I model HO. Sometime ago i've bought a 86' high cube box car. It came with 33" wheelsets (at scale, of course). Is that prototypical, or should the size be 36"?
Thank's.
Fernando
I think most cars come with appropriate wheels.
The only freight cars I have with 36" wheels are 100 ton hoppers. Visually I can't see the slight difference, but I'm not a rivet counter.
Other members with a greater knowledge of longer freight cars will comment, mine are all 50' or less.
I believe modern long freight cars come with 33" diameter and smaller wheels to allow for taller cars to have more vertical clearance . They would be more probably be found on triple stack auto carrriers and double stack container carriers as well as the high cube box cars.
Quote from: Jhanecker2 on September 23, 2008, 10:44:08 AM
I believe modern long freight cars come with 33" diameter and smaller wheels to allow for taller cars to have more vertical clearance . They would be more probably be found on triple stack auto carrriers and double stack container carriers as well as the high cube box cars.
Generally, 36s or slightly bigger are for passenger, 33s stay for freight.
It depends on the weight capacity it is designed to carry.
Examples
33 = 70 ton
36 = 100 ton
38 = 120 ton
High Cube will be 33" wheels. ;)