Anton Dyak wrote on the weekend to let me know about his progress with re-wheeling ready-to-run stock. He writes:
Overall I have this idea to produce ready-to-run models out of the box equipped with P87 compatible wheels. Since making model trains is an expensive investment I start with replacement parts such as compatible-length wise axles with slightly wider center to maintain “in-gauge” position for wheels compatible with mostly European model train brands. As typically European trains use larger wheels I need to make sure wheels get mounted perpendicular to an axle as any angle away from 90 degrees will present a big wobble problem. These are common European rolling stock sizes. 900mm or 35.5″ are for autoracks, while most trains use 950mm or 37.4″ and some high ride comfort cars use 1000mm or 39.4″. Attached are images of conversion of my German dining car. For now only one truck test-converted and shows significant wobbling as wheels I used (NorthWest ShortLine come either convex or concave). I am thinking of jigs to flatten them into true-run wobble free wheels.
Original Roco passenger car uses 950mm or 37.4″ wheels mounted on 24.75mm or 0.974″ axle. This axle tends to be somewhat wobbly.My (Masterist Scale Railroad Models) trial axle is 0.975″ or 24.765mm. Works perfectly, no wobble. Wheels are Northwest Shortline 38″, they match size-wise but like I mentioned are concave and thus instead of 0.064″ caliper reading shows 0.073″…finally I found out what causes problem that drove me nuts for a long time: not faulty tools or axles, wheels aren’t perfectly flat. Now designing jigs to flatten concave wheels into flat ones using arbor press.
Proto87.org 