Question for Atlas - cost of wheels

[nkalanaga]

Now that Atlas owns BLMA, I was wondering how much it would raise the cost of a freight car to switch from plastic to BLMA wheels at the factory?

The plastic wheels work fine for me, so I don't usually change them, just curious on whether the price increase would be high enough to lower sales.

[Missaberoad]

One issue would be the BLMA axle length isn't compatible with the majority of Atlas' trucks... Would require some redesign there...
The Industry is definitely moving towards all metal wheels tho... a good number of Atlas' recent releases have had some version of metal wheels...

[nkalanaga]

If the axle length is different it probably wouldn't be worth the trouble to change.  Like I said, the plastic wheels work just fine, and tooling new axles wouldn't be cheap.

Thank you!

[peteski]

If the axle length is different it probably wouldn't be worth the trouble to change.  Like I said, the plastic wheels work just fine, and tooling new axles wouldn't be cheap.

Thank you!

Like Ryan said, even before the BLMA buyout Atlas was using their own metal wheels on many of their rolling stock offerings. Whether Atlas adapts the ex. BLMA wheelsets to the Atlas rolling stock (while Atlas already produces their own metal wheels) is anyone's guess.  What would be the advantage of dumping the Atlas metal wheels in favor of modified BLMA wheels?

[tehachapifan]

On the subject of replacement wheels, does anyone know what axle length would fit Atlas' "Front Runner" cars?

[nkalanaga]

Peteski:  There really wouldn't be any advantage, as far as I can see.  The Atlas 36 inch wheels I have on some of my tankcars and covered hoppers work fine.  I just assumed that, since the PS hoppers still have plastic wheels, there was a reason they didn't use their own metal wheels on them, and that BLMA wheels might fit better.

[peteski]

Peteski:  There really wouldn't be any advantage, as far as I can see.  The Atlas 36 inch wheels I have on some of my tankcars and covered hoppers work fine.  I just assumed that, since the PS hoppers still have plastic wheels, there was a reason they didn't use their own metal wheels on them, and that BLMA wheels might fit better.

As I recall, BLMA wheelsets have axle length that fits MTL trucks. Atlas uses different axle length. I think they use plastic wheels in their lower-priced models and metal in their "Master Line" or whatever it is called.

[nkalanaga]

Plastic for the Trainman and metal for Master would make sense, but the PS 2750 hoppers are in the Master line, and still have plastic.

Oh well.  Like I said, the plastic wheels work fine for me, so it doesn't really matter.  I was just curious about the cost difference.

[Mark5]

Plastic for the Trainman and metal for Master would make sense, but the PS 2750 hoppers are in the Master line, and still have plastic.

I think Atlas is slowly phasing in the metal wheels. This is only a guess.

[narrowminded]

The cost to change axle lengths .020" or so for metal wheelsets would be hard to measure.  It would be a computer program edit.  Any additional costs would be in additional inventory, decision making which shouldn't cost out to much, and the ink for the extra decimal point and place holding zeros required.    Unless I'm missing something.

[peteski]

Since Atlas already has metal wheels manufactured for their native trucks, I really don't see the point or need to adapt the BLMA (metal) wheels to fit into Atlas trucks. Why can't both flavors of metal wheels (both now owned by Atlas but probably made in different factories) just coexist?

[narrowminded]

Since Atlas already has metal wheels manufactured for their native trucks, I really don't see the point or need to adapt the BLMA (metal) wheels to fit into Atlas trucks. Why can't both flavors of metal wheels (both now owned by Atlas but probably made in different factories) just coexist?

They could.   My point was only that the cost to change the axle length, something brought up several times, would be miniscule. 

[Missaberoad]

Since Atlas already has metal wheels manufactured for their native trucks, I really don't see the point or need to adapt the BLMA (metal) wheels to fit into Atlas trucks. Why can't both flavors of metal wheels (both now owned by Atlas but probably made in different factories) just coexist?

One point would be the BLMA wheels have a more realistic profile and width then any current Atlas wheel...

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Hate me, but I prefer plastic wheels.

[nscalbitz]

Hate me, but I prefer plastic wheels.

Being an 'economic' modeller, I have to agree. If they work as is, no need to change.
Layout I used (not mine) to scenic, operate and test is gone now. So even less need for expense.
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