kato amfleet II

[victor miranda]

what size are the wheels?
I'd prefer the Kato wheel dimension.

from back when I saw similar looking cars at wash DC union station
I had decided they were 36 inches.

I am thinking I need to build a pilot truck...

victor

[victor miranda]

I found a picture of the trucks with the wheels
http://www.katousa.com/images/800131

[peteski]

0.218" (about 35") and wheelbase is 0.633".  But why make a pilot truck?  Kato still has GS-4 pilot trucks in stock.  The Amfleet II truck's wheel faces look a bit odd for a steam loco truck.

[victor miranda]

the inside bearing.

the wheels are big for a pilot so I don't think I'll be using them.

the gs-4 pilot is not all that good for a pacific.

victor

[peteski]

the inside bearing.

the wheels are big for a pilot so I don't think I'll be using them.

the gs-4 pilot is not all that good for a pacific.

victor

Um, that is exactly why I asked. I didn't think it would be usable for a loco pilot truck.  Even the wheelbase of the Amfleet II truck is probably too large for a Pacific pilot truck, right?  Why not then buy that GS-4 pilot truck, then just either shorten it or just use its properly shaped and properly sized wheels for your Pacific truck?

[victor miranda]

Hi peteski,

weeeeell....
there are time when I think I am alone in looking at an assembly like
a truck and seeing 'parts' for other things.  Kato sells just the the axles in
a bag of 4 BTW.

Ya know, the gs4 pilot truck had not crossed my mind,
for that thought I have to thank you.
I will check it, as I have what I think will be a spare one.

I am so used to making pilot trucks that often I don't consider
the ones at hand.

The theory goes that I can turn out my own pilot wheels.
It is not how I want to spend my time.
The pilot truck on the kato mike has beautiful wheels
and at 3.75 an axle they are a wee bit expensive
when compared to freight truck axles.

what I have in mind is a truck that tracks better and fits the space better.

victor



 

[peteski]

You're welcome Victor. I bought about half a dozen of both GS-4 leading and trailing trucks because I thought they were well made, they looked good and I thought they were a good buy for the price.  But if you want to roll your own then just as you said, the wheel sets alone are available too.  The Kato Mikado leading truck does have nice wheels but GS-4 truck's wheels are pretty nice too (they seem to have thinner profile and finer flange than Mikados).