Good Morning All.
If a locos’ trucks are mounted to the loco with a single pin, would not all be steerable?
I noticed a picture on Railpics of a GE ES44AH (railpictures.net/photo/617480/) And the photographer stated it had steerable trucks. I have not seen any steering wheels in locos, how do these differ?
Inquiring minds want to know. [swg]
Lee
Normally on diesels the trucks all turn as a unit, as you describe. Some more recent large diesels with three-axle trucks are articulated so that one axle can turn separately from the rest of the truck. This makes it easier for large engines to take sharp curves, and also cuts down wear on the track. No one actually “steers” the truck from the cab or anything.
Hello!
Though I don’t know much i’ve browsed over this topic on a couple of pages before. There is a common mis-conception that steerable trucks means tha tthe engineer can direct the locomotive towards one direction (Funny because they run on rails[Y]) though this is not true. Steerable trucks simply means that the trucks on a locomotive can adjust to curves and radials allowing for more mobility, less ware, and a longer lifespan of the locomotive’s parts. There are some cases in which locomotives have ‘Solid bodies’, meaning that the trucks don’t adjust and the locomotive is a long single individual. This is very rare now adays due to the ever decreasing turn radius and the amount of switching yards beign built. If theres more then that then someone please teach us both![(-D]
That’s the info I found, as well. Lee, I Googled “steerable locomotive trucks”, and found lots of info, and links to other discussions, such as in Trains forums.
I thought instead of repeating what I read, just search it, and you’ll read all about it.
Mike.
BR103 Electric Locomotive [*-)]
http://www.trolleyville.com/tv/times/dec2015/images/photo-Z21-4.gif
[;)] Of course it’s not really a steering wheel. It’s the throttle.
I dunno…looks like it’s got a gas pedal, too, although that combined brake and clutch pedal must really mess-up any heel-and-toe maneuvers. [:P]
Wayne
The GE and GM/EMD patents all talk of self-steering trucks to avoid the above misunderstanding.
The following linked website has a good description of EMD’s HTCR-truck:
http://www.okthepk.ca/dataCprSiding/articles/200307/trucks.htm
Here is a link to GE’s patent: http://www.google.com/patents/US6006674 and the isolated linkage that moves the axles: http://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/pages/US6006674-2.png
As the truck frames are not rigid the lateral resistance of the first axle entering the curve is high enough to align it in radial direction. The linkage transfers that relative movement from perpendicular to the truck frame to the other axles having all axles aligned radial. I hope I understood correctly otherwise correct me please.
Regards, Volker
Mike and all the others that answered, thanks.
I just thought that the trucks were ridged and just followed the rails. These new trucks are very complicated.
Good day
Lee
Volker has it right. This serves several purposes. First, it greatly reduces friction and wear - think about trying to push a long wheelbase truck through a too-tight radius model curve - it binds up because the flanges on the lead and trailing axles bind up against the rail. The self-steering truck helps reduce or eliminate this bind. Second, while trying to keep the wheels as centered on the rail as possible, it increase tractive effort (or maybe there is just less lost to friction, so a curve has less effect on pulling power than a non-steering truck). And that reduced wear isn’t just on the loco - it’s on the track, as well.
–Randy
While reading some of the info I found on my search, I’ve seen some discussion of excessive flange wear, but you’d have to read it yourself, nothing I can quote.
Mike.
Oh dear Wayne, you are taking me back! I drove an MGB for many years in my youth and learning to heel and toe was something I was very proud of! My MGB had early Ford Mustang four bolt wheels and considerably oversized Michelin XVS radials when radial tires were just being accepted in North America. I had to beat the fender liners out with a hammer to prevent the tires from scraping the fenders. I loved the way I could drift into a corner, particularly when there was a car stopped too far out in the intersecting road. I could literally point my MGB right at them as I slid around the corner. Talk about getting in someone’s face. I saw more than a few wide open driver’s eyes when I was doing that![}:)]
Thanks for reminding me. I now have a really warm glow from remembering my younger antics!![(-D][(-D][(-D][C):-)][oX)][:o)]
All the best Wayne!
Dave
That’s why I leave my traction and stability control turned on at all times - I don’t trust what I would do if I had complete authority over it. In my car, it’s tuned such that I can still hang the rear end out when I want to, it just keeps my from going full out hoon. Sharp handling plus plenty of power = I could be very bad indeed if I would let myself. Lucky for me I’d rather spend the money on trains than traffic tickets.
–Randy
I owned 2 MGBs a 63 roadster and a 65 GT. Lucas Electrics… the masters of darkness!
Why do the British drink warm beer?
Lucas makes refrigerators, too.
I once helped, or tried to help, a coworker troubleshoot an electrical problem with his Triumph motocycle. There’s just no way it POSSIBLY could have worked if wired the way the schematic was drawn.
–Randy
A little off topic - but in my neck of the woods it was Lucas - Prince of Darkness because of the electric system’s Satanic abilities.
I had a '60 MGA for many years, complete with wire wheels, a tube radio, and a positive ground electric system (by Lucas). Then I finally learned there was more to life than spending Monday through Friday preparing the car for a Saturday and Sunday drive. I did enjoy those drives on the Oregon coast, and letting the rear end drift through turns was special.
Fred W
I
Yeah, you can’t do that in a locomotive, even if it’s got steerable trucks! [:P]
For quite a few years, I had a very reliable '71 Datsun 1200, and the key to its reliability seemed to be yearly tune-ups. Plugs, points, cap and rotor were always easy to find, but as years wore on, finding ignition wires got tougher. One year, my usual source didn’t have them, but sent me to another shop. “Sorry,” said the parts guy there, “but all I’ve got are Lucas.” Not being a sports car guy, I had no idea of the satanic reputation, so bought them…and at a much better price than I had been paying for all those previous years! I was very pleased when they lasted at least three years. The originals and all of the replacements over the previous years, were what reminded me, when the engine started missing, that it was tune-up time, as those wires were good for only one year.
I drove that car for 17 years and over 300,000 miles…best car and most fun to drive of all the ones I’ve had, except, at least for the fun part perhaps, my current ride.
Wayne
Hey Fred
I had a 60 MGA, but the year 1970 and I had to refresh it. Engine rebuilt to the spects of the sedan, Repair all rust. Had to cut the body in two pieces at the right hand door sill and replace with new parts. New interior and cover. What did they call that cover, you could unzip the drivers side and drive with your head sticking out?
I know off topic but please give an old guy with old memory’s some leway.Have a good day.
Lee
Tonneau cover - specifically a convertable tonneau cover - there are other types for instance a pick-up truck tonneau cover.
I need to get one for my truck, improves the utility AND improves gas mileage.
It’s like the Road & Track review of Strasburg RR #90 - “it corners like it’s on rails” Probbaly one of the best “road tests” they ever did. Second probably belongs to the road test of a then-new GP50 in Car & Driver, where they compared most major dimensions to the then-hot ZR-1 Corvette. As in “each piston displaces as much as 2 1/2 ZR-1s”.
There seems to be a long tradition of train guys also being car guys.
–Randy
DSchmitt Thanks.
Tonneau
There you go. [:-^] Shissh there is no way I could have spelled that.
You never get the love of old cars out of your blood.
I rebuilt 6 cars, well 7 if you count the Mustang I did the second time after my son tried to drive it up a tree.
Ok, better get back to Model trains.
Good day.
Lee
