Brake shoes

@oscaletrains posted:

Years ago I bought some Keil Line brake shoes to put in plastic O Scale trucks that were meant to add a little more detail to the things. They worked but were a little thick and did not really have a lip to hold them in place. Fast forward to now and I have a source for these made better than before.

Care to share the source?  Scale City was making these...

  The question is, are people still using plastic Athearn trucks, with or without adding steel wheels to them, and if so, what would be a reasonable price for the brake things?

90+% of the trucks under my cars are Athearn; Mine all have IM wheelsets. Reasonable price is up to the individual. I had a hard time adding these to the Archbar trucks and so while they can improve appearance (and add a bit of weight), I don't bother with them

  The worst part of installing them is when the springs slip and go flying off into the future, so best to use the thread method to put the springs back in place when adding them to the trucks.

Always a joy!

Also, I have more than a few old diecast and even some brass freight trucks that are missing brake shoes, all it would take is a little redesign to make the planks for 2 springs instead of 3.  Worthwhile?

Worthwhile? If you like the appearance enough to deal with the tedious nature of adding them, yes.

@mwb posted:

Worthwhile? If you like the appearance enough to deal with the tedious nature of adding them, yes.

I just looked at their web site and indeed, Scale City is selling the old Keil Line parts.  I don't remember what I paid for these but SC is selling them for $5 a car.  I doubt I paid that much for the ones I have. I'd bet these plastic ones are half that at least.  I am pretty certain that none of my cars have plastic wheels in the trucks under them anymore. I like the added weight of metal wheelsets too.  Someone used to sell packages of a 100 steel wheels for trucks but all I see anymore is the Intermountain ones 4 to a pack at about double the price.  Didn't someone used to sell the springs in a package for replacing the ones that fly off into the future?  The "joy" comes when you catch up to them in time and there they are, right where you looked for them  when it happened.  If you take an old screwdriver and use a Dremel to grind it sort of shaped like this HO one

https://www.micromark.com/Spring-Grabber

it makes it a lot easier to replace them.

Looks like Rails Unlimited will be selling these brake shoes.  I think they will also be made to fit the 2 spring All nation trucks and the 3 spring older die cast ones of various makes and the PSC brass trucks that were made without them also.

I have scads of Athearn trucks.   Not sure about these.   I guess I would try them depending on price.   Are they attached to a plate that replaces teh existing plate in the Athearn trucks?

Tad Daito uses the Athearn truck almost exclusively,  although he uses a specially designed metal wheel set that he had made for maximal free rolling  .  He says they are the easiest rolling of all trucks ....Who can argue with his results? ---https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2NTCJhqaRE   - If you have not seen his video, well, it's sort of required viewing  & very eye opening.   I met him at Owest, and he is a real gentleman and great craftsman.

I think the archbar style is a little on the chunky side, but I have no complaint about the bentendorf or andrews .   One has to admire the Athearn trucks for what they are and the benefit they have been to O2rail .  

@prrjim posted:

I have scads of Athearn trucks.   Not sure about these.   I guess I would try them depending on price.   Are they attached to a plate that replaces teh existing plate in the Athearn trucks?

See the photos, there is a flat plate with nibs for the spring centers and a flange to go over the edge which the Keil Line ones never had.  That said, I have modified plenty of Keil Line ones by filing away about half of the flat and leaving a lip.

@J J Davies posted:

Tad Daito uses the Athearn truck almost exclusively,  although he uses a specially designed metal wheel set that he had made for maximal free rolling  .  He says they are the easiest rolling of all trucks ....Who can argue with his results? ---https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2NTCJhqaRE   - If you have not seen his video, well, it's sort of required viewing  & very eye opening.   I met him at Owest, and he is a real gentleman and great craftsman.

I think the archbar style is a little on the chunky side, but I have no complaint about the bentendorf or andrews .   One has to admire the Athearn trucks for what they are and the benefit they have been to O2rail .  

Now THAT's Railroading!

The photos seemed to indicate that, but I thought I would ask for confirmation.   It looks like a good replacement.   Not sure I want to spend the hobby time filling on the the diecast ones.      I do  use the thread when installing springs on Athearn trucks.    Keeps a lot o them from finding infinity.

@prrjim posted:

The photos seemed to indicate that, but I thought I would ask for confirmation.   It looks like a good replacement.   Not sure I want to spend the hobby time filling on the the diecast ones.      I do  use the thread when installing springs on Athearn trucks.    Keeps a lot o them from finding infinity.

They fly into the FUTURE!