Are the metal wheels on the coaches and trucks insulated so I could pick up power from the tracks using wheel wipers or a wheel shaft wiper? Has any one done this to light up the interior of the coaches.
yes they are insulated. if they weren't. you wouldn't be able to run them because they'd short out your power supply. I don't have any of the coaches, but my Thomas freight cars appear to have wheelsets that are insulated at the hubs, with metal wheels and axles. as such, an axle wiper will not work, but wipers on the wheel treads or backs have possibilities.