I finally found all of my N scale rolling stock, which includes an SW900 I bought off of Jeremiah Siembida back in Cheyenne. After blanking out the BN logo on the cab with a black felt tip marker, I plan on using it as a plant switcher. Thing is, I have code 55 and 40 track laid down, and I'm concerned whether or not the little goat will run on on the smaller rail (that is, the code 40). It isn't laid down yet as I've been rebuilding my layout, but I want to put it to work, and reserve my Baldwin VO1000 for other things. Anybody else running on smaller rail?
I think the flanges are too big for C40, Bob. NWSL had replacements for these with smaller flanges and I think you can still send them to Trainworx for turning down.
Mine would not run on code 55. I installed NWSL wheels/axles and it never ran well again. The problem was that the holes in the nylon pieces the axles fit into are easlly distorted in the removal/installation process, resulting in a wild wobbling motion. I thought the axles were bent. It turns out the NWSL products weren't at fault and they were very good folks to deal with. I'm sure it was my ham handed installation, but none the less I ruined a nice little loco that I'd also spent $70 getting a decoder installed in :-( Perhaps others here have had more success in aligning the NWSL axles?
I recently picked one up and swapped in wheels from Atlas. It now runs on code 55 track beautifully. Atlas wheel set # 480304, you will need 4 of these
Atlas #480304. Hope that search will work. It is basically an Atlas GP axle and gear if you have any spares around. CVTJ, that is a heck of a first post! You are most welcome to TrainBoard. Please do post some more of these great solutions! :thumbs_up:
That link didn't work - at least for me. So I did a search on 480304 and... Wow! lol that wheelset is pretty common. It looks like Atlas used it on nearly every diesel loco since the China RS-1's. At $1.50 an axel it's pretty cheap fix to the deep flange problem. I just got 2 of the LL SW8/900/600's. Is this the same mechanism? Do you know if these wheelsets/axels will fit? Thanks. John H. Reinhardt
John: I run strictly ME code 40, the only wheelsets that will work on ME code 40 are NWSL (some of their runs definately had the wobbles- which is why the original owner stopped producing them) or turning them down yourself with a dremel or sending them to NCode40 -who do an excellent job. Cheers, Bill
Well, it looks like I may have to just get some more code 55 & use that in place of the code 40. Shame too, since I have it laid on one of the sidings and the MP interchange track. The Atlas wheelsets sound good, so I may try that out. It's a nice little switcher, and I'd like to get some use out of it. But if I can't I have a Frisco Baldwin that I can use. I know it runs on Code 40 track.
