Sgaugian posted:Posted this under another U36 topic but fits better here. If no scale sets end up truly available, you might consider turning down some hi-rail wheels. HO folks with code 100 wheel equipped engines, but code 83 or less rail, do that. It sometimes involves a bit of art as well as science. There's more to a flange than diameter - proper cross-sectional profile helps too.
It's a little more involved than just turning down and profiling the flanges. Hirail/Flyer wheels are wider than scale wheels by almost 50%. The wheels also have to me narrowed to prevent shorting on some turnouts. I'm not sure how well Lionel/Flyer diesel wheels would respond to a lathe. I know when S Scale Locomotive and Supply was converting Y3's for scale operation, he had to make new driver tires and reduce the width of the driver cores. The pilot, trailing truck and tender wheels were replaced.
I can't recall when the last time I heard of an HOer turning down flanges. Even before AHM went out of business in the mid-1980's, they were having Rivarrossi make some loco's with RP25 flanges. None of the major HO manufactures have deep flanged US prototype equipment anymore (Except for Marklin on their US prototype stud rail AC equipment.)
Rusty
