Farish Wheel Standards

[ten0G]

 

I have so far been unable to find any relevant information about wheel standards, so I hope someone can point me in the right direction, please. 

It really revolves around which track standard to use for my layout, Finetrax code 40 or Peco code 55.  All my models so far are made-in-China Farish and Dapol and run fine on the Kato Unitrack test-track which gets packed up every time I've finished playing with testing my latest additions. 

I'm concerned that the wheels may not look right if the track standard is too fine, but am hoping to avoid track which is too prominent, especially during periods when there are no trains in view to keep the attention focused.  Living where I do, I don't have any chance to experiment. 

Additionally, I may try purchasing some older items from eBay and whilst I can avoid Lima and Minitrix, earlier Farish models also have pizza-cutter wheels and it's not always easy to see on the wagons & coaches. 

Are there some guidelines to go by, like pre-Bachmann item numbers or box designs, etc.  I often see if I can find photos on Hatton's to help. 

Replacing the wheels is not really an option due to my location, and I'm also a bit bothered by the possible lack of detail on some pieces looking out of place as well. 

So, it's all very hard for me to judge, and I'd be interested in other member's views please on how they would deal with such a situation.   

[sp1]

An interesting topic! I have just posted on another thread (Geominster - have a look it's great, by the way!) - I have a lot of stock ( some of it quite old - ie Poole era Farish) but N commercial N gauge track looks horrible! I am thinking of trying fiNetrax  - I have built turnouts in 00, and through the generosity of members on another forum, have parts to try building a copperclad turnout.
I know my old stock won't run without rewheeling, but as I like steam engines 2mmFS might not be viable for me (I can change wagon/ coach wheels, but locos might be a problem...).

I can put up with th wheels on 'modern' N, but Peco track looks horrible to my eyes!

[Portpatrick]

On my limited number of Minitrix coaches and wagons, I have successfully replaced the original wheel sets (plastic wheels) with current Farish issue.  In practice I have similarly dealt with all my pizza cutter Farish stock (mostly wagons).  Better appearance, good running and they will be more usable if I use code 55 on the next layout.  My only Lima stock are a Syphon and a CCT.  I used Farish for one and Parkside from the NGS shop for the other.  That does not of course solve any issue with locos.

[belstone]

Back to back setting seems to be the critical measurement.  As an experiment I narrowed down the flangeways on Peco Code 55 points with thin strips of Plastikard, giving me something very close to the Finetrax flangeway dimensions, and found that anything under the NEM standard of 7.4mm BTB rode up over the narrowed flangeways.  Unfortunately even some recent Farish products are considerably under 7.4mm. Most of the older stuff seems closer to 7.2mm. Code 55 copes just fine with that, provided you don't mind your wheelsets dropping into the giant hole in the middle of the frog.

[Bealman]

I think that, as the original post states, location and availability are the major hurdles here. Those factors would tempt me to go with Peco code 55 as a compromise,  but hey, nothings impossible - just that some things are harder than others. 

[Kris]

There is no question the the code 40 fiNetrax looks a lot better than Peco code 55 track, particularly when no trains are present.

You do want to avoid the pizza cutters on code 40. Farish items with 4 digit codes have larger flanges than newer items (these have 6 digit codes). 

[ten0G]

There is no question the the code 40 fiNetrax looks a lot better than Peco code 55 track, particularly when no trains are present.

You do want to avoid the pizza cutters on code 40. Farish items with 4 digit codes have larger flanges than newer items (these have 6 digit codes).

 

Am I correct in assuming that the Farish Pullmans with 4-digit codes will just need the wheels replacing, or is it more complicated. 

I can't see them in the 6-digit product list, and the period I hope to model is probably too early for the Pullman Mk1s. 

[Kris]

There is no question the the code 40 fiNetrax looks a lot better than Peco code 55 track, particularly when no trains are present.

You do want to avoid the pizza cutters on code 40. Farish items with 4 digit codes have larger flanges than newer items (these have 6 digit codes).

 

Am I correct in assuming that the Farish Pullmans with 4-digit codes will just need the wheels replacing, or is it more complicated. 

