Which bogies?! Not a single webstore listing sizes! Hitting my head off a brickwall here!

[ThomasDadDurham]

So as already told, Im building a layout for the Bachmann Thomas and Friends range. These use 40mm wheels, which cannot be found anywhere unless I spend more than the cost of an entire piece of rolling stock on custom cast G3 wheels (you can buy a T&F truck for £60ish. Just the wheels for 40mm wheels costs that, and I'd have to grind them. Bachmann Spares will only sell you 4 T&F wheels at a time, at a hefty import price, for their own reasons.)

Anyway - there are no bogies in the range anywhere, and I want to build the mail wagons which are bogie trucks. So I figured I could use 35mm PIKO 36165 wheels for paired bogies and shim the difference to get connectors lined up. But trying to find which bogies I can buy which take those wheels? Impossible! Ive been clicking around for weeks, dozens of different makes and brands of bogie and NOBODY gives that information. Is it to fit a 20mm dia' wheel? 24mm? 30mm? 35mm? Email the shop - "sorry I dont know" or just radio silence.

Can someone please, please just tell me: which bogies can take the 35mm piko wheels? Are they even 35mm tread? Are sellers listing the total dia' instead of the tread dia'? Its INFURIATING the total lack of detail on 99% of webstores out there. Most of the time you're lucky if they even mark which stock is large scale, let alone actual dimensions.

 

[Madman]

Would having one of us, on this side of the pond buy them and mail them to you, help ? I've done this in the past when I wanted figures from your side of the pond. The issue then was that the manufacturer wouldn't ship across the pond.

 

[ThomasDadDurham]

Would having one of us, on this side of the pond buy them and mail them to you, help ? I've done this in the past when I wanted figures from your side of the pond. The issue then was that the manufacturer wouldn't ship across the pond.

Even then they only allow you to purchase 4 at a time. And I'd have to scratchbuild bogies.

What Im actually asking is: where can I get bogies that take 35mm wheels, and are the PIKO wheels actually 35mm or are webstores measuring them incorrectly? I can find bogies, that isnt the problem. The problem is every single website gives zero size info. I dont know if Im buying one with 20mm wheels, 24mm, or what. Most websites arent even listing if its Large scale. Im just guessing based on brand names.

 

[Madman]

Just did a quick search on Bachmann's site. Can't find wheels or parts for that matter. Every so often I get an email noting the semi-annual sale of parts. I know that doesn't help much now. maybe I'll try looking deeper later. Still, I cannot understand why only four pieces can be purchased at any one time.

 

[Rhinochugger]

Even then they only allow you to purchase 4 at a time. And I'd have to scratchbuild bogies.

What Im actually asking is: where can I get bogies that take 35mm wheels, and are the PIKO wheels actually 35mm or are webstores measuring them incorrectly? I can find bogies, that isnt the problem. The problem is every single website gives zero size info. I dont know if Im buying one with 20mm wheels, 24mm, or what. Most websites arent even listing if its Large scale. Im just guessing based on brand names.

You're absolutely correct - that sort of information is not suitable to be published for us mere mortals.

35 mm wheels are on the large side for most G scale stock. Bachmann coaches and bogie vehicles (apart from their 20ft range) take 31mm dia wheels while their 20ft range take 24.5mm dia wheels

Most LGB bogies will accept 31mm dia wheels.

We need to get someone with Piko bogie stock - like Gizzy (who is currrently swanning around Wales) to measure the wheels and perhaps identify the bogie part numbers for you

 

[ebay mike]

Would those 35mm wheels be those that are fitted to PIKO 's 6 wheel coaches?

 

[Paul M]

I think, for the bogies, 3D printing may be your friend. I'm sure someone out there will help you out

 

[GAP]

This site quotes Piko dimensions as 35mm across wheel band and 40mm overall;

Piko G Scale Replacement Metal Coach Wheels 36165 at TopSlots n Trains

Piko 36165 G Scale Piko G Scale Metal Conductive Coach Wheels Set x 2 35mm Diameter across Wheel Band {40mm overall}. Garden Railway Replacement Parts & Accessories by Piko 36165. From common service and ...

www.topslotsntrains.com

and has passenger car bogies

Piko 36052 Passenger Car - Coach Bogie Chassis Assembly at TopSlots

Piko 36052 G Scale Piko G Scale Bogie Chassis Assembly for Passenger Cars / Coaches. Garden Railway Scratch Building Replacement Parts & Accessories by Piko. PLEASE NOTE: Piko 36052 Bogie Chassis Assembly...

www.topslotsntrains.com

As for 3D printing these are available from the net.

