Modern freight car break wheels?

[6axlepwr]

Who offers the best looking modern freight car brake wheels?

I am building a few Penn Central X72A boxcars using the Bachmann Evans boxcar. The break wheel is a bit thick and was hoping to replace it with something that looks a bit more to scale.

[chessie system fan]

It's hard to beat MT Miner break wheels.

[bbussey]

For the X72 — it should be modern-style Universal, but the MTL modern-style Miner is the best-looking option and the most readily available.

[6axlepwr]

Thanks all. I apologize for such a basic boring question. I am still learning all that is and is not available in N-Scale.

On this topic I did a search to see the difference between a Universal brake wheel and a Miner brake wheel and the MT Miner brake wheel seems to be a slight cross between the Universal and the Miner. Not really one or the other. So it looks like it will work just fine and I will order me a pack for the X72/X72A cars and for the X73 (Atlas FGE car).

[Catt]

Brian,
never apologize for asking questions.That's how the human brain learns.Besides your question may just tell someone else something they need to know.

[bbussey]

Thanks all. I apologize for such a basic boring question. I am still learning all that is and is not available in N-Scale.

On this topic I did a search to see the difference between a Universal brake wheel and a Miner brake wheel and the MT Miner brake wheel seems to be a slight cross between the Universal and the Miner. Not really one or the other. So it looks like it will work just fine and I will order me a pack for the X72/X72A cars and for the X73 (Atlas FGE car).

The Universal has eight spokes and the Miner has six spokes.

Gold Medal (I think) offers an etched sheet of a multitude of brakewheel styles including Universal, which probably is the best option.

[6axlepwr]

Oh yes, I forgot about Gold Medal Models. I'll look into that one.

[robert3985]

Etched NS or brass brake wheels have it all over MT injection molded ones.  I've used both Gold Medal Models and JnJ's and both are excellent.  Unfortunately JnJ is out of business nowadays, so as far as I know, GMM is the only source for etched brake wheels.

Here's a tip.  Take a birch dowel that's about the same diameter as the brake wheel, cut the end off square using a miter box.  Round the end slightly by chucking the dowel in a drill and using a diamond fingernail file or 320 grit small sanding block.  Don't make it so round that it looks like half a beach ball...more like a quarter or third of a beach ball.

When you cut your brake wheel off the fret, place it on a rectangular pink pencil eraser (a big one, not on the end of your pencil), and press the rounded end of your birch down into it carefully with the outer face of the etched brake wheel facing out.  This will "dish" your brake wheel nicely and really improve its looks.

Be careful to center your rounded dowel as closely as possible on the center of the etched brake wheel before pressing.

[6axlepwr]

Thanks Bob. I'll give that a try. I have a nice lathe that is begging me to use it.

[robert3985]

Thanks Bob. I'll give that a try. I have a nice lathe that is begging me to use it.

Brian,

Welllllllll....if you've gotta lathe (like me) then make the rounded "disher" out of aluminum, brass or steel, and put a little nub on the end that's a coupla thou less in OD than the ID of the etched hole through the middle of the GMM etched brake wheels.  That centers it on the brake wheel before "dishing", greatly speeding up the process with zero screw-ups. 

[spr1955]

........And if you don't have a lathe glue in a small diameter wire into the wood tip for the center pin.