Replacement wheelsets for a mantua steamer

[nachoman]

I've got a mantua steamer, and the wheelsets on the pilot truck, the trailing truck, and the tender trucks have deeper flanges than I like. Plus, the pilot truck has plastic wheels on one side, and I would rather have metal.

So... I was thinking of spoked wheels for the pilot truck. I know NWSL makes these, and I am likely going to have to order them. Does anyone know if they come one or two to a pack?

For the trailing truck, I was also thinking of a spoked wheelset, but this is a large diameter wheel - 44 or 45 inches. Anyone know where I can find a wheelset that will fit in there? I see precision scale sells a whole truck assembly with 45" wheels. I'd rather just replace the wheelset and not the whole truck, though.

And for the tender - I need something that can pick up power. It looks like one wheel picks up power and is transmitted though the axle end and the truck sideframe, rather than a wiper on the axle like a MDC loco. Has anyone else replaced the tender wheelsets on a mantua loco, and if so, what did you use?

Kevin

 

[e-paw]

If you change the pilot or trailing truck wheels metal ones you may have on electrical problem. Make sure they do not short out the power supply.

 

[nachoman]

The way these trucks are designed, I don't anticipate any additional shorting issues by using metal wheels. After examining the tender wheels further, it looks like the wheelsets would be tricky to remove from the sideframes. It looks as if they may be riveted together. I could replace the whole truck, but again I am not sure what else would work.

Kevin

 

[doctorwayne]

I believe that the tender trucks are riveted together - you can use a suitably-sized drill bit to remove the rivet, but you'd need another, un-used rivet to re-assemble the truck. NorthWest Short line makes replacement wheelsets for almost anything: you'll need to supply info on the wheel diameter, axle length and diameter, axle end style, and whether you want one or both wheels insulated from the axle. And, most wheels can be had in either brass, nickel-silver plated brass or steel, in various tread widths, and blackened or unblackened.
Another possible solution is to replace the trucks with suitable ones from Bachmann: all of their trucks are available separately, either with or without mounting hardware and axle wipers. I used Bachmann trucks and wheels, with their axle wipers, to provide tender pick-up for my modified Athearn Mikados - a slight modification to the mounting bolster on the tenders was all that was required. In HO scale, they have Andrews style, GSC high speed style, and archbar type, to name a few, and there may be others.

Wayne

 

[nachoman]

i could probably replace the rivet with a screw and use the original mantua truck frames with NWSL wheelsets But I think I would rather have arch bar trucks for the period/locale that I am modeling. I am assuming bachmann sells their trucks individually? Another option I have is to swap tenders altogether. I have an unused MDC vanderbuilt that would look good, but I am not sure how appropriate a vandy tender would be for 1918.

Kevin

 

[doctorwayne]

Supposedly, the Vanderbilt-style tender was patented in 1901.
I don't know if Bachmann sells the tender trucks separately, but I do know for sure that they sell them as pairs.
Look through the Bachmann site to find the style you want, then call them on the 'phone.

EDIT: I can't find a part number for the complete truck assembly, but if you tell them that you want a pair of complete archbar tender trucks, including wipers and mounting hardware, for their #82305 or #83307 Ten Wheeler, they'll know what you're looking for.

Wayne