Case of the Missing Truss Rods - Revisited
Posted by Doug Heitkamp on
URL: http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/Case-of-the-Missing-Truss-Rods-Revisited-tp6387.html
Group,
Back on Oct. 29, 2014 I posted a question to the blog section of this site. I pointed out that there did not appear to be visible truss rods under the 27' boxcars. Here is the picture I posted:
The cars were identified as:
On the right -
C&S 7681 - 30', 20 ton, Built by Peninsular 1884
C&S 7591 - 27', 14 ton, Built by Union Pacific 1883/4
3rd car back - I believe this is another 27' car based on the details.
In the rear center:
C&S 7306 - 26', 12 ton, Built by Litchfield 1879/80
On the left:
C&S 7529 - 27', 14 ton, Built by Union Pacific 1883/4
Here are some close ups:
One of the final replies was from Dave Johnson. He pointed out the following:
Go look at the underframe of the ex. Kansas Central box car, above St. Elmo. The Kansas Central 27' box cars that were built by the Union Pacific did not have truss rods. There were 2 tension rods that ran the length, through the frames on the outside of the center sills, The side frames on these cars were a heavy queen post design with the posts at each side of the side doors. There were bolts that ran through the end beams and terminated at square nuts, in pockets mortised into the side of the sills. The needle beams were bolted to each sill, but there isn't any sign that there was ever any truss rods bearing plates or queen posts beneath the needle beams.
Good stuff! Certainly enough info for me to re-think the 27' boxcar models I will build. Then, earlier today Todd posted the high res scans of the reefers in his Caboose Numbers thread.
Looking at the picture of Reefer 24024, I don't see any truss rods under this car either. I see brake rigging, but no obvious truss rods. Could it be that the 27' boxcars and reefers both shared the same design with only 2 torsion rods and lacked the traditional 2 or 4 truss rods in the configuration we are so familiar with. If so, it's amazing what we are still learning!
Doug
URL: http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/Case-of-the-Missing-Truss-Rods-Revisited-tp6387.html
Group,
Back on Oct. 29, 2014 I posted a question to the blog section of this site. I pointed out that there did not appear to be visible truss rods under the 27' boxcars. Here is the picture I posted:
The cars were identified as:
On the right -
C&S 7681 - 30', 20 ton, Built by Peninsular 1884
C&S 7591 - 27', 14 ton, Built by Union Pacific 1883/4
3rd car back - I believe this is another 27' car based on the details.
In the rear center:
C&S 7306 - 26', 12 ton, Built by Litchfield 1879/80
On the left:
C&S 7529 - 27', 14 ton, Built by Union Pacific 1883/4
Here are some close ups:
One of the final replies was from Dave Johnson. He pointed out the following:
Go look at the underframe of the ex. Kansas Central box car, above St. Elmo. The Kansas Central 27' box cars that were built by the Union Pacific did not have truss rods. There were 2 tension rods that ran the length, through the frames on the outside of the center sills, The side frames on these cars were a heavy queen post design with the posts at each side of the side doors. There were bolts that ran through the end beams and terminated at square nuts, in pockets mortised into the side of the sills. The needle beams were bolted to each sill, but there isn't any sign that there was ever any truss rods bearing plates or queen posts beneath the needle beams.
Good stuff! Certainly enough info for me to re-think the 27' boxcar models I will build. Then, earlier today Todd posted the high res scans of the reefers in his Caboose Numbers thread.
Looking at the picture of Reefer 24024, I don't see any truss rods under this car either. I see brake rigging, but no obvious truss rods. Could it be that the 27' boxcars and reefers both shared the same design with only 2 torsion rods and lacked the traditional 2 or 4 truss rods in the configuration we are so familiar with. If so, it's amazing what we are still learning!
Doug
Doug Heitkamp
Centennial, CO
Centennial, CO
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