Any source for O gauge Dorfan engine replacement wheels?

The only ones I am aware of are by Trickel Cast Parts and they are soft casting. Great for cosmetic restoration, but not running. I could use a minimum of a half dozen sets if anyone ever made them.

Steve

Dorfan was notorious for poor castings, warpage and so called zinc pest.  Dorfan locomotives are hard to find in any kind of condition and if you do find one it will more than likely be a mess to restore.  This particular locomotive has spoked drivers with a gear integral with one set of wheels.  I've never seen one up close, but if the wheels are zinc alloy castings, good luck.  If they are sintered iron like a lot of Lionel wheels were and still are, you may be able to have some one carefully machine the treads and install a steel tire made out of barstock complete with flanges and shrink fit it to the wheel.  Not a major effort for anyone who owns a lathe and knows how to use it.

The wheels in question are cast zinc with integral gears. I am going to look into having them cast in bronze or brass as a friend of mine has done with other parts. 

Steve: I'll keep you posted

Eric Hofberg

TCA, LCCA 

Only issue with brass or bronze wheels is that brass/bronze and steel (rail) is the perfect combination for a bearing surface (wheel slip/limited traction).  You may want to have a groove machined in the tread for a traction tire or, as mentioned, a shrunk on steel tire to improve traction, particularly with a heavy locomotive and tinplate cars.  I have a couple of British O gauge contemporary tinplate locomotives and they slip like crazy if I try to pull more than 10 fifteen inch passenger cars.  They have nickle silver rims.

Tom,

I appreciate your thoughts, but it will only be pulling at most 3-4 cars on level track and the engine is heavy.

Eric

Tinplate Tom posted:

Only issue with brass or bronze wheels is that brass/bronze and steel (rail) is the perfect combination for a bearing surface (wheel slip/limited traction).  You may want to have a groove machined in the tread for a traction tire or, as mentioned, a shrunk on steel tire to improve traction, particularly with a heavy locomotive and tinplate cars.  I have a couple of British O gauge contemporary tinplate locomotives and they slip like crazy if I try to pull more than 10 fifteen inch passenger cars.  They have nickle silver rims.

Dorfan sets generally came with 2-4 cars so that shouldn't be an issue. As delicate as these are by now, I would not want to chance overloading them anyway. Good info though.

Steve