Wonder if thats the original or someone replaced it? I would think that metal against plastic would increase wear but I could be wrong.
After watching a couple videos of these vintage trains I like how, in addition to the side cogs on the engines drive wheels assisting it up sloped rails, it also helps it to smoothly descend those slopes and not dart down like some of the more modern engines do.
After watching a couple videos of these vintage trains I like how, in addition to the side cogs on the engines drive wheels assisting it up sloped rails, it also helps it to smoothly descend those slopes and not dart down like some of the more modern engines do.