Wheel Load Cars

Should be OK; the wheel sets are just standard production pieces.

This is assuming no brand difference, and even that usually makes no difference.

Or....you could buy some nicer rolling stock. Not free, I know, but Lionel/K-line/MTH

Traditional/RK can be had very economically, at auction or train shows.

I do this all the time. I buy the wheel cars when they're a good price: the wheel sets alone are near $2.00 a piece. I then take the plastic wheel sets, clean and spray paint them. Makes for a much lighter load and better looking too.

And then I can use the metal wheels on rolling stock... works great.

I also unscrew those plastic bases that hold the wheels. Mask them, paint the center wood grain surface brown, put them back on the cars, leaving them unscrewed, so flat car loads are EASILY changed!

Thanks. I had nothing to lose so I gave it a shot last night. Unfortunately, the wheels are too far out on the axles and rub on the trucks. In trying to set the wheels in with a brass tube and a small hammer, I did the following:

1. One wheel moved and the other didn't/wouldn't.

2. Ended up bending the axle.

3. Peened the nice needle point over on the end of the axle trying to return the wheel back to its original position so it would fit back on the car.

So in a word: FAIL.

The needle axles pierce anything soft enough to not harm the end of the axle, and peen over against anything hard enough to keep them from moving.

Short of some sort of wheel press (sounds expensive), I don't know how to make this work.

"Nicer looking rolling stock" would defeat the purpose. This is a collection of short/traditional boxcars from starter sets that I have been collecting since 1979. I have gathered a total of 15 cars that carry real road names, but a couple of them still have the stupid plastic wheels.

Do it Do it!!!