First, I'd like to say that I'm a proponent of Code 88 wheelsets. I like the
way they look. At 67 I still don't have any problem putting them on the track
any more than I do any trains. My son Danny's layout is about 58" high, and
both my eyes and my back prefer that height, (or higher), while rerailing cars
with wheels of any size.
I bought a substantial quantity before the former owners sold NWSL and I
install them every time I acquire a car, no matter the manufacturer, and have
been installing on older cars as time permits. Sometimes you have to ream out
the axle holes a little, or conversely, find a way to eliminate excessive slop.
A longer term goal is to put a surface mount resistor on the two outmost
wheelsets of every car in case my plans to signal a layout ever come to pass.
That is one reason I have not painted any of them yet.
Lately I have been concerned because I'm running low of one type. So this is
good news to me - that the new owner may even put them back in the catalog. Or
at least I may be able to order in quantity if I need to.
I've been running code88 wheelsets on Danny's layout on various cars. He also
has a mixture of wheels on his fleet, including Code 88, that he runs all the
time. As Bill stated they are not as wide so there may be more "ticking" sounds
as they pass through a turnout. Danny has been installing Fasttracks turnouts
and replacing the frogs on older turnouts with Fasttracks frogs. So tracking
problems with code 88 wheels are disappearing. These wheelsets are also good at
finding spots on the layout where the gauge is slightly too wide. As Bill also
suggested good truck equalization is also highly desirable.
As was earlier stated the flange depth is the same as Code 110 - they are just
narrower. So IMO Code 88 is the best of both worlds, they look good and operate
well. BUT.. if you have older track that was not specifically built to the
current NASG specs or your frogs have extra wide gaps, then Code 88 wheels are
not for you.
FWIW, I experimented with code 87, Proto64, wheelsets and my conclusion was
that I didn't want to lay track to those standards. Besides, it would mean
wholesale wheel replacement or modification of every piece of older equipment,
especially locomotives. :(
Billy Click
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