Sam Clarke e-mailed me this morning to say that Kadee's Code 88
wheelsets, which I knew they were thinking seriously about, already
exist and are in the catalog. Stock numbers are: #530 33" smooth
back, #531 36" rib back, #532 36" smooth back, and #533 33" rib
back. Eventually the trucks will be available with the Code 88
wheelsets as an option, though packaging and cataloging will take
awhile. See, some model railroad manufacturers really do pay
attention to what we say we want.

Richard Hendrickson

Gentlemen,

I may be a little late on this but I ordered and received some of the new Kadee trucks and wheelsets a few weeks ago from MB Klein. I do like the new trucks and the appearance is light years ahead of the old sprung versions. I bought some of the new model 70-ton trucks with plain bearings to put under my few Broadway N&W hoppers and they look terrific.

The new trucks, however, are a little tricky to handle. They tend to come apart when the wheelsets are removed. They are cast in two pieces with a side frame and half the bolster in one piece; the two pieces interlock at the bolster. They tend to unhinge at the bolster with the slightest movement and to get them back together requires a significant amount of jiggling (technical term). After doing this a few times I now know what it takes for an upside-down turtle to right itself.

The material used is solid but not that solid. I already broke one truck while clamping it for sandblasting. I sent it back with a few bucks and I got my replacement yesterday from Sam Clarke.

I also ordered a set of the Kadee .088-tread wheelsets because I wanted to check out the ribbed-back feature. It is nice, but I think I prefer the Reboox wheelsets, which are actually a little less expensive at MB Klein ($7-and-change vs. $10 everywhere else). I prefer the small metal axle on the Reboxx wheelsets rather than the plastic Kadee axle--more reliable and tougher. The Kadee narrow-tread wheelsets replace one-for-one in Kadee trucks (sprung and new "two-piece") but I have not yet tried to put Measured Reboxx wheelsets in the new two-piece trucks. They should fit, but stand by for a report.

By the way, you shouldn't need the Reboxx double-insulated wheelsets in the new plastic trucks.

John Golden
O'Fallon, IL

At 03:59 AM 4/15/2011 -0000, you wrote:

I may be a little late on this but I ordered and received some of the new

Kadee trucks and wheelsets a few weeks ago from MB Klein. I do like the new
trucks and the appearance is light years ahead of the old sprung versions.
I bought some of the new model 70-ton trucks with plain bearings to put
under my few Broadway N&W hoppers and they look terrific.

Has Kadee changed the SKU number on the new trucks, so if you go to order
them you know what you're getting?

The material used is solid but not that solid. I already broke one truck

while clamping it for sandblasting. I sent it back with a few bucks and I
got my replacement yesterday from Sam Clarke.

I keep forgetting to call Sam, every day this week by the time I think of
it it's too late even with a 3 hour time zone advantage. Maybe tomorrow.
I need to get some doors and hopefully some of the box car grabs, if they
will sell them separately.

By the way, you shouldn't need the Reboxx double-insulated wheelsets in

the new plastic trucks.

You don't need them in the old trucks either as long as you make sure both
wheelsets are oriented the same direction :-)

Andy