I think I am correct that the NASG never has been able to come up with standards that everyone would agree on for highrail wheels. And the big problem was that anything NASG came up with, Lionel would ignore, and could ignore since they dominated the highrail market. But doesn't the NASG have standards for scale wheels? If so, I cannot think of any excuse if Lionel ignores those standards as it says it is trying to enter the scale market. Comments? Earl Henry, Nashville . In a message dated 2/23/2013 9:57:04 P.M. Central Standard Time, [email protected] writes:
> Ed, > the new Lionel hoppers are supposed to come with scale wheels. > Alan Lambert Hello Alan..... You need to investigate more carefully exactly what Lionel means by the word "scale". It is different from what SHS means by the same word. And, it is different from what most all of us S scale guys mean by "scale". I'd like to suggest you read the first two pages of the 2013 AF/Lionel catalog where they describe what they (Lionel) consider to be scale. There is a significant terminology differential here which can be quite confusing to the uninitiated. Then, you will need to know the axle diameter, axle length, wheel gauge and axle shape of the Lionel wheels before you will have any idea if the SHS wheels will be usable as a replacement. Since nobody has yet seen the Lionel wheels, there is no way to do this. Guessing and assuming are not good ideas. First hand knowledge works a lot better. In short, you have no way to know how to make the new Lionel cylindrical hopper into something that will run on scale track which conforms to NMRA/NASG specifications and standards. One way, of course, would be to replace the entire Lionel truck with something different. But which truck will be the correct one to use? More research is needed...... I like your idea of buying a cylindrical hopper and then telling the rest of us how to make it into a scale model. Have fun....Ed Loizeaux
