Subject:     Fwd: RE: What trucks?
Date:        12/01  10:34 AM
Received:    12/01  3:32 PM
From:        Jerry Britton, britton@pit-magnus.com
To:          Jerry, jerry@dsop.com


---------------- Begin Forwarded Message ----------------
Date:        12/01  11:16 AM
Received:    12/01  10:32 AM
From:        Andrew S. Miller, asmiller@mail11.mitre.org
To:          Jerry Britton, britton@pit-magnus.com



>Andy:
>
>Now that I've established a "building plan" for passenger cars for my 
>layout, what trucks?
>
>Is there any one truck that is appropriate for all pullman's in the 
>1948-1952 era? If so, who makes it and what model/description should I 
>look for? (I'll be building that PS31L, a PS6L, a POS211, several 
>PS121's, and some others later.)
>
>You mentioned Kadee #5 couplers on your James Bowie. Is that your 
>recommendation for all USP cars?
>
>Diaphrams?
>
>What other third party details?
>
>Plan to use Champ decals, as discussed last week. Am ordering decals and 
>ECW core kits later today.
>
Jerry,

I have dominantly used the MDC "Commonwealth" truck.  Its appropriate for 
almost all PRR steamlined post war cars.  I put "Commonwealth" in quotes 
because thats what modelers call it. "Commonwealth" is the name of one 
company 
which makes prototype trucks like that and others.

The MDC "Commonwealth" truck has one piece delrin side frame/bolster.  It 
is 
sturdy, easy rolling, and cheap.  The AHM/IHC/Rivarossi/Conor truck has 
beautiful detail and an abominably low profile.  It just looks wrong!.  I 
think they did this to match the 33" wheels they put in them. (also wrong)

AHM/IHC also sell a metal version of the truck for around $20 which looks 
good 
and usually rolls well.  But I have never found a pair with all the 
wheels in 
guage! At that price, thats inexcusable.

For prewar streamliners I have frequently used the MDC "Challenger" 
truck.  It 
its close to correct for some PRR Pullmans.  Again, the quotes. This time 
the 
name derives from the UP train under which they first appeared.  The 
correct 
name is "triple bolster truck".  All of these trucks have a letter/number 
designation which I can never remember. An excellent series of articles 
on 
this subject appeared many years ago in Mainline Modeller.  For the bulk 
of 
the prewar cars, the truck which comes with the ECW core kit is correct; 
however, the depth of their casting is poor and the trucks require a lot 
of 
work to keep them from falling apart!

Some other trucks (prototype) to consider:

Outside swing hanger - used under NH streamliners and some UP cars
I-beam drop equalizer (used alot by Budd e.g. on the Congo)
Outrigger mounted brake cylinders (early Southern and others)
Commonwealth with body mounted brake cylinders.



I have become a devotee of American Ltd's diaphragms.

I always use Kadee # 5s unless I need to radicallyu adjust the height; 
then I 
use something from the 30 series and put it in a #5 box.   I close couple 
my 
carrs, but I operate on one of two clubs with minimum 36" radiusn turns.

regards
Andy


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