Today I was cleaning out my friends Garage and came across a partial J/S Bachmann kit with Spoked Wheels. Plastic spokes and metal rims. Are these still available, cos they look great. This could be one for Loco Bill.
Dave
Well Dave, that is a tough one.
I am not aware of any J&S passenger cars with spoked wheels. Bachmann in the early to mid 90's did made wheels with plastic centers and metal rims and some were spoked. They were not the greatest wheels and were replaced by the all metal wheels very quickly. Other manufacturer tried plastic wheels with metal rims as well.
Since the kit was opened I suspect your friend may have substituted spoked wheels for the originals. The early kits came with plastic wheels and the later kits came only with the full metal wheels.
Bachmann put spoked plastic wheels with metal rims on some locomotives but only on locomotives that I know of. Examples of this would be the early LYN and many of the other 2-4-2's and others as well (didn't have time to check on others). Back then it would not have been difficult to obtain them.
There are spoked wheels on the Thomas passenger and freight cars, but I don't have any here to see if they are metal. I was under the impression they are plastic. hopefully someone with access to the Thomas goodies can answer this.
Maybe Wade Colyer can add to this, he usually catches stuff that I miss or forget.
Thanks for the info Bill.
I might try them on the Tender on my Annie and see how they perform. If they don't cut the mustard they will make good junk material.
Cheers
Dave
Hi Dave and Bill:
I have the Lionel Thomas passenger cars that have all plastic spoked wheels and the Bachmann troublesone trucks for the James set that are all metal and very large spoked wheels. I've never seen plastic spoked metal tired wheels before. Maybe LGB?
Wade
Bill,
The later Bachmann Thomas has spoked metal wheels, very nice. I am converting one now.
Barry - BBT
The pilot wheels on some Annies also have spoked all metal wheels, but they are probably smaller than you would want on a Passenger car or freight car.
Thanks Barry & Wade for the update on the Thomas metal wheels.
Wade, I think you might be right, on those wheels being LGB. They are a little tight against the Brake shoes and he also had lots of LGB rolling stock. Definitely Bachmann passenger trucks though. Might just put them on my Annie Tender,as they look good.
Cheers
Dave
Dave,
They are most likely LGB, early on they came out with all plastic spoke wheels for their "European" short wheel based rolling stock and later came out with the metal rim plastic spoke wheels. They are still available as replacements for the earlier cars. I bought a box from Watts a year ago - very pricey.