Three axle passenger trucks

[ljudice]

Anyone make a three axle, roller bearing passenger truck?

thx,

[Sokramiketes]

Anyone make a three axle, roller bearing passenger truck?

thx,

Des Plaines Hobbies:

DPN1006
6 wheel lightweight passenger car trucks - made for use on our SP 5000 series
baggage mail cars - similar to trucks used on lightweight diner and dome cars -
includes separate brake cylinders.

[ljudice]

wow!   thanks!!!!

[Bob Bufkin]

Micro Trains 1018 3 wheel passenger trucks used for heavyweights.

[ljudice]

Bob - thanks!

I knew about those, but they seem to have friction journals.

I'm trying to do a "stand-in" for the current UP 150 Sunset (former SP car), a heavilly modernized business car.

Lou

[Walkercolt]

Well, the Kato three axle trucks under the articulated SP Daylight cars, if you can get them as parts. They are somewhat "road specific" but from 3 feet...

[jmlaboda - RIP]

"They are somewhat "road specific" but from 3 feet..."

Ah, aren't we talking about that "specific road"?

[Walkercolt]

Don't know exactly how "prototype" he wants to be. The SP trucks are somewhat similar to the UP trucks from a casual view. I'm not a passenger truck expert at all. We usually have to compromise on things like this in N-scale, so you have to decide what works for you and what won't. We don't even have the major freight trucks covered yet, so I compromise. Our rails are about 6 times too wide by my micrometer....whadda ya' gonna' do?

[ljudice]

Pretty sure the car - ex-SP - uses the original SP trucks...

But a bigger problem...  The Kato business car has a small skirt all the way around the car. I happened to find in the junk box a pair of Bachmann 3 axle passenger trucks from the old full length dome car. They are a very tight fit on the Kato car, so I wonder if they are too long (out of scale) or if some real cutting is going to be required here...

Thanks again for the help!

Lou

[Sokramiketes]

Pretty sure the car - ex-SP - uses the original SP trucks...

But a bigger problem...  The Kato business car has a small skirt all the way around the car. I happened to find in the junk box a pair of Bachmann 3 axle passenger trucks from the old full length dome car. They are a very tight fit on the Kato car, so I wonder if they are too long (out of scale) or if some real cutting is going to be required here...

Thanks again for the help!

Lou

The Kato Business car is based on the CB&Q car, which had full skirting.  Santa Fe's similar car rode on 6-wheel trucks, like the SP car you're doing, and truck cut-outs need to be made.  Look's like your ex-SP car needs the skirting removed entirely:



{TOM MANN WOULD SAY} Read my article in Mar/April 2004 N Scale Railroading to see how to remove skirting from Kato cars.{/TOM MANN WOULD SAY}

But I'm not Tom Mann ;D, so just use a straightedge, make a few light passes with an x-acto, snap the skirting off, and glue on some evergreen .030" styrene quarter round and be done.  If you want to see the photos though, you'll have to order a back-issue from Kirk.

Also looks like the bulkier Bachmann full dome trucks would work too, but both the Bachmann and DPH trucks could use some outside spring hangers and snubber assemblies.  This car must have rode really well.

[ljudice]

Mike - thanks for the photo...   

Yep, from examining a number of photos of the car in UP yellow/gray (yes, they repainted the entire car in yellow and gray), there are so many differences that I'm not sure taking the skirting off will be much of a disguise. This is a standin afterall!

What I did find is that the Kato business car trucks are shaved down from about 1/4 from top down. So I tried this on the Bachmann trucks and yes, they fit and work perfectly - and even accept MTL low profile wheelsets.

What I did do was remove the skirting from the rear platform, which makes a massive difference in the look of the car. With the trucks - and some satellite antennas on the roof, I am going to leave it.

[ljudice]

Going to have to try the DPH trucks - the Bachmanns look awful underneath the car - just too chunky...

I would consider the Kato SP truck, but since it sits under the articulated thingy, I wonder if it would be hard to mount. 

Also need to find a flat head replacement for the Kato truck-holding screws, as it sits right where the center axle need to be.

[Sokramiketes]

Here's the DPH trucks on a UP baggage car I did years ago:



Should be easy to clip off the brake shoes, leave off the brake cylinders, and add some extra bits to match.