I am attempting to get the wheels out of an Atlas O 3-rail truck in order to replace them with 2-rail wheels. I cannot get them apart...even though I have removed all the screws and springs. The Atlas O wheel package...do that...twist the truck and the 3-rail wheels will fall out. I suspect these instructions have been invalidated by the "roller bearing trucks with rotating bearing caps."
Someone let me know if they have ever done this...and how...please.
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Well...I think I have?
You're asking about regular car's trucks? At first, I thought it was about their engine's trucks.
If you have the springs off and the roller caps and screws out, the bolster should slide downward towards the larger opening to release. It doesn't come out that easy and needs a little wrangling. I think they got stuck on the spring holder protrusions? I remember having to tilt the sideframe and wiggle them off.
I apologize as it's been about two years now?
Sorry for not being specific about what type of trucks I am trying to convert...but, yes...3-rail freight car trucks to 2-rail.
Normally, I'd just slap on a set of Atlas O trucks...that you can easily purchase...but, I want to preserve the original truck side frames as they have the car's reporting marks on them.
I've twisted and twisted to no avail...I'll send an email to Atlas O and see what they say tomorrow.
Could this lack of conversion ability be why they actually sell the entire truck??
Have you removed the bearing caps? Do the replacement wheel sets have shouldered axles?
When removing the side frames, I hold the truck inside a plastic bag. If the springs go flying they can't fly far.
The trick I use to get the springs back into the trucks is to thread dental floss through the springs before pressing them into the frames. If they snap loose, you don't lose them.
I am with you DaveJfro...perhaps I am too timid...but...after taking them completely apart...I can't make the ends of the bolster (I think that is what is called) fit back through the opening...where the springs were taken out.
I am trying to preserve the car numbering...portrayed on the truck frame for the Atlas O Golden Spike Club Potash hoppers...done a few years ago.
marker...I am trying to get the 3-rail wheels out of the truck...and...replace them with scale wheels from a set of Atlas O 100-ton trucks...so, I am pretty sure the replacement wheel sets will have the shouldered axles...what is the significance of this?
Thanks to each of you for trying to help.
You guys are great...of course, I have already lost 2 of little black springs...but, I think they will still turn up...next time...and there will be a next time...I'll use the plastic bag trick.
Are you saying that Atlas sells 70T and 100T trucks...but, they are all identical?...what about 33 and 36 inch wheels...are they identical, also...after all, much does 3" scale out to in O scale...is that 1/4 of an inch...it seems that would be significant.
The 70-ton roller bearing and the Bettendorf trucks have 33-inch wheels. The 100-ton roller bearing trucks have 36" wheels. Also, be careful as the new thin-frame Atlas trucks have shorter axles than the older thick-frame Atlas trucks and the two aren't interchangeable. Found that out the hard way doing a swap to convert a pair of 2-rail cars to 3-rail for a friend.
marker...I am trying to get the 3-rail wheels out of the truck...and...replace them with scale wheels from a set of Atlas O 100-ton trucks...so, I am pretty sure the replacement wheel sets will have the shouldered axles...what is the significance of this?
SD60M - I just converted nearly 50 cars to 2 rail, most Atlas. Many of them were wheel set changes, the rest truck exchanges. I didn't have the problem you are experiencing. In trying to understand your problem and trying to understand something I might encounter in the future, and not having your trucks in hand, the only big difference seemed to be the roller bearing rotating caps. My assumption was the the problem had to do something with that.
I was able to replace most of them by twisting the trucks to remove the wheel sets. Some had to be disassembled. I didn't have your problem and couldn't figure out why you were, but the trucks I worked with were three types of Atlas steam era trucks. Your trucks were from a later era and a different because of the roller bearings.
Like you, the reason I chose to replace wheel sets instead of using the new Atlas thin-frame trucks was because like the trucks were unique to the car. The issue with mine was color, along with black there were four or five colors. I even had a pair of green trucks on an express MKT boxcar. I never paid attention to the MKT trucks until I needed to 2 rail the car.
For the record, what a difference a day makes. For some reason, I am able to separate the side frames as I want.
I must note that I must have been mistaken about the "shouldered axles." Certainly, the axles used with the replacement wheels are far too short to use with roller bearing...rotating...wheel caps...or whatever they are called.
I would guess these replacements are, indeed, to be used for older style wheel changes.
If this makes sense...does anyone have any comments??
I don't know if Atlas makes replacement wheel sets for the rotating bearing trucks. NWSL does. nwsl.com
This guy stocks them for both 33 and 36 inch wheels.
Well...they, apparently, do not...perhaps I have some cars I can use the ones I have accumulated on...but, who knows.
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