Puzzling"Feature" on N scale wheelset package

[nkalanaga]

I recently bought some InterMountain #60050 N scale 33 inch wheelsets.  No problems with them, they're nice wheels.  But the "Features" on the back raised a question.  The packages listed:
- Non-Magnetic:  Good, as there used to be a lot of steel axles in N scale.
- Blackened:  Also good, for appearance, although painting wheels isn't too hard.
- Free Rolling:  Should be a given, but again, there have been a lot of N scale wheels that weren't
- Insulated:  That's stumped me.  Has anyone ever marketed UNinsulated wheelsets specifically for N scale?  Just as important, has anyone ever built an operating N scale layout that would (or could) use uninsulated wheelsets?  It would be possible, if it was operated from overhead wire or third rail, but common enough for someone to market such wheels?

[dem34]

I guess covering all their bases since Resistor wheelsets exist.

[nkalanaga]

Possible.  I hadn't thought of that.

Uninsulated wheelsets are used in larger scales by traction modelers, live steam modelers, and 3-rail modelers, as none of those need to insulate the rails for electrical purposes.  They can use prototypical signal circuits, if desired, and the traction folks use both rails for "ground".

But I couldn't remember ever hearing of an N scale modeler doing any of those.

[dem34]

I've heard of it being a thing in Europe where catenary power is much more common. So that can be a possible factor considering how often things like Micro-Trains couplers and low profile wheelesets get imported there.

[peteski]

I think this is simply a marketing thing. They are itemizing a "feature" which happens to be a standard feature in all N scale wheelsets.  Another possibility is that they failed to fully describe the "feature"  Maybe they meant "singe wheel insulated feature" as opposed to "both wheels insulated (from the metal axle)  feature".

In my experience European manufacturers specify whether a single, or both wheels are insulated from the metal axle. They have wheelsets made both ways.

I have never encountered N scale wheelsets where both wheels were not insulated from the metal axle.

[nkalanaga]

"Single insulated" might be what they mean, as that would be important to know if one used them on an older car with axle-wiper lighting, or a similar use.  The IM wheelsets are single-insulated, I just checked.

"I have never encountered N scale wheelsets where both wheels were not insulated from the metal axle."

Many were double-insulated, probably to save on making two types of wheels, but not all.

I have seen other single-insulated N scale wheelsets.  In fact, I have a bunch of brand-new ones, from 40-50 years ago.  The old Con-Cor metal wheels, the ones with nice small flanges, were single-insulated.  And the Rivarossi passenger cars imported by Atlas had single-insulated wheelsets, as they used axle wipers for lighting,

Also, many, if not all, of Minitrix's diesel wheelsets were single-insulated, if they were expected to pick up power.  If not, as on the U28C's third axles, they were plastic!

[peteski]

Nkalanga, we seem to be on the same page. I'm not sure if you understood my last post.

I stated that European wheel manufacturers make wheelsets which have either single or both wheels insulated on a single metal axle, and that is usually mentioned in the wheelset's description.

The current American aftermarket wheel manufacturers seem to be favoring a design using solid metal axle, and single wheel insulated, and as you mentioned, the same design was used on vintage Con-Cor (Kato Sekisui?) and Bachmann wheelsets.

[nkalanaga]

I agree with most of your Aug 15 post, and think having both types of wheels available here would be useful.

It's just the last line that seems to be the problem.  I took "both wheels were not insulated" to mean you hadn't seen single-insulated wheels in the US.  After more consideration, it should have been interpreted as "neither wheel was insulated", which I should have thought of, as that was my original question!  So, yes, we do seem to be in agreement.

[peteski]

I agree with most of your Aug 15 post, and think having both types of wheels available here would be useful.

It's just the last line that seems to be the problem.  I took "both wheels were not insulated" to mean you hadn't seen single-insulated wheels in the US.  After more consideration, it should have been interpreted as "neither wheel was insulated", which I should have thought of, as that was my original question!  So, yes, we do seem to be in agreement.

Ah, the fact that English is my 2nd language shows up in my phrasing.

[nkalanaga]

You should see some of the "odd phrasing"  I've dealt with from native-born Appalachian Americans!

[JMaurer1]

At one point I was an advertising major (scholarship but I eventually came to my senses). They need to put something on the packaging that makes it sound 'better' than the competition. I guess putting 'now perfectly round' was a little too obvious.

The ads where they say 'the average person saved $500 when they switched to our insurance' doesn't mean you will save $500...it just means that if it DIDN'T save around $500, it wasn't worth the effort for most people to switch insurance companies. It's not what you say, its how you say it.