Can you switch trucks on locomotives around? I don't know what their called but could you use alco style trucks on an EMD? Do prototype railroads do this?
People more knowledgable than I am will respond soon, but the answer is yes.
There were many General Electric locomotives built using EMD Blomberg trucks from units that were traded in.
I am sure there were other examples.
I do not know the real world engineering involved in doing this.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
There's a lot involved, but very little of the practical engineering to do it in reality translates to model railroading. You might have to know some details, like why you wouldn't just substitute a pair of HTCR-IIs under an older locomotive built with Flexicoils, but the knowledge of what is needed for different designs is relatively easy to come by.
There were EMD locomotives built new with 'AAR-B' trucks from traded-in Alcos to save money. The issue for a modeler is more 'why would my railroad switch these?' than 'can I switch them on a model' (which can be as easy as tinkering with exchanging side frames, without having to file or shim pads or bolsters to adjust ride height...)
Trucks aren't proprietary to the locomotive builder, so there's not "EMD" and "ALCO" trucks even though the builders did develop the trucks too. The Blomberg, for instance, was an EMD design, but GE offered it as an option. Or you were trading in some PAs for some GP30s, but to save on the more expensive Blombergs, you could have your rebuilt trucks off your PAs installed on your GP30s.
NittanyLionOr you were trading in some PAs for some GP30s, but to save on the more expensive Blombergs, you could have your rebuilt trucks off your PAs installed on your GP30s.
I believe the Soo Line traded in its FAs (not PAs, which the Soo did not own and the trucks from which would not fit anyway) for their GP30s with the understanding that the trucks would be reused to save money and I have read that the Soo came to regret that economy for a variety of reasons. But they (the Soo GP30s) lasted a good long time. Due to the use of the Alco trucks the Soo GP30s always looked like they were squatty and short.
Dave Nelson
Now I suddenly want to buy an old powered Athearn PA-1 chassis and put a GP-30 body on it.
Yes.
I don't know all of them, but the SOO, MOPAC, and GM&O, all had some GP diesels delivered to them from EMD sporting traded in ALCO trucks.
Life Like made models of these, which were easy to do since the sideframes on the Athearn BB cloned trucks simply popped off and could be swapped. Would be easy peasy for a freelancer to do the same with just about any LL GP unit. (If you can find the sideframes without buying the entire 2nd loco, good luck with that.)
Models of today might have different truck designs between their ALCO and EMD models.
Some were later sold to the Wisconsin Central:
And apparently, Western Pacific, and perhaps C&O, went the other way when they got GE Uboats delivered with Blomberg trucks. (Atlas model)
- Douglas
The NKP when they were downsizing their passenger operations traded in their PA-1's for RS-36's two of which were equipped with steam generators for passenger service. They did not use the trucks but the traction motors from the trucks and other parts were used on the trade ins.
The Ann Arbor traded in FA-2's on GP35's and the AAR trucks were used on the GP35's although the fuel had to be shorter (therefore smaller) as the AAR trucks were longer than the Bloomberg trucks EMD usually used.
Rick Jesionowski
Rule 1: This is my railroad.
Rule 2: I make the rules.
Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!
Doughless Yes. I don't know all of them, but the SOO, MOPAC, and GM&O, all had some GP diesels delivered to them from EMD sporting traded in ALCO trucks. Life Like made models of these, which were easy to do since the sideframes on the Athearn BB cloned trucks simply popped off and could be swapped. Would be easy peasy for a freelancer to do the same with just about any LL GP unit. (If you can find the sideframes without buying the entire 2nd loco, good luck with that.) Models of today might have different truck designs between their ALCO and EMD models.
I think I'm going to try and do this on my LL gp38-2. I have 2 athearn BB switchers (sw7 and s12) going to try to swap the sideframes
Ringo58 Doughless Yes. I don't know all of them, but the SOO, MOPAC, and GM&O, all had some GP diesels delivered to them from EMD sporting traded in ALCO trucks. Life Like made models of these, which were easy to do since the sideframes on the Athearn BB cloned trucks simply popped off and could be swapped. Would be easy peasy for a freelancer to do the same with just about any LL GP unit. (If you can find the sideframes without buying the entire 2nd loco, good luck with that.) Models of today might have different truck designs between their ALCO and EMD models. I think I'm going to try and do this on my LL gp38-2. I have 2 athearn BB switchers (sw7 and s12) going to try to swap the sideframes
They won't fit. The LL gp38-2 has a different truck design than the other GPs. Sorry to mislead you...forgot about the nonAthearn truck design of the LL GP38-2.
And the switcher units might have a different wheelbase than the GP truck.
What I should have said was, that those ALCO truck sideframes on those GPs made by LL will fit on any other LL GP unit (except the LL GP38-2), if you wanted a