----- Original Message ----- From: rcovington92 1. AM states that their scale wheels will not run on their track without some modification...How come . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > In the early days of American Models, they sold Old Pullman trackwork which was 100% scale, code 100 rail & all that. AM with scale wheels ran fine on it, highrail or tinplate would not. But they discontinued it and Old Pullman went our of business, or at least out of S. Shinohara and Tomalco Track, primarily, have the scale track needs pretty well covered, so Old Pullman track is not missed.
The track we think of as AM track is strictly for highrail & tinplate. AM makes it with code 148 rail and flangeways wide enough for highrail & tinplate equipment, so it is not reliable for scale. This is not so strange when one considers that maybe 85% of AM cars & locos are sold with highrail wheels. < < < < < < < < < < < < < < and what do you do to fix that? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Assuming by now you have decided on scale, you simply don't buy AM track. It's not for you. You want Shinohara, Tomalco track, WhiteOak, or do-it-yourself with FastTrack jigs. < < < < < < < < < < < < < < < 2. Lionel offers AC in scale wheels while AM doesn't.... . . . . . but again how come? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Is Lionel offering AC with scale wheels? I understand Lionel's proposed SD70ACe is advertised as to be available with scale or highrail wheels, but I don't know that it will be available in traditional AC. I understand it will come with their own take-it-or-leave-it proprietary non-NMRA digital control. But all that so far is dream-ware. We shall see what actually comes. AM doesn't offer scale wheels with AC control because there is virtually zero demand for it. But, as someone else recently mentioned, they will do anything reasonable that you ask. I got from AM two of their Pacific steamers with scale wheels and AC, just so I could run them on my club's scale-only modular system and have the sound that was then only available via AC. That was long before DCC. < < < < < < < < < < < < < < < 3. Not sure where MTH/SHS will land on this but if any one knows... > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > They've said it will be their own proprietary system, but that is said to have some NMRA-DCC compatibility. We shall see. < < < < < < < < < < < < < < < 4. Will FastTrack run both hi-rail and scales or is it to low? If it is to low can you grind down the flange depth on hi-rail to make it work? > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> I don't know much about FastTrack, but the thing to understand is that achieving track/wheel compatibility has much more to do with the flange width than the flange depth. In your spare time, have a look at the NMRA's diagrams of wheelset profiles and turnout dimensions, and pay particular attention to the dimension called "check-gauge." Note how the check-gauge of the wheelsets interacts with the check-gauge of the turnout at the frog. Or just forget AM highrail track and FastTrack, and go with scale track. Tom Hawley -- Lansing Mich (warning - still a dealer of TomalcoTrack and WhiteOak.)
