Passenger Car Trucks

[Keith Hayes]

In the C&S Passenger Car 72 post, I shared how I modified PBL passenger trucks for my Overland C&S passenger car. The C&S truck has a continuous piece of steel that extends from brake beam to brake beam under the lower equalizer beam. This gives the C&S cars a delicate look that the D&RGW trucks lack.

So I picked up some 1/64 x 1/16 K&S bar at Caboose  (it was the smallest they had--I got lucky as it is just right).



I cut four pieces about 7/8" long, and cleaned the ends up with a file. I bent one end up a bit to match the equalizer bar. Then I placed the brass on the truck and scribed a line at the opposite end where the equalizer bar turns up.



This is the bend point at the opposite end. Be sure to bend the bar perpendicular to the length. Cut the bar to match the opposite end. I filed the cut face flat and parallel with the bottom portion to provide a larger gluing surface.



Measure three times and do as much test fitting as you can stand. This bar fits between the two inboard bolts holding the journal boxes in place.  There is a great image of a truck on Hayes Hendricks' C&S passenger car sit under car 70.



Mix some epoxy and place a small dab inside the cas in bolt. Then place the bar flush with the outside face of the casting and wait to dry.



Don't get too carried away with the bend or you will have a truck that looks more like a pickup for third rail power. I think this looks better already. I can't wait for it to set up and get these painted!

[Keith Hayes]

Here is the prototype truck from Hayes Hendricks' webiste



You can see the steel bar is actually pretty close to the underside of the equalizer. Next time I will not create such large bends.

[Keith Hayes]

And for those of you who are not familiar with Hayes Hendricks' website: http://www.midcontinent.org/rollingstock/CandS/index.htm.

It is a great index of passenger cars on the Colorado & Southern and predecessor railroads. Hayes (great name!) also includes locations of published photos of each car, folios, if they are available, along with keys to the numbers between CC, DSP&P, UPD&G, DL&G and C&S numbers.

Thanks Hayes, for this great resource!

[Chris Walker]

Side by side comparison of the two styles.

http://cdm16079.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll22/id/76861/rv/singleitem/rec/105


http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll22/id/43623/rv/singleitem/rec/11

Coach #76
 
http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll22/id/43640/rv/singleitem/rec/12

RPO #13

http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll22/id/43620/rv/singleitem/rec/2

Don't forget to sprinkle on the White Stuff, now that would be the icing on the cake....

http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll22/id/43634/rv/singleitem/rec/31

[Ken Martin]

In the comparison of the two trucks it should be noted that #76 has 5' trucks with outside hung brakes while #13 has 5' 6" trucks with inside hung brakes.

[Keith Hayes]

The Friends of the C&TS have embarked on a project (okay, it started a couple years ago) to build some brand new MCB passenger car trucks. You can see some photos of the dry assembly of the oak parts here: http://www.coloradonewmexicosteamtrain.org/FriendsForum/viewtopic.php?f=118&t=2697. This is the upper part of the truck. The Friends are both investing in brand new castings for some of the metal parts and fabricating the giant outside equalizer piece from sheet parts.

You should look at all the worksession photos for photos of various repairs. Plus, a GRAMPS tank car is almost finished. Who doesn't like a GRAMPS tank care?

I volunteered at Friends worksessions for ten years, and learned a ton about railroad equipment. I am a much sharper modeler as a result.

You get to hang out in the vicinity of live steam locomotives and I have become friends with some darn nice folks.