts, no metal wheelsets are listed or mentioned..


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## GN.2-6-8-0 (Jan 10, 2013)

These are I believe RTR cars' leastwise their shown in built up form.
so will see what they have when they arrive.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

wvgca said:


> you are probably correct in assuming that the wheelsets are plastic


I assume nothing....I've bought hundreds of Accurail cars, and all the kits have plastic wheels.

As for these particular cars being RTR, don't count on it....I have never seen the 55 ton hoppers come in (red box) RTR releases......and as far as I know, they don't do RTR cars anymore.....


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## golfermd (Apr 19, 2013)

I've purchased several Accurail kits. And, yes, the kits use plastic wheels. I replace them with Intermountain wheels. However, I wouldn't toss the plastic ones because they make great loads for flat cars or gondolas. :thumbsup:


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Another idea for spare plastic wheel use:

Rust 'em up then glue on a rusty spare piece of sectional track.
Place that in your loco service yard. Most proto yards
have spare wheels stored this way.

Don


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## GN.2-6-8-0 (Jan 10, 2013)

Yep they have plastic wheels' also plastic couplers....no biggie they'll have to go and will also will need to change a car number on two of'em.
Add loads to them and we're all set 
now I'm waiting on 18 Walthers mainline 36' C&O coal hoppers' will be here sometime today giving me a total of 22 hoppers so far all C&O to go on behind one of my two Alleghenys now to find about 20 more or so!!


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

I have collected some C&O hoppers for my layout, too. They show up on ebay all the time. Be patient and you can get the era that you want at a decent price.


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## long_haired_david (Aug 12, 2014)

*What is the problem with Accurail wheels then?*



golfermd said:


> I've purchased several Accurail kits. And, yes, the kits use plastic wheels. I replace them with Intermountain wheels. However, I wouldn't toss the plastic ones because they make great loads for flat cars or gondolas. :thumbsup:


That you change them for metal ones? I have 10 Accurail freight cars and they seem to run fine on the wheels as delivered.
David


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

David

Yes, most plastic wheels do run smoothly and quietly.
But plastic on nickle silver rails has a degree of
rolling resistance that metal wheels do not. A car
with metal wheels will roll by gravity if there is the
slightest grade to a track.

In addition, plastic wheels tend to pickup crud more
than do metal wheels.

And there is a certain 'kick' to hearing the metal wheels
click over turnouts, crossings and rail joints.

Don


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## GN.2-6-8-0 (Jan 10, 2013)

well they all came in and after some adjusting and changing the couplers on the Accurail cars it was time for a trip to the club,found them to be a tad bit light of course, couple of derails but was expecting that but otherwise they all ran pretty well :appl:


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## tr1 (Mar 9, 2013)

*plastic wheels attract dirt and goo*

They may run fine, however they do attract dirt that can stick to the wheels and track I've experienced this first hand Eventually I'll convert to all metal wheel sets. It's just not a priority now. Regards,tr1
In addition cool pictures of the club layout. If I may add. :appl:


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## GN.2-6-8-0 (Jan 10, 2013)

Yep' with the amount of trackage we have on our club layout we long ago mandated metal wheels on all rolling stock.
We preferred Intermountain metal wheels which are available in bulk packages of 100 axles a box doing 25 standard freight cars.


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

I was more than surprised at how much better my cars rolled with metal wheels. It is sooo worth the change. If your loco can pull ten cars with plastic wheels it will probably pull fifteen cars with metal wheels. Love the pictures of your club's layout. Please post some more when you can. pete


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## tr1 (Mar 9, 2013)

*Club layout photo's*

I second Pete's request for those cool, inspirational photos.
Regards,
tr1


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## GN.2-6-8-0 (Jan 10, 2013)

Heres a few more i found , keep in mind these are quite old now.will have to grab up the camera and take some more pictures this weekend, about time i updated them anyhow.... hope you enjoy them


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## SNNRail (Aug 31, 2014)

Beautiful layout, fantastic job to all who have worked on that!


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## tr1 (Mar 9, 2013)

*Track side detail.*

nifty detail on the water tower despencer:thumbsup:


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## lajrmdlr (Apr 25, 2014)

Since the Accurail wheelsets are Delrin plastic they roll really good. But being plastic they will collect & transfer dirt on the railheads. Also to me if the treads aren't a shiny steel color they're not prototypical. But it's your MR do what you want. LOL


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## GN.2-6-8-0 (Jan 10, 2013)

Here are a few updated pictures I promised:The Tucson roundhouse is not quit finished and work has begun on the turntable at Phx no pics on that project yet.sorry! Also going back to the OP all of my Walthers and Accurail hoppers now sport Intermountain metal wheel sets.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Wow, you and Ken are in a race to create the highest mountain.

Magnificient layout with some very special buildings.

Don


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## GN.2-6-8-0 (Jan 10, 2013)

Yes its high all right its named Piestewa Peak named in honor of lorie Piestewa of Tuba city Az. KIA in Iraq in 2003 first woman ever killed in action.


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