Anyone still use these? I did use them back in the 90's and wondering if they are worth getting again. Regards, Nick
They are still pretty good. I use their couplers (scale size 158’s). Since most ready to roll models now have metal wheels, I don’t really see the need to buy the Kadee ones. I would just be replacing metal with metal and wasting 10 or 12 bucks on a pack of wheels. However, if you are building old kits or upgrading your models that don’t have metal wheels, Kadee is still good. You can check out Intermountain or Exactrail wheels too. If you have modern models with roller bearing trucks, Exactrail makes some cool 70 and 100 ton versions. They are fully equalized and I like them a lot. Athearn Genesis also has trucks with functioning roller bearing caps, but I think they are discontinued as separate parts.
Many don't care for the Kadee wheelsets because of the blackening stuff comes off on the track. Here is another modelers comment on TO: "Kadees are being phased out - many are wearing out and now squeal badly, most roll like there's glue on the rails. Replacing them is well worth the trouble." I knew a guy in Indiana who outfitted a long train of covered hoppers with Kadee wheels. He noticed they were hard to pull and had a lot of drag on them. He changed all the Kadee's out for metal axle Jaybee wheel sets and noticed a huge improvement. By far the most popular wheels mentioned over and over by modelers are the Intermountain wheel sets. Of course if cars come with metal wheels, there is probably no reason to change them out unless there is a problem with them. As for couplers, of course Kadee is king. I used to use #5 but I much prefer now the scale head Kadee's - 158s.
That is some good information. I have never used the Kadee wheels. I just assumed they were fine, like their other products, but yeah, Intermountain are pretty solid. With the factory issue brought up last week, we’ll see how Intermountain products do, so get what you can now.
I too have not had good luck with KD wheels, we use a lot of IM wheels as well, but mostly in IM trucks, whether the car is IM or not. But by far the best wheels I have ever used are Reboxx wheels, they come in different lengths and sizes. IM wheels in many non IM trucks have too much end play, most IM wheels I have measured are 1.015- 1.020 long. And many trucks need a 1.025+ length to work at optimum performance. Reboxx wheels also come with both wheels insulated from the axle as an option too. I recommend a truck tuning tool as well, available from a big on line micro tool seller.
Is Reboxx still around? I don’t know much about them and really only hear them in the context of wheels. Is that all they make? If you are in N scale, Fox Valley makes different axle lengths too.
Reboxx.com the site opened up for me. I bought about $250.00 of wheel sets a couple months ago. I used to buy IM wheels in the bulk (100) packages. But found that when they are all in a bag like that the very ends of the axles would get burred up and hurt the performace substantially, some points were bent to the point the truck would wobble down the track. Reboxx and IM wheels come packaged So that the points don't get hit unless you take them out and bang them up. Tangent, exactrail wheels and trucks are most favorable as well. Im sure there are more. I gotta say reboxxed wheeled KD trucks are great performers too. I use their metal trucks with reboxx axles both insulated wheels to the same side to power ETD's, caboose lights and so forth. But you gotta put just a very small amount of lube on the axle points, or they will squeak.
Since Kadee is THE go-to company for couplers, one would assume their wheelsets are also top notch. Back before there were few other quality choices, and most rolling stock came with plastic wheels, Kadee dominated that market, but now we have truly CNC turned wheels from IMRC, ExactRail, Reboxx and others, and folks have noticed some negative things like Kadee plastic axles have a bit more drag and the wheels them selves are not turned but some sort of pressed (but they claim not sintered) or formed wheels which are blackened, the blackened material comes off on the rail and some say the collect grime faster than the CNC turned wheels. Yes, Intermountain's factory closed down but apparently they already have two other factories now under contract so I wouldn't worry too much. Heck, most of the rolling stock I buy these days come with nice metal wheels so I don't need a lot to outfit some of my older rolling stock.
Years ago (over 30) when I started my HO layout, I had purchased quite a few undecorated blue box kits to custom paint for my freelance railroad. I did have a Walthers dealrship at the time and replaced the trucks with sprung Kadde trucks. I also replaced the plastic wheels on other BB kits with Kadee wheels. I have absolutely no plastic wheels at all on any of my equipment. In more recent years with other manufacturers offering metal wheels, I have used many different brands and all have worked excellent.
