Narrow Gauge Wheelsets in N and Z?

[pnolan48]

Folks,

I've been searching this forum and the Web for N scale narrow gauge wheelsets (not  Z scale wheelsets used in N). I think I am just brain-farting on this one, but can't find anything. I want to try them, if they exist, for the walking beam platform of the Hulett Unloader, and also for the base platform. A C (three wheel) truck would be perfect. The walking beam rails are nearly standard gauge, but the rails that move the entire platform along the length of the ship are much narrower.

Or, can I just take a standard gauge metal wheelset from somebody, re-gauge it, and chop off any ecess axle width?

I can usually find this kind of stuff; today I just can't, probably because I'm frustrated after writing instructions on how to assemble the darn thing. War and Peace anyone? "Connect the H-shaped piece, with the shorter vertical legs upwards, to the fronts of the platform along the indent, and to the risers, using the risers to maintain squareness . . ." Well, that won't do, obviously.

The wheel diameters are about 33-36" on the prototype. The gauge on the top platform, where the moving carriage travels back and forth is about 4'-0" on the prototype, so 3'-6" or so would work well, and even standard gauge. The bottom is about 3', so 3'-6" would do fine.

Help! If I can find these items, especially C-trucks, automating these monsters will be so much easier.

[C855B]

For wheels, I'd check the Northwest Short Line catalog, or maybe even give them a call. They have a big variety of wheels and axles that are essentially custom-assembled to your order. I suspect your project would benefit from the "/50" wheel width, which is very close to exact scale in N. You can also get bare wheels without axles at $1 each, in 1.5mm and 3/32" axle bores. If you aren't using the rails for power, then there you go - cut your own axles from tubing for the gauge you want to model.

Don't know what to tell you for the three-axle trucks. If you can find a suitable truck, NWSL may have an axle that fits that you can re-gauge. Some axles have shoulders and can't be narrowed, but they have several straight axle styles that would adjust easily.

[Chris333]

In Nn3 the wheelsets are Z gauge 

Microtrains
Fox Valley
Bowser
AZL

All make z wheels for Nn3.

You can look for z scale 6 wheel passenger trucks.

[jimmo]

If you're looking for finescale Nn3 wheels, www.republiclocomotiveworks.com/show_item.php?ID=1

[Chris333]

Zscalemonster has MBK type prices.

[Missaberoad]

Narrow gauge wheels were 24 to 26 inches so you wont find a 33 inch Nn3 wheelset... The Z scale axles are close, or you can regauge a fvm/blma axle    

[peteski]

If the Nn3 or Z wheel sets are similar in construction to N scale sets than regauging will be problematic. The axles have 2 diameters.  Smaller on the ends and larger in the center.  That prevents the wheels from moving inwards.

[nkalanaga]

Do they have to roll?  If not, any N scale wheelset can be narrowed by cutting a chunk out of the axle and putting the stubs in a piece of tubing, or by making a new axle, if the wheels and axles are separate.  It may not roll right, if the new axles aren't perfectly straight or the wheels on perfectly square, but for strictly scenic purposes they'd be fine.