Piggy back flat car bridge plates

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Hi everyone:

I just received several sets of Details West bridge plates. There are three different parts in the package. The long bridge plate is fairly obvious, although I’m not exactly sure which end gets attached to the flat car. Can anyone explain what the other two pieces are for and how they should be mounted?

Thanks for your help.

Dave

2

Dave,

Take a look at dis’ stuff:

https://www.google.com/search?q=Piggy+Back+Flat+car+bridge+plates&client=firefox-a&hs=0WE&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official

Frank

3

Hi Frank:

Thanks for the link to the search. I had searched for bridge plates on google and found pretty much the same stuff, although I’ll give you credit for making me look through it again because I did find a picture that I had missed before. It shows the shorter bridge piece with the ribs mounted on the opposite side of the flat car to the long bridge plate so apparently the two bridges connected to each other. The short bridge is the piece in the middle of my picture. I still don’t know what funtion the third piece served.

Thanks for your time and effort Frank.

Dave

4

Dave,

Your welcome for the info. My gathering of it however and reading it, brings up a point I did not know. The different size smaller plates, the reason why there are two sizes, is in direct relation to the distance between the two cars. Some cars had cushioning couplers, (a point I did not know) that made the span between the two cars further apart, hence the need for a different length to span the two. So it is related to the kind of couplers on the car to determine which smaller bridge plates are on the car. Hope that helps!

Frank

5

Frank:

That does help a lot. Since I am modelling the '50s would there have been cushioned couplers back then or were they introduced later on?

Thanks again.

Dave

6

Dave,

Actually, those bridge plates are not at all correct for 1950’s piggyback cars. Those are typical of bridge plates found on 85’ and 89’ cars during the 70’s and 80’s. By the 80’s, especially the 89’ cars had coushioned draft gear and long shank couplers for curves. To make them work with the existing 85’ cars or 89’ cars without cushioned/extended draft gear, the extra short plates were added to the other side.

For my 50’s modeling, I have used bridge plates made by Walthers, once sold seperately and with their 54’ flat car - no longer available now, but I watch for them at train shows and on Ebay.

I also have made my own, and used the ones from the Athearn 85’ flat cars with some modification. These could be bought as Athearn parts, included with the trailer hitches. I don’t know if Athearn is still selling all that stuff as parts but it is worth checking into.

As for these Details West plates, you can just use the longer ones (they are actaully a little too long) and cut off the “latch rod” on the side of them. That makes them close to some of the styles used in the early days. But I prefer plastic ones as they are easier to glue to plastic freight cars.

Sheldon

7

Hi Sheldon:

Thanks for dating the bridge plates. I rather suspected that I would be fudging things a bit if I used them, but as you suggested, removing the newer latch rod and perhaps shortening them a bit will make them close enough. I guess the shorter plates will go into the parts box for future contemplation.

I will check out Athearn because I also still need hitches to support the trailers on the flat cars. Details West offers several versions, and I know I need one that folds flat. I am not a rivet counter so I am happy with “close enough”. EDIT: I think I found the proper hitches.

I am in the process of removing all of the guide frames that Athearn uses on its early TOFC flats, except for the side rails. I’m not sure if I will go as far as to model the rear axle supports and tie down chains that I have seen pictured in photos of the prototypes. Does anyone know if those parts were ever made in HO scale?

Dave

8

Here’s a pic of one of my OMI auto carriers. The other plates just look like extensions that go on the ends of the longer plates.

MIKE

9

Dave,

I don’t bother to model any of the tie downs or other hardware.

I simply use half a left over trailer axle/tire to simulate the fifth wheel jack, I add the bridge plates, and the side stakes commonly used to latch them in the upright postion with chains.

I glue most of my van in place on the trailers.

I modify the Athearn vans by moving the landing gear to the back one notch where it clips in the floor and remove the forward axle in most cases.

A few of my flats have trailer hitches, but they had just started to appear in 1954, and were never used on 50’ flats intended for two 25’ vans. I have hitches on a few 50’ flats for a single 32’ trailer, and on my 75’ flats.

The rear axle jacks were only used for a short time, most roads quickly learned they were not needed. The number of chain binders decreased also as time went on. Then when the hitches were in full use, all that went away - but that was not until the 60’s.

Sheldon

10

If you are looking for the 5th wheel jack that Sheldon mentioned, the Walthers GSC 54 foot flatcar came with those pieces. A forum member, Southwest Chief, had a post back in 2011 looking for them: http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/198885.aspx. At that time I had some that I didn’t need and I sent them to him. I don’t have any more. But maybe if you started a thread looking for them (if you are looking), maybe someone else here also has them laying around.

11

Sheldon:

I remember seeing your pictures of your impressive lineup of TOFC equipment. My future layout would not likely accomodate that many flat cars so I am only going to work on about 12 flats for now.

I commented in a previous thread about your suggestion regarding removing the forward axle on the 25’ trailers, and I am in the process of doing that. I think they look much more realistic with one axle.

I just ordered a bunch of piggy back hitches from Walthers so I have some work to do bashing all the TOFC flats that I have.

Thanks

Dave

12

Maxman:

Thanks for the lead on the fifth wheel hitches. I just broke down and ordered a bunch of Details West Piggyback hitches. Like I said previously, they may not be perfect for the era but that’s why we have throttles! Just run the train faster and nobody will notice!

Dave

13

Dave,

Did not answer your question, for Sheldon, did a pretty good job of that. But just to add one note, when I was a crane operator for CSXI, at Bedford Park, IL. they had a lot of older 85ft flats, they were two car 85’s, considered one car, no couplers between the two, but a drawbar. To the small Intermodel yard in Philly, sending those cars to them was considered a nightmare, just because they couln’t break them apart to fit in the small yard. I also was at that yard many times, when I was leased to CSXI, when I had my own trucks, so I knew first hand about the problem’s they had there with long equipment. Interesting to note also, I watched them switch that yard up close and listening to all the groaning and creaking those cars made, when being pushed in the yard and the occasional derailment when backing in those tight curves.

Take Care!

Frank

14

Frank:

The cars I am modelling are the same Athearn units as what Sheldon shows in his post. My challenge will be that in order to get to the off-loading ramp I will have to back the cars around the outside of a freight yard. Not the greatest plan but it fits the space. There will be a spur to park the flats on as they are emptied which is separate from the yard. It will hold 10 cars. With all the backing up I might need some sounds of the cars groaning through the curves!

Thanks for sharing your experience!

Dave