Queenpost - What Is It?

Classic Toy Trains Forum
1

Came across this while window shopping on line. Looks like a paper clip saguaro cactus to me.

Here’s a link to one; couldn’t get it to post. Posting photos here is definitely a PITA.

http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww305/wyomingscout/New%20Album/queenpost.jpg

Thanks,

Charlie

2

That’s a queenpost for a truss-rod supported wooden underframe car. The illustration is upside down. The flange at the bottom is bolted to one of the crossbeams that connect and support the car’s sills. The truss rods are continuous, from one end sill to the other, with a big turnbuckle between the queen posts at the longitudinal center of the car.

Route of a truss rod:

  • Anchored at the end sill, with a nut on the threaded end and a big washer. Passes through a hole in the end sill.

  • Goes over the body bolster, above the truck bolster.

  • Goes under the cast iron queen post, which is bolted to the crossbeam, which is approximately 1/3 of the way to the next body bolster.

  • Turnbuckle at the center, to adjust for sagging sills.

  • reverse the first three statements above.

Since wood-framed cars were outlawed in rail service a long time ago, this part is only useful to people who run steam locos without trailing trucks.

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with Japanese-made tinplate rolling stock)

3

Thanks. I wonder who would be using them today in model railroading. I’ve seen them listed in the 0 gauge section.

4

Wood cars with truss rods would be common scratchbuilding projects in On3 and On30, and for those modelers who model the period up to about the First World War in O standard gauge. Some truss rod cars survived into the 1940s in MW service.

Chuck