Looking for an opinion.
I have a number of freight cars where I’d like to replace the existing truck side frames with roller bearing style. I see these are sold by Tichy and Accurail. Not much difference in price if I buy a dozen.
I don’t need the wheels. I’ll be using the existing P2K wheels or Intermountain.
Any opinion as to which has the best detail, and any other pertinent info that I should be aware of?
Thanks
Maxman
Pick the one that has a wheel length most similar to the wheels you plan to use.
Is that info available anywhere?
Yeah, try Reboxx maybe? I think they did all sorts of replacement axles at one time and may have a reference. Possibly NWSL? Otherwise, there should be someone here who knows.
This will be helpful:
http://mrr.trains.com/~/media/import/files/pdf/4/c/c/mr_pi_5-06_freightcartrucks.pdf
I like the detail of Tichy trucks but I only have their arch-bar variety. These have separate press-in nylon bearings. They are a little “fussy” to get running well. I see Tichy has one-piece Delrin trucks. I have not tried those.
I do like Accurail and the detail is not too bad. Bowser is another possibility. Good detail, smooth running.
Athearn and Atlas are OK, too. Some of the Atlas ones are not very detailed at all.
I mostly use Kadee but you already have your wheels. My 2¢ is to go with the Accurail.
Good Luck, Ed
KATO and Athearn actually make/made roller bearing trucks with caps that are spinning just as the prototype. As I model the 50s, I have no experience with these.
Kato makes excellent trucks. The spinning end cap ones have quite a bit more drag to them since they are not needlepoint. I put them on some tri-level auto racks and it took quite a bit of muscle to drag them around the layout.
Cheers, Ed
Both the Accurail and Tichy sideframes appear to represent the same general ASF pattern 100-ton truck.
Above is the Tichy version.
And this is Accurail’s.
Accurail’s roller bearing truck has some dimensional errors that render it undersized (e.g. a too-short wheelbase like that of a 77-ton truck, although the sideframe doesn’t match the shape of any 77-ton prototypes I’m aware of), and the detail isn’t well executed (none of the tooling is very sharp, most of the detail is missing around the bolster and springs, and the casting company lettering is incorrectly recessed into the sideframe instead of having raised letters and numbers).
For other 100-ton ASF trucks, there are various renditions available, including Walthers and Bowser, that have sharper tooling. If you want to look further, note that various manufacturers offer 100-ton Barber pattern trucks, as well as 70-ton types from Barber and ASF. ExactRail, Moloco, Tangent, Walthers, Rapido, and Athearn all have nice trucks to lend prototypical variety.
The choice of the above will depend on how much accuracy and detail fidelity matter to you. If cost is a bigger factor, either Accurail or Tichy should perform well enough with the wheelsets you plan to use.
Thanks to all who have so far answered.
I want to use these on 52 ft gons.
As I originally mentioned, I want the side frames only. The two vendors I found that sell the roller bearing truck frame are Tichy and Accurail.
I will have to check with Bowser tomorrow. They show the item, but I can’t find it listed on their website price.
So far as the other vendors listed, I don’t find anywhere where they would sell the side frames w/o wheelsets.
If I’m not mistaken, I think that Bowser offers their trucks with metal or plastic wheels or without wheelsets at all.
Wayne
From what I see only the solid-bearing type are sold that way:
http://www.bowserorders.com/.sc/ms/cat/HO%20Bowser%20Parts--Trucks
However, contact Lee English and see if you can special order them.
Maxman, how many trucks do you think you may need? At one time I had two shoeboxes full of delrin trucks. I gave many of them away but I could probably scrounge up a couple dozen, maybe.
[:$] I should have checked first! I guess I was more generous than I thought! I’m down to only about a dozen or so RB trucks! Ooops!
Cheers, Ed
I guess I didn’t realize there are that many manufacturers that have trucks that are seperate pieces.
I have seen some on Ebay, and I remember a kit I had that had trucks you had to assemble. I don’t remember what it was.
At first, I thought Maxman was talking about the bearings that spin.
Mike.
Ed: Somehow you got to a different catalog page than I did. I found this, http://www.bowser-trains.com/history/wheels.html. Top center is a 70 ton RB truck, and there appear to be several catalog part numbers. But that item may be for an ore car, so I’ll have to call them and ask.
Regarding scrounging, thank you for your offer. I’ll send you a PM if I find out I really need them. What I have is a bunch of gons marked P&LE/PC. I model 1980 to 1985 and I’m trying to determine if PC/Conrail changed out the trucks from original.
Thanks
Maxman
I had to edit my reply, Maxman! I wrote too soon. After checking my remaining “stock” I see I’m down to maybe a dozen roller bearing truck frames. [:$]
Still, you’re welcome to those!
When it comes to Penn-Central era trucks I’d really like to get a bunch of these Rapido “converted” trucks
https://www.rapidotrains.com/ho-scale-freight-car-trucks/
{third truck down}
I remember seeing these by the hundreds in the late '70s. They were a solid-bearing journal box with the lid removed and a roller-bearing “package” installed. A drain hole was cut in the bottom of the journal box to let the water out.
I “think” the Bowser parts page I linked to shows what they actually have in stock.
Cheers, Ed
MDC/Roundhouse had these. I have a couple sets around someplace. I have never been able to find the part number listed any place. I’ll have to look, but if I remember correctly even the packaging didn’t have a part number.
By Golly, there they are!
MDC-Trucks by Edmund, on Flickr
The Rapido ones are next to impossible to find, and even more difficult in the US.
Thanks for that head’s up. I wonder if Atheran will offer these?
Cheers, Ed
They have been gone from Roundhouse/Athearn for years, the last I heard True Line Trains in Canada had the molds and they have not been re-released.
Rick Jesionowski
Yes, that would be them. Saves me the trouble of looking around the basement.
Where did you find that picture? I must have searched the net for an hour.
No item nmber on the package; just the SKU number.
Here’s an old link, 2010, where you helped someone find the same trucks.
Not that it helps, but…
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/177507.aspx
All the Ebay sellers I found were all sold out, as well.
Could you just replace the whole truck? Or do the trucks your looking for show the journal box, with the cover off, and the roller bearings inside ?
Mike.
EDIT: From what I found, MDC 02921.
Darn. Looked for that also, but couldn’t find it either.
Actually Ed was looking for them. All I was looking for was RB truck sideframes w/o wheels. But, yes, the journal boxes had the covers off showing the roller bearings inside. They included covers if one wanted the normal bettendorf style trucks. Take a look at the package picture and it shows the options.
And thanks for the item number.