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Reply to "Fast Angle Wheels"

A flange is necessary to keep the wheel on the track. Some steam locomotives had "blind" drivers without flanges for tight curves but their tires were wider and they were kept on the track by flanged drivers next to them.

 

3railguy posted this explanation of "fast angle wheels" on Classic Toy Trains Magazine Forum:

 

Fast angle wheels first came out when MPC took over Lionel. The wheels are not squared off where they ride on the rail. They are angled to the flange. "Fast angle" is a toolmaker's term for adding an angle to a surface so the part can be quickly removed from the tool without marring the surface during manufacture. Hence the term "fast angle wheel" coined by Lionel employees.

 

 

The fast angle did more than benefit manufacture. Because the wheels are fixed to the axle, it benefits them on curved track. The wheelsets can drift to a point where one wheel diameter point touching the rail is slightly larger than the opposite wheel diameter point touching the rail. This reduces friction because the outside rail is longer in circumference than the inside rail. Especially sharp 031 or 027 curves.  If you look closely, you can see the cars lean into the curves as the outside wheels drift to a larger diameter.

 

 

The only problem I ever experienced with fast angle wheelsets that are fixed to the axle is with postwar 711 072 switches as the wheels sometimes hug the guardrails. That happens because the wheels are fixed to their axles. Not because of the fast angle.

 

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