I was looking at the N scale truck diagrams on Micro-Trains' website, and I noticed that for a number of their trucks, there's a standard version and a version with "low profile wheels". However, looking at the dimensions and measurements, there doesn't appear to be any difference between the standard and "low profile" versions. Could someone please explain the difference between a standard truck and one with "low profile" wheels? Thank
Flange diameter... standard wheelsets have a larger flange diameter (referred to, by many in n scale, as 'pizza cutters')...on high profile rail (rail that is larger-'higher' from the tie base), the standard wheelsets work just fine... However, as N scale has evolved and finer and more true-to-scale track/rail has evolved (code 55-code 40), the larger diameter flanges are as deep or deeper than the distance from tie top surface to rail top surface...so the flanges rub along the tops of the ties... Lower profile wheelsets have smaller diameter flanges, which allow them to operate on lower profile rail height rail... Not to mention that the lower profile wheelsets 'look' better and more true-to-scale. Sincerely, Bruce
The standard wheels are also referred to as "pizza cutters" and will bump on Code 55 and smaller rail. The Lo-pro's are designed to not have the same problem. The major difference is the depth of the flange.
while 'low pros' may have a precieved better look (prototypical)...on model railroads...due to the lighter cars then the 1:1...some modelers complain they have more derailments due to wheels jumping the rails. yes...not so perfect trackwork will make derailments more common. Thats why pizza cutters and C80 is still popular with your average modeler. Guys who lay their own track...C40...and are meticulous in that respect can run low pros and never have a problem. Get one bad area though will drive ya crazy with wheels juymping the rails. Also...commercial turnouts can be the devil when it comes to low pros. Wheel flange and rail code are as individual as anything else in the hobby. Try the low pros...if they give ya grief...go back to the tried and true deeper plastic wheel sets.
Standard is the New Version I asked the question what are Micro-Trains Standard Wheels in a thread a while back. From what I understand there are 3 variations of the Micro-Trains N scale wheels: High Profile also referred to as "Pizza Cutters" these wheels have a tall back flange. These have a problem of riding on the tie plates of Atlas code 55 track. Low Profile offers a finer scale, with a shorter & thinner flange. These ride well on Atlas code 55 track, but are more susceptible to picking the points on Atlas code 55 switches. Standard Profile. These have a a shorter flange that is still thick. These work well with Atlas code 55 track. The standard wheels are the newest derivation and are what is placed on new Micro-Trains cars. They offer the broadest compatibility of the three.
My son the software engineer is real fond of the saying 'the problem with standards is that everyone has one', and that's just so true in N scale. Even after all these decades of 'standards' you still have a rather wide variety of the 'basics' in N scale from rail height to wheel profile to weight to couplers. If you're used to an HO world it can come as a surprise. While just about everybody agrees that track gauge is 9MM, we can't even get the ratio right as a lot of Japanese is made to 1:150. Now throw in minimum track radius, body-mounted vs. truck-mounted couplers, and DC vs. DCC. If you go back to the ancient days of HO in the 60's, remember the Rivarossi plastic wheel flanges? That's equivalent to the deep flanges on the original MT's. RP-25 is roughly equivalent to 'low profile' and the new 'standard profile' is sorta-kinda equivalent to the Tyco flange from the 60's, in my opinion at least. If you're new to the N forums you'll find passionate defenders of these issues and wonder what you stepped in to deserve it. Please don't let us chase you off, we mean well.... but be aware that even the manufacturers scratch their heads, which is how you end up with three completely different flange depths available from the same manufacturer supposedly selling the same 'product'... For a while MT put in both deep flanges and low-profiles in the same car box! But the other amazing thing is despite the Balkanization, most of this stuff actually still actually manages to run, and in some cases the manufacturers make amazing adaptations given the technology. Every once in a while though, somebody manages to come up with a combination that simply will not work and I guarantee you that it will end up in here..! As for me I just went through a rather painful process of trying to adjust a "Z" mechanism to 9mm gauge and discovered that although the flanges don't kill ya, the tread width will and it falls into every Peco switch just like a pothole. In many cases you can get away with a low-profile flange through vintage switches just fine, if the wheel tread is just a hair wider, and I think the new "standard" wheel adjusted that just a bit. If not, we'll find out in a couple posts!
