Hi Everyone - I’m sure this has been talked about ad nauseam by this point but I can’t see any recent posts about the topic or any new info. So here it goes - I have several Atlas Red Box U33/36Cs that I have detailed over the years but the one detail that always eludes me is that of the trucks. I already know the history, names and uses of them but can’t ever locate anything but the wrongly named Adirondack truck side frames that it seems Altas put on just about everything. You can still get those through Atlas and just about any modeler’s odds and ends parts box anywhere an Atlas U boat ever ran. I know several years back a guy did a great post on how he 3-D printed side frames for his N&W locos that were equipped with triple clasp brakes but never was able to find if he offered them up to be printed for a fee or shared the design so we could make our own. So my question is this: does anyone know a source to get side frames for Atlas HO U30/33/36C locos? Whether they be 3-D printed or you know a guy who has a big stash of these? I’m interested in the (actual) GSC side frames with the high and low mounted brake cylinders. Atlas still sells the left side but not the right.
Supmal, good idea. It would be helpful if someone has photos that can posted.
Are those side frames held onto the truck like the Athearn style?
All of the side frame kits I’ve found look like they are made for the Athearn type truck.
You can see a couple flavors at trainreadyproducts.com. Also protopowerwest shows some.
Unfortunately no. Athearn’s side frames (which are correct by the way) are a press fit where as Atlas’s side frames snap into place and are held with a tab that’s attached to the clip on the bottom of the truck. The other issue is the diameter of the mounting posts on the Athearn side frames are about double what the atlas side frames use. Plus there is also the issue of the electrical pickups that sit behind the side frames on the atlas trucks.
You are right though - there is quite a bit out there for the Athearn trucks but next to nothing for the Atlas trucks. Apparently Atlas must have made quite a few less of the GSC side frames that the Adirondack side frames because the former are dang near impossible to find. (I think they only came on the C30-7s?)
I believe that the Conrail C30-7’s had the Adirondack side frames.
That’s correct, except for the naming though. (not at all your fault - atlas flubbed that one). The C30-7 from atlas came with GSC, high mounted Brake Cylinder trucks. From what I can tell, the newer release of the U28C came with GSC, low mounted brake cylinder trucks. That would be fine except that they sell these side frames right/left separately and the right is not available.
Not sure to whom you are responding. However, I personally don’t know the difference between the GSC and the other truck side frames.
However, some time ago I purchased a BLI C30-7 that was advertised as coming with the proper truck side frames as per prototype. I had contacted them ahead of time to make sure the Conrail unit was going to have the right item as their ads were not clear. I was assured that the side frames would be correct.
When the model arrived it had the incorrect frames. I contacted them again and spoke to the individual who had spec’d out the parts, and it ended up with an “oh poop” comment at his end.
Anyway they did send me replacement parts which I installed, so happy ending.
IIRC, Adirondack was a foundry. GSC of course was General Steel Castings, a few corporate machinations down the line from the engine-bed people.
Would this mean that there would be a visual difference between the two different products?
Yes - it’s minor but if you’re a stickler for detail like I am there is a difference. The biggest spotting difference if i were to simply describe it to you was the Conrail C30-7s had the brake cylinders up at the top of the truck where as the majority had them down at the bottom between the brake shoes. Here are some pictures to illustrate (and show you how interchangeable these trucks were!). On the attached picture of the Reading U30C you can see it has low mounted cylinders and these trucks were made by Adirondack. On the D&H U30C
it has different style trucks than the Reading U30C. This D&H U30C has GSC trucks - low mounted brake cylinder. The picture of the Conrail C30-7 shows its GSC trucks with the brake cylinders mounted up high.
I have six of the old red box units, and I’ve noted that there are two different style side frames amongst them. One version is like the D&H version as shown above and the other version has a arch cast into the frame above the middle axle.
Mark.
I think I’m beginning to remember that the GSC trucks had two snubbers while the Adirondack as used on the Conrail C30-7s only had one.