# New Guy Here - Metal or Plastic Wheels?



## Lonestar Railroader (Jul 5, 2010)

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to this G scale hobby and I have a question I'm sure has been asked before so, I would like to apologize ahead of time for asking it again. Is there a major difference between metal and plastic wheels as far as performance goes? I know folks have their opinions on why plastic or metal however, I'm more interested in performance mainly. I also realize we are talking more of a cost factor when purchasing metal wheels vs plastic however, I am more interested in the performance rather than cost. Performance meaning, do metal wheels derail less, is there more/less track maintenence using metal wheels, is there less drag using metal wheels vs plastic wheels, etc...

Thanks so much,
Walker


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Get metal. 

yes they derail less (lower center of gravity and more weight) 
less track maint (no plastic deposits on rails) 
yes, with properly lubricated bearings less drag (because metal deforms less than plastic) BUT more weight means it will take more effort up grades, because you are pulling more weight. 

Regards, Greg


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

As Greg has said go with metal wheels, they are worth every penny...............


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

As stated go with metal wheels right from the get go and the extra expense is not notice near as much if one waits to long then it gets expensive. Later RJD


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## pdk (Jan 2, 2008)

Agree with the above 100% plus they SOUND way better.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Definitely. 

I don't think plastic wheels are guilty of all the crimes they're accused of, but I just add the price of a set of metal wheels when I buy a car. I had always put Aristo wheels on, but one day the shop I was at was out of them. He talked me into a set of much cheaper Bachmann wheels. The car runs fine and I can't find anything not to like about them.


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

WELCOME TO MLS. 

I ran plastic wheels when I first started. Took me all of two loops around my virgin RR to decided to go to metal. I use to buy anything on sale at the train Shows. Now I scour E bay. Then or course there is our On Line Friends when E bay doesn't have any thing reasonable.

Most all of my rolling stock is used so it comes with steel wheels. The positive point of used rolling stock is it is usually already weathered. A talent I do not posses

PS Spelling is not one of my virtures either


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## flats (Jun 30, 2008)

I agree to change out as you buy the rolling stock, I did mine later and buying for 80 something cars was a little expences 
and about three days to do it. I got Bachmann metal wheels and only found 3 so for that were wabbly and had to 
replace. Be sure you check the gage though and oil after you put them in, they work find for me also, and I liked the 
metal to metal sound on the rails. 

Ken owner of K&K the road to nowhere


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

I really like the old San-Val metal wheels (the guy still sells them as ana.kramer on feebay).... NEVER had a bad set yet. 

The advice of buying as you go is a good one. So is planning ahead on what you'll need in the near future. At one point I OVER bought wheels, by about twice what I needed at the time -- so I sold off the 'extras'.... Now, I have about 14 cars that NEED them, and don't have that kind of change!


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## Ken101Ward (Jan 1, 2010)

I'm new to the hoby as well and have also started replacing the plastic wheels. I've picked some up from Al kramer on Ebay also. 
Sometimes the bid prices are worth it some times not. He will combine shipping on auctions for ten days so you can save some cash. 
Don't forget to check out the dealers who support MLS. You never know when you may find a deal there.

Hooked on Phonics didn't work for me!


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## White Deer RR (May 15, 2009)

I also over-purchased metal wheels, and just kept them and I replace as I go. It's kind of fun to get a new freight car knowing you get to upgrade it right away. Uh-oh, this is starting to sound like money being spent again. 

I think you will be pleased with the performance and sound of metal wheels. If you simply can't afford or aren't ready to spend the money to go to metal wheels, I used plastic wheels for the first couple of years, and I did get some plastic residue, but it wasn't that bad. 

I would add the caveat that I'm in a usually mild climate (Pacific NW,) so if you're in a hotter climate that might speed the decision to go to metal wheels. Best of luck!


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Posted By flats on 05 Jul 2010 08:42 AM 
I agree to change out as you buy the rolling stock, I did mine later and buying for 80 something cars was a little expences 
and about three days to do it. I got Bachmann metal wheels and only found 3 so for that were wabbly and had to 
replace. Be sure you check the gage though and oil after you put them in, they work find for me also, and I liked the 
metal to metal sound on the rails. 

Ken owner of K&K the road to nowhere 
Warning! Becareful of the kind of lube you use. Plastic sideframes can be destroyed by some oils.
I prefer to use graphite as I don't want oil attracting dust and dirt.

Another positive of metal wheels is a lower center of gravity.

John


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Also Remember toooo much lube can get on the tracks. No matter what type power you are using you can loose traction. Remeber the movie Emporer of the North. Didn't someone greas the tracks so the eignine woul loose traction


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## cape cod Todd (Jan 3, 2008)

I like metal wheels for the sound they make and the lower center of gravity and extra weight they add is a benefit but the extra weight does tend to make a train heavy on grades. Take a USA train boxcar which is already substantial and add metal wheels to it and it gets heavy. I have half metal nad half plastic on my rolling stock, in some cases I have mixed plastic and metal wheels on the same truck. To cut costs most of my favorite rolling stock has metal and the lesser ones that are seldom used still have plastic. 
My holiday train around the tree has plastic wheels and I do get a residue on the rails which needs to be wiped off every now and then but that train runs alot and it is only on a loop.


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## Big John (Jan 4, 2008)

If you run battery power the plastic wheel residue left behind on the rails doesn't make any difference. Of course track power versus battery power is another subject. I run mixed cars with both plastic and metal wheels. If you watch how your cars follow the track you only have to replace the plastic wheels on cars that tend to derail more often. The metal wheels help a lot to eliminate this problem. That can save you a lot of money. 

