Trucks question

[Mike McKenzie]

As a warm-up to building the Leadville Designs Plan 73A sleeper (Sn3) I'm building the type 1 C&S/RGS stock car and DSP&P 26' stock car. Simultaneously, AND at the same time.

I'll probably put a pair of Stewart 3'7" arch bar trucks under the type 1 (rule 1 applies) which will provide some weight. Not sure what to put under the smaller car though. I have some other brass trucks which may be appropriate but after a certain point my truck knowledge runs dry. I did buy some of the 3D printed DSP&P/UP 14 ton trucks which I haven't used yet, they may be an option. Any recommendations would be welcome.

They'll both be lettered for the Black River RR, you know, the line that ran north out of Dillon presuming the C&S n.g. lasted into the 40s, interchanging with both C&S and D&RGW.

The 26 footer doesn't really fit my era (late 30s, early 40s), but it'll be a survivor with limited use, perhaps in emergency or specialized  use.

Thanks for any suggestions for the trucks.

Mike

[Keith Hayes]

Mike, my Pullman is in the mail, and I plan to post progress pics of the build here. Please post progress photos of your build as well. It is exciting to see how others go about assembling the kits and I always learn something.

[Jim Courtney]

Hey Mike,

The short 26' DSP&P stock car rode on 12 ton "Litchfield" trucks, AKA "type A" trucks. They are offered in brass by Leadville Shops:
https://www.theleadvilleshops.com/product-page/lbs-2-sn3-dsp-p-swing-beam-type-a-trucks-w-wheels

I've built up a pair. Needed to drill out the axle holes with my drill press, 'cause I used NWSL 24" wheel sets.
Pro Tip: If you order a pair from TLS, don't order via the website (the orders always seem to get lost).  Call Starla at 303-284-5072 (Tue-Wed-Thu), tell her what you want and have Doug Junda invoice you via PayPal when he has confirmed that what you want is in stock.

The C&S/RGS type 1 stock car was built at St. Charles in 1900, after it was absorbed into AC&F. These cars rode on the St. Charles, rigid, trussed 4' wheel base trucks. They are available in Sn3 from Paul Vaughn at PVC:  https://pvc-sn3.com/rapidcart-2/

Though listed as F&CC trucks (they're not), TK-5 is correct for all the St Charles cars. I have a dozen pair, they are very free rolling, assemble like PBL trucks.

Weight in many of Bill Meredith's beautiful wood kits is problematic. I've built up sides and ends for the stock car, haven't gotten further.





I was thinking of cutting thin lead sheet into irregular circular shapes, one for each end of the car, painting them dark brown and gluing them to the floor over each bolster, and call them piles of manure. A little Woodland Scenics brown turf and cut field grass for straw, sprinkled on top, and voila, a "bedded" stock car. Something like this:



Or perhaps Keith could offer his "skinny" cattle and sheep silhouettes in metal, for a weighted/loaded car . . .

[Mike McKenzie]

Thanks Jim, I knew you'd have the answer. Have ordered the PVC trucks and will call LS/SJM later today to order the 12 ton Litchfield trucks. Not too worried about prototypical fidelity as I model freelance, but would like to be close.

Not sure about the weight issue as well. Almost feels wrong to spend so much effort on underbody detail just to throw some lead between the center sills, but may do that. I'll get over it.

Mike

[Mike McKenzie]

Went ahead and online ordered the 12 ton Litchfield trucks from LS/SJM.

Ordered some 0.3mm sheet lead rolls from Amazon, going to try that out for weights. Are there specific treatments (like priming/painting) or safe handling issues (wash your hands) that one needs to consider when working with lead?

Also have some tungsten putty and powder to try out, that the Pinewood Derby crowd uses for weighting cars.

Mike

[Keith Hayes]

Jim, you are always thinking up new projects for me.

I went in and added black steel, natural bronze and natural brass as options for flat cattle and flat sheep. Google tells me bronze is the heaviest.



You might want to take a breath before you press 'buy now.'

But if you want a nice looking weight for your stock car, this is the ticket!

I think just buying the plastic part and adding some bedding to disguise a flat lead weight is the way to go.