N Scale Freight Trucks that Manufacturers Refuse to Sell To Us

[nickelplate759]

Actually, the majority of PS-1 boxcars ran on ASF A-3 trucks.  So just buy the ex-BLMA trucks and swap out the Barber S2-A trucks on your existing PS-1 boxcars.  They use the same bolster.

@bbussey -  Any chance you have a pointer to a list of which roads used which type of truck?

[thomasjmdavis]

I am getting old... I meant to post this here, posted it on the other truck thread by mistake...

Steam Era Freightcar site has lists of PS1 (compiled by Ed Hawkins), and many other boxcar types, that include f info on trucks, and also doors, car ends, roof and other details, organized by lot and original owner railroad .  These are available for download.

http://steamerafreightcars.com/prototype/frtcars/protofrtcarsmain.html

[bbussey]

@bbussey -  Any chance you have a pointer to a list of which roads used which type of truck?

Attached is the first sheet of a workbook where I was matching Atlas releases to the prototype.  It contains the information you seek.  Ignore the green highlights, as they are the corresponding Atlas releases but they are not up-to-date.

[Mark5]

Actually, the majority of PS-1 boxcars ran on ASF A-3 trucks.  So just buy the ex-BLMA trucks and swap out the Barber S2-A trucks on your existing PS-1 boxcars.  They use the same bolster.

So, the BLMA/Atlas ASF A-3 is 70 ton, are doing "close enough" here or were they actually 70 ton ASF A-3 trucks?

[nickelplate759]

So, the BLMA/Atlas ASF A-3 is 70 ton, are doing "close enough" here or were they actually 70 ton ASF A-3 trucks?

We're doing "close enough" - there were 50 ton and 70 ton ASF A-3 trucks.  They have different wheelbases (5' 6" vs 5' 8").   I really wish someone would sell 50 ton ASF A-3 trucks with a lowered bolster (like the lowered bolster on the BLMA trucks).

[Lemosteam]

Guys, if you really want specific trucks, send me an email at keystonedetails@gmail.com, include a straight-on side view of the truck and any other detailed info that would help.  I can design any version of bolster height you want between the side frames and use the smallest bolster hole that can be reamed to fit any bolster pin.

The design I use for freight trucks is essentially plug and play, so the cost to the requestor would be minimal design time, and as an incentive, I will mail 2 pairs of trucks to the original requestor.

Also I have several PRR truck classes that may be one of these trucks that the PRR just pasted their own class ID against an off-the-shelf truck made by the various companies that made them, i.e. I may already have the design you want:

https://prr.railfan.net/freight/PRRTruckTypes-C422800.html

I am not at home, but I will add the list of trucks I already have designed to a second post here.

[thomasjmdavis]

We're doing "close enough" - there were 50 ton and 70 ton ASF A-3 trucks.  They have different wheelbases (5' 6" vs 5' 8").   I really wish someone would sell 50 ton ASF A-3 trucks with a lowered bolster (like the lowered bolster on the BLMA trucks).

Another option there is to clip the couplers off the Kato ASF A-3 50 ton truck (at one time, maybe still, listed as "ACF covered hopper truck" on their parts website). 
https://www.spookshow.net/trucks/asfa3.html 

If you have a bunch of the Kato covered hoppers, you might consider putting 70 ton A-3s, or the Bowser 70T AAR trucks on those, rotate the Kato 50T A-3 trucks to your Atlas PS-1 boxcars, and then the S2 trucks from the boxcars to whatever you have that needs S2s.

I haven't done this myself- so I have no idea what might be required in terms of modifications, new wheel sets, etc. to accommodate these swaps.

The size difference between a 50T and 70T truck, in N scale, is on the order of 1/2 mm.  I don't see it, myself, unless I am looking for it.  And, we need to be careful about labeling.  One manufacturer's 50T truck can be a fraction of a mm too big, and another's 70T can be a fraction too small- making them the same size.

Life in N scale sure is complicated, sometimes.

[Mark5]

Another option there is to clip the couplers off the Kato ASF A-3 50 ton truck (at one time, maybe still, listed as "ACF covered hopper truck" on their parts website). 
https://www.spookshow.net/trucks/asfa3.html 

If you have a bunch of the Kato covered hoppers, you might consider putting 70 ton A-3s, or the Bowser 70T AAR trucks on those, rotate the Kato 50T A-3 trucks to your Atlas PS-1 boxcars, and then the S2 trucks from the boxcars to whatever you have that needs S2s.

Good thinking, I have a couple of the Kato ACF Hoppers. I need to check the bolster height on those - swapping them onto the Atlas Master PS-1 might end up raising the height.

https://katousa.com/product/acf-70-ton-hopper-truck-n-scale

[nickelplate759]

Kato says their ACF truck is 70 Ton, which makes sense as the ACF hopper is a 70 ton car.  I just checked mine and they do indeed have the typical longer wheelbase of a 70T truck.

I know Spookshow's site says it's a 50-ton truck but I think that's a mistake.

[thomasjmdavis]

Kato says their ACF truck is 70 Ton, which makes sense as the ACF hopper is a 70 ton car.  I just checked mine and they do indeed have the typical longer wheelbase of a 70T truck.

I know Spookshow's site says it's a 50-ton truck but I think that's a mistake.

Good catch.

Reading Kato's listing, I can't tell whether the 70T refers to the truck, or to the hopper (ie "ACF 70T hopper truck").   
But, regardless of how  Kato meant it, your point is well taken on the size.  That may be the truck that I measured a few years ago that lead me to conclude that some 50T are sometimes a fraction too big, and the 70T are sometimes a fraction small.  So, maybe the Katos are indeed intended to model the 70T truck. 

[nickelplate759]

Typical 50T trucks have a 66" wheelbase.  Typical 70T trucks have a 68" wheelbase.  Both have 33" wheels.

Much to my surprise and delight, the estimable @DKS has a page with good information and some nice photos here: http://davidksmith.com/modeling/resources/james-river-modeling/clinic_2a.htm

It's meant to focus on Z-scale model trucks, but there's good prototype information.

[nickelplate759]

Another option there is to clip the couplers off the Kato ASF A-3 50 ton truck (at one time, maybe still, listed as "ACF covered hopper truck" on their parts website). 
https://www.spookshow.net/trucks/asfa3.html 

If you have a bunch of the Kato covered hoppers, you might consider putting 70 ton A-3s, or the Bowser 70T AAR trucks on those, rotate the Kato 50T A-3 trucks to your Atlas PS-1 boxcars, and then the S2 trucks from the boxcars to whatever you have that needs S2s.

I haven't done this myself- so I have no idea what might be required in terms of modifications, new wheel sets, etc. to accommodate these swaps.

The size difference between a 50T and 70T truck, in N scale, is on the order of 1/2 mm.  I don't see it, myself, unless I am looking for it.  And, we need to be careful about labeling.  One manufacturer's 50T truck can be a fraction of a mm too big, and another's 70T can be a fraction too small- making them the same size.

Life in N scale sure is complicated, sometimes.

The difference between an ASF A-3 50T and 70T is more than just wheelbase.  The 70T has a visible different spring arrangement.