HO RP25 31" wheelsets

[New ChooChoo]

Where can I purchase RP25 31" metal wheelsets? I have searched the Net and cant find any place that carries them. The only place I knew of was IHC-Hobby and they must be out of business. Their website has been down and IF you can get someone to answer the phone, they dont have anything in stock. I cant use any wheelsets larger like 33" or 36". I am putting them on IHC SS passenger cars and the larger wheelsets hit the brake shoes. Any ideas?

[rogertra]

31 inch wheels?

Not 33 inch wheels? 

33 inch are the standard freight car wheels, 36" wheels are the standard passenger wheel.  There are, of course, exceptions.

[rich1998]

IHC use to sell these wheel sets. I bought some a couple years ago. Might be hard to find. I think ihc has shut down. at least i cannot access their home page or they change the URL.
Below is a link from a google search. You might try searching yourself for all the words in your subject heading. That is what I did. there is a possibility you might find some old stock.

http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/ihc/ihc5996.htm

They are not in stock.
I did some searching for international hobby corporation and no more as far as I can see.

the trains.com forums discussed this also some weeks ago. Gone.

Lex

[New ChooChoo]

Yes the passenger cars from IHC-Hobby used 31"  RP-25 wheelsets. I hate to cut off the brake shoe ends on the trucks just to MAKE the wheelsets fit. I guess I'll drag a car out to the local hobby shop and see how 33" wheelsets fit. At the worst, I might have to change the height of the lead car's coupler to the engine tender. Beats buying NEW truck assemblys!! Anyone finds any 31" sets, I'd appreciate a heads-up!
Thanks!

[New ChooChoo]

Well I couldnt find the IHC 31" metal wheel sets for my IHC cars so I got the 33" by Bachmann. They fit BUT you have to try to bend the brake shoes on the end of the trucks out of the way. In my case they just snapped off so thats what I did. I reamed the axle pockets out with that little tool and the wheel sets fit right in and the cars glide along the track! I see alot of people giving IHC passenger cars a low rating but I think they look really nice! AND my SS set came with diaphragms on each end. I also am installing the interior kits...YES you can still find them!! You just have to search! The extra weight makes the cars stay on the track. I tried to install the IHC interior kits in Athearn cars...good luck with that!!! You would have to do alot of cutting,both length and width wise to MAKE them fit. All in all I have a nice set!

[Jhanecker2]

North West Short line has HO  30"dia . wheel sets & also 28"dia wheelsets in the Current
2010 Reference Catalog by Walters in the couplings and  trucks section . John II