Bogies for LGB cars by jockelill

Bogies for LGB-cars. Will fit for instance the heavy load car I've created but also other cars. I've added one version with hook holder (standard LGB hook will fit) and one version without holder. I've also added complete files for reference or so you can download and use in your own projects...

www.thingiverse.com

If you went down the path of buying a 3D printer the possibilities are enormous, I bought a cheap one under $300 AUD, £150 and have already printed bodies for 8 scratchbuilt wagons and a rake of coal hoppers (which cost about $30AUD, £15).
Next project is LGB R5 points.

 

[dunnyrail]

Hm building yourself an option, whilst this only details how I built the side frames the process to turn into aa bogie just separating and a central pivot.

Battery Railcar using Peter Spoerer (Fosworks) kit

I inherited a couple of Railcars when Andy Rush died in 2013, one a Diesel one that was Track Powered with a Massoth Sound Chip in it. Phots of this machine have appeared in the Forum before. The second was the Prototype of what was to be a short run of Overhead Electric Railcars. This was...

www.gscalecentral.net

Of course none of this much help if you are not prepared or able to consider a home build project.

 

[Software Tools]

are the PIKO wheels actually 35mm

As far as I know, the Piko standard wheels are the same diameter (on the tread) as the LGB standard wheels.... 31mm.

 

[Gizzy]

We need to get someone with Piko bogie stock - like Gizzy (who is currrently swanning around Wales) to measure the wheels and perhaps identify the bogie part numbers for you

I have fitted Bachmann 31 mm wheels (My default for all my freight rolling stock) to my Piko Shimmns wagons but AFAIK the Thomas stuff has 35 mm wheels.

I have a broken Piko bogie given to me by G Scale Simon which I can post to you for cost of postage if it helps you.

It is possible to order Piko spares through Gaugemaster but they have to order from Piko in Germany and it does take time....

 

[Madman]

As far as I know, the Piko standard wheels are the same diameter (on the tread) as the LGB standard wheels.... 31mm.

I believe they are 30mm, but don't take my word for it.

 

[dutchelm]

Exactly what kind of bogies do you need? There are a few LGB & Bachmann in my spare box.

 

[3 minutes of fame]

I can look at redesigning my laser cut ply bogies to take larger wheels. They're quite robust and 3d resin printed detail could easily be added.

 

[Paul M]

If you go down the wooden route, IP Engineering do some, and I'm pretty sure the larger diameter wheels will fit. I'll have a measure later
Obviously the wheels will fit, the existing are 24mm, but you use parking pieces to get the right height. Cheapish, and obviously not to rivet counting standards but look fine from a distance.

 

[Fred2179G]

I was fascinated by your problem, so I went and dragged out my box of trucks and wheels. While the Thomas wheels are large, surely a bogie wagon/coach would have smaller wheels anyway?
Here's a quick review of my stash:

USA Trains ordinary arch-bar truck [bought from Charles Ro recently for $10/pair]. Wheels are std 31mm over tread.



As you can see, a 40mm wheel over flanges (overall) is tight, but with some judicious filing of the bolster I think it would work.




Aristocraft Sierra (1/24th) Coach truck with Accucraft coach wheel (1/20th, 34mm over tread.) Aristo wheels std 30mm-ish. Lots of room for a 40mm wheel.




Bachmann coach truck. Std 31mm wheels. Lots of room for a 40mm wheel.



Hope you find a solution to your problem.

 

[justme igor]

I someone could make me a stl file, ill print it in abs.
Those wooden wheels, love them.

Maybe i have what you want already?
Look on thingyverse.

Thingiverse - Digital Designs for Physical Objects

Download files and build them with your 3D printer, laser cutter, or CNC. Thingiverse is a universe of things.

www.thingiverse.com

Best

Ps i think it is cheaper to find a fellow countryman to print

 

[Paul M]

If you go down the wooden route, IP Engineering do some, and I'm pretty sure the larger diameter wheels will fit. I'll have a measure later

 

[ThomasDadDurham]

Exactly what kind of bogies do you need? There are a few LGB & Bachmann in my spare box.

With wheels as big as possible - (as all my other Thomas&Friends stock are on 40mm wheels!), and ideally buyable from an online source if I want to make more bogie trucks in future.

 

[ThomasDadDurham]

[...] Bachmann coach truck. Std 31mm wheels. Lots of room for a 40mm wheel. [...]

Boom, - thats the answer right there then. 10mm of shim and hiding it with running board (and as you say, bogie wheels should be smaller than truck wheels anyway) will get my scratch 'Sodor Mail' coaches up to the right height for couplers to align. And as Im already ordering spare parts from Bachmann anyway the postage from the USA isnt an issue.

My main Thomas scratchbuild plans are: the mail coaches (I have the bodies), the cranes (need to lasercut the jibs) and some of the trucks not released (salt van, flatbed etc) which will be made by slapping T&F 40mm wheels on LGB stock or rebuilding ontop of broken T&F truck bases.