OK, here's another dumb question. I have been eyeballing the beautiful Milwaukee Hiawatha sets Walters produced a while back. The list of available cars lists, in some cases, what appear to be the exact same prototype car model, but they produce it in two versions, one with "straight sides" and one with "notched sides." For example, their item 932-9281 is listed as "#535 Series Coach Straight Sides Disc Brakes." Their item 932-9282 is listed as "#535 Series Coach Notched Sides Clasp Brakes." I can see the difference in the brakes on the trucks; that's very obvious. But I have been scratching my head on the difference between straight and notched sides. Which sides? Other than the brakes, both cars appear to be absolutely identical. I'm sure I must be missing something obvious. Walthers has no information on-line that I could find that explains this difference. Does anybody know? Thanks!
Kelzeegla
The "notch" is in the bottom of each side above each truck. And it shows (or doesn't show, depending) in the photos of the models when I enter their part numbers.
Ed
Interesting, I wonder if the 'notch' was put in by the railroad at some point to make maintenance work on the trucks easier - kinda like how some cars (and engines) lost their streamline "skirting" after a time?
wjstix Interesting, I wonder if the 'notch' was put in by the railroad at some point to make maintenance work on the trucks easier - kinda like how some cars (and engines) lost their streamline "skirting" after a time?
On at least some Milwaukee Road passenger cars the notch was pretty clearly cut in to clear the external brake cylinder on the truck -- for example the business car Montana.
In 1954 the Milwaukee Road began installing 8 foot wheelbase trucks under the 1947-48 cars to replace the original 7 foot wheelbase Nystrom trucks. According to a caption in Morning Sun's Milwaukee Road Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment Vol 1 "The new trucks, equipped with concealed brake cylinders, did not require the removal of skirting above the bolsters."
Based on photos that show notches in some cars and not others, I assume they were cut into those cars that had actual clearance problems, perhaps on a car-by-car basis, but switching over to the newer trucks avoiding having to cut into a car which had otherwise avoided being notched, so to speak.
William Stauss is the real expert on Milwaukee Road passenger cars but unfortunately I do not believe he ever visits these forums.
Dave Nelson