N Scale Accessories & Wheelsets

33" wheels are used on 50 & 70 ton capacity cars (CAPY approximately 150,000 LBS or less).
36" wheels are used on 100 ton capacity cars (CAPY approximately 200,000 LBS), and on all passenger cars no matter the era.
Cabooses can use either 33" or 36" wheels depending on the prototype.

There is no prototype for the 34.5" wheels, we are now replacing these with 33" and 36" wheels with the .537" axle length for Micro-Trains trucks.

The CAPY information is typically printed on model freight cars and can be used as a guide. Some cars have the wheel size printed on the sides or ends of the car in the data. If you are ever unsure of which size to use, you can simply replace the wheels currently on the car with the same size.

Wheel diameter can be measured with a caliper:
33" wheels measure (33/160=.206") in N scale.
36" wheels measure (36/160=.225") in N scale.
(160 = N scale to prototype ratio. N scale is 160 times smaller than the prototype).