# [H0] Code 83 track



## Longvallon (9 mo ago)

Hello Happy Fellow Members !
Can I run plastic wheeled Tyco cars on code 83 track without any problem ?
Thanks for your help.


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## mesenteria (Oct 29, 2015)

Yes. You could even run metal tires on plastic rails, although you'd need battery power to move them if you're not using your hands.

The point is, the wheels on rolling stock only need to function insofar as being in gauge and not having deep flanges that ride up on the spike-head details on the tracks. If they roll smoothly, they'll work.

One caveat that you're likely to find sooner or later: plastic wheels tend to develop a progressively thick scum on the tires of organic sludge. It's greyish/black. It must be scraped off periodically or the car will begin to wobble down the tracks, track poorly as the thickness of the tire meets and surpasses the diameter of the flanges, and it will also drop onto the rails in bits and get stuck on the metal tires of locomotives that are meant to pick up electricity via direct metal-to-metal contact. So, a great many of us purchase appropriate wheelsets and swap out the plastic for metal tires, just as we unfortunately eventually swap out the plastic couplers for metal ones.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Agreed, but I don’t consider swapping out plastic couplers for metal ones as “unfortunate”…..more like necessary….


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## MidwestMikeGT (Jan 4, 2021)

Old_Hobo said:


> Agreed, but I don’t consider swapping out plastic couplers for metal ones as “unfortunate”…..more like necessary….


I would kinda agree with @mesenteria as it is unfortunate that it costs us to do that.  However, I agree with you about swapping out the wheels and couplers....eventually...when they break....


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

MidwestMikeGT said:


> I would kinda agree with @mesenteria as it is unfortunate that it costs us to do that.  However, I agree with you about swapping out the wheels and couplers....eventually...when they break....


I would say that what is unfortunate is that manufacturers find it necessary to use inferior parts to sell their products at an attractive price point. Me, personally, I don't mind paying for quality.


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