Big John


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## Trainwreckfilms (Aug 19, 2009)

METAL METAL METAL METAL METAL!!!!!! They are heavier to keep your cars on the track. Less residue on the rails thus less track cleaning. When you have 800feet of track, cleaning it is not fun especially if you have to do it frequently.... 

Hope you get metal. Its worth the extra few $


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

I think the biggest issue here is where you want to spend your money. If you have unlimited funds, sure, add metal wheels to every one of your cars. However, most of us don't have unlimited funds. In my case I run strictly battery power, so plastic residue on the track is not an issue. If I were to run track power, I am sure I would want to run with all metal wheels. I have changed out about half of my rolling stock to metal wheels. I actually don't prefer the "sound" of the metal wheels, but the lower center of gravity is nice. I generally use the metal wheels on the cars that I run most often. For several years, the issue was "do I spend money for metal wheels, or do I buy another car". The car won out. Now that I have a pretty good number of freight and passenger cars, I spend some of that money on wheels. All a matter of where one wants to put one's money.

Ed


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## oldmainlinejohnny (Jun 6, 2010)

Metal is what i run and I have zero problems.If i get a car that doesn't have metal wheels I replace them.


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## oldmainlinejohnny (Jun 6, 2010)

Metal is what i run and I have zero problems.If i get a car that doesn't have metal wheels I replace them.


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## oldmainlinejohnny (Jun 6, 2010)

Metal is what i run and I have zero problems.If i get a car that doesn't have metal wheels I replace them.


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

I vastly prefer metal wheels for all the reasons that Greg E. listed. My trains sometimes run track power, but mostly battery power. 

One caution: I have many cars running the San Val wheels. However, they do not work well on Aristo Streamliner trucks. The SV wheels are smaller diameter. Sometimes the streamliner truck sideframes will catch on a switch with the smaller wheels.

JimC.


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## oldmainlinejohnny (Jun 6, 2010)

sorry about all the extra posts my internet was acting up.


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## tbar (Jan 26, 2009)

dido, metal...clickadee, click at the rail joints to


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

METAL


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## msimpson (Jan 5, 2009)

Metal is what real trains are made of and what real men (and women) run. Seriously, the metal wheels look good, rust like the real ones, add weight and keep center of gravity low, don't shed plastic on the track, and they sound so good on the joints. 

No problems with anyone who wants to run plastic, but since you asked . . . I have three strings of cars which I mostly run. Two (Accucraft ore cars and Accucraft UK British rolling stock) came with metal wheels. A third, of LGB logging cars, came with plastic, which I have replaced. With plastic -- no weight, occasional derailments. With metal, heavy, solid, manly. (Oops, there I go again.) Seriously, there is something intrinsically satisfying about running 36 cars (74 axles, when you count the caboose) and everyone clicks every time it hits a joint. 

Enjoy, Mike


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## Johnn (Jan 5, 2010)

I have a lot of plastic on all of my non USA trains cars and i am slowly switching to metal, But the $s are killing me.

Johnn


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

seems, that we got a lot of heavy metall fans here... 

so let me be the devil's advocate: 

it depends much on the era that interests you. 
if you prefer more modern stuff, you will be better off with metall wheels. 
but if you are modelling a small or old-time line, maybe even with steep grades, and run your trains slow, metall wheels are not necessary. 
.


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Metal wheels rule.............................................got $ got metal wheels...







they cost more but well worth the investment......


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## Tom Lapointe (Jan 2, 2008)

*Another vote *for *metal wheels. *







A good portion of my older rolling stock (some LGB, earlier Bachmann "Big Hauler", some Delton / Aristo "Classic") was originally acquired with plastic wheels; by far the *greatest disadvantage *to plastic wheels is the *black gunk *







that accumulates on the rails as they wear; it not only obstructs electrical pickup, it makes *grades slippery *







for locos to climb as well. While I still have a *fair percentage *







of those older cars equipped with plastic wheelsets, they are gradually being swapped out for metal wheelsets, in most cases either the San-Val ones (via eBay purchases) or Bachmann metal wheels. Also, since most of the older equipment is 1:22.5 scale (vs. Accucraft & the newer Bachmann "Spectrum" 1:20.3 finescale cars), I generally tend to run the better-detailed 1:20.3 equipment outdoors - & both the Accucraft & Bachmann "Spectrum" cars come *factory-equipped with metal wheels. *







In fact, I *rarely even consider *purchasing *any *new rolling stock *without *metal wheels these days; the only exception has been a few 1:29th scale Aristo freight cars I've purchased for days when I feel like running 1:29th scale "standard gauge" prototypes (& which I recently refitted with the Bachmann metal wheelsets). The only plastic-wheelset equipped cars I have that see *any *regular use is a string of LGB log "buggies" (disconnected trucks) used in my log train - & sooner or later *they're *going to get metal wheels as well. Another *major advantage *to the lower center-of-gravity metal wheelsets provide is if you run trains on *windy days - *my railroad is elevated @ 2 feet off the ground, & I've occasionally had high-profile, lightweight cars blown *completely off the track *







under windy conditions. To second some of the previous commenters as well - the *"ka-clack, ka-clack" *of metal wheeled trucks passing over rail joints adds *realism *







as well. (My 2 cents worth!







). *Tom*


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