I can't see them in the 6-digit product list, and the period I hope to model is probably too early for the Pullman Mk1s.

The old style Pullmans have never been manufactured after the Bachmann takeover so you won't find them with a 6 digit product code.
The tooling had been about for a very long time (however they are not bad models) and depending on the age of the model you might get wheels with either huge or larger flanges (unless a previous owner has changed the wheels already). The good news is that these wheels are very easy to change for new ones, just pop the old wheels out and then pop the new ones back in.

[ODRAILS]

An interesting topic! .........
I can put up with the wheels on 'modern' N, but Peco track looks horrible to my eyes!

I agree !  The only reason I'm starting an N gauge layout is the availability of Finetrax N code 40 track for the visible area of my railway. The recent N locos and stock from Dapol and Bachmann have been tempting me for a while but I have been put off by the awful looking toy-like code 80 and code 55 track. I must admit, so I can actually get something running in a reasonable timescale I will be using the latter including setrack for hidden areas & fiddle yard.
Ian

[Bealman]

G'day from Australia, Ian, and welcome to the NGF! 

Let's hear of your plans in the welcome section! 

[DELETED]

Hi,

Are there some guidelines to go by, like pre-Bachmann item numbers or box designs, etc.  I often see if I can find photos on Hatton's to help.

I think Hattons is a fantastic place to check images at least, second is google images.  If it's new stock they also hold rulers against the item so you can see length.  For farish poole era items I've replaced wheels with the newer ones OK which is a huge improvement in my eyes even on my code 80 track -but there's the extra small cost there though.  Don't write-off Hattons for used stuff every time though, if you did find a job lot from them it may be economical enough for shipping to buy a pack of newer wheels also.

If I'm looking at second hand boxed items I know I check Farish items for:

1. Whether they come in a black sleeve with a yellow bottom edge compared to some older items in a black sleeve with a thick white border round the window
2. Whether the internal packaging is moulded in a white tray or in clear "split and folded packaging" -sorry, that's the best way I can describe it, not an exact science but a guide as sometimes newer stuff is still in older packaging -then I try and check for pizza cutter wheels
3. If it's loco's, considering the above, my newer stock usually has grey foam internal packaging rather than a moulded tray

...If it's not boxed then loco or rolling stock I try and check the wheels first (pizza cutters dead give-away).  I don't find too much trouble with pizza cutters on wagons -but my experience of Poole era locomotives (diesels) is not good as second hand buys so far so I use my checks above to avoid them.  I KNOW lots of folk say Poole loco's are fine though.

I have a back-to-back gauge which I've used on a few things.  Trouble is though as most find it's measuring from the back of the wheel not the outer edge of the flange, so while it is still quite useful, some further tweeking often required.

Hope this helps,

Rich

[JasonBz]

Are there any  N standards at all? I really wish to find some if they do exist somewhere, mianly just to know what to work to in this scale

[DELETED]

Are there any  N standards at all? I really wish to find some if they do exist somewhere, mianly just to know what to work to in this scale

Well there's always the NMRA, I put your question into google and lots of technical standards come up for N Scale?  Depends how far you want to look into it I guess.  Gone are the days we used to buy books as a guide -nowadays 'tinternet floods everyone with so much choice / info -it seems bewildering now!

Rich

[Nigel Cliffe]

Are there any  N standards at all? I really wish to find some if they do exist somewhere, mianly just to know what to work to in this scale

MOROP, the European manufacturer's trade body has N standards (and other scales). It is mostly written in German, applies to most European made models, including the UK.   

NMRA standards, North American society, which applies to most US brands. 

For N, the two standards are not quite the same, though its possible to find an area where they overlap, and thus things can work on both if made to the intersection of the two standards.     Or, its possible to make things which comply to one of the standards and doesn't work on the other.

Then, in the UK, need to decide if your track/wheels are MOROP or NMRA ( I think Peco track is MOROP), then build the scale items (bodies, buildings, etc) to 1:148.


Or, decide its much easier to work to a single consistent track/wheel standard and use 2mm Finescale :-) .

- Nigel