Question About Atlas 50' FGE Box Car

[Kisatchie]

Would Micro-Trains Barber trucks or MT plain roller bearing trucks be more appropriate for the Atlas 50' FGE box cars?

Hmm... I have archbars
on mine...

[ljudice]

Probably Barber is a better choice....

[jmlaboda]

Built in the early 70s by FGE in Alexamdria, Va., the car should have Barber roller bearing trucks with 33" wheels.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Barbers, the Symington roller bearing trucks are based on a 1940-1950's prototype.

[Bob Bufkin]

This was taken right outside the FGE Alexander, VA facility in the 70s.



Hope you can see enough of the truck to answer your question.

[Kisatchie]

Thanks for all the replies. My only comment is RATS!


Hmm... I'd rather have
hamsters...

[Mark5]

Built in the early 70s by FGE in Alexamdria, Va., the car should have Barber roller bearing trucks with 33" wheels.

This design started in the late 60s

[bbussey]

I'd keep the Atlas trucks and body-mount the couplers.

[Kisatchie]

I'd keep the Atlas trucks and body-mount the couplers.

That was the original plan, but I still have more Micro-Trains cars without body mounts than I have couplers. I don't want to put the body mounts on the Atlas cars, since that would mean I'd need to buy even more #1027s and assemble them. I'm getting tired of assembling couplers... sigh.


Hmm... I'm getting tired
of hearing Kiz whine...

[bbussey]

Well, the Atlas truck is a better prototypical fit, the model sits at the correct height on them, and they are properly aligned with the bolsters.

MTL #1027s wouldn't work anyway, as the prototype has the extended draft gear of a cushioned underframe.

[nkalanaga]

Putting the Accumate couplers in a piece of 3/32 x 3/16 brass tubing makes a quick-and-dirty cushion underframe.  Drill a 1/16 inch hole through both wide sides, 1/8 inch from the end, put a piece of 0.005 plastic sheet inside, either top or bottom, and insert the coupler.  1/16 aluminum tubing or styrene rod holds everything together.  Cut to fit and file smooth after making sure the coupler works smoothly.    Drill a screw hole and attach to the floor, or glue it on, your choice.

Not as pretty as ESM's cushion underframes, but a lot cheaper when one already has the couplers.

K&S tubing seems to vary a little, as one set I made needed 0.01 inch spacers, and another didn't need any.  It seems to be trial and error.  Whether any spacer goes above or below the coupler shank depends on the exact mounting height.

The same method works with McHenry couplers, but spacer requirements may vary.  The McHenrys are actually easier, as the shank is one piece, and it goes in easier.

[bbussey]

It may not be as pretty as the ESM pocket (debatable), but that's exactly what I did with mine.
 

[nkalanaga]

Did you need the spacers?  My tubing is decades old, and newer parts may be different.