Intermountain hoppers wheel changeout

[dsumner]

I want to change out Intermountain wheel sets on Trinity 5161 hoppers with FVM brass wheel sets; would I use the 33'' 3301's, or 36'' 3601's??

[GaryHinshaw]

It depends on how fastidious you want to be.  The prototype hoppers use 36" wheels in 100 ton truck frames.  The MT trucks supplied with the model are 70 ton frames which use 33" wheels.   The easiest thing to do - which is a compromise - is to use 36" wheels and be happy.  The more correct thing to do is to swap the trucks for 100T frames, but since MT does not make such a frame, you have to go with another coupler, or body mount....  Here's a shot of the easy option: MT trucks with 3601 wheels:



Before I got hung up on body mounting couplers, this was the way I was going, and I was pretty happy with it.

Cheers,
Gary

P.S. 100T frames have a longer wheelbase: 5'9" vs. 5'6" for 70T.  Not a huge difference, but noticeable if you pay attention to such things.

[dsumner]

Thank you for the info>> helpful!!

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I think the IM Canadian and ACF hoppers were designed to use IM's own 100T truck, and therefore will take Atlas's 100T accumate trucks without modification. I know their 5150s came out long after they abandoned their own truck line, but they MAY take Atlas 100T trucks as well. If they don't, try using low profile metal wheels on them, that should alleviate any issues with the flange scraping the body.

I really miss those IM trucks. It seems like such a waste not to have them around anumore especially with Bachmann, Accumate and McHenry couplers a drop in fit.

[lock4244]

BLMA trucks are a great fit as well, but you'd need to body mount the couplers... which is problematic if you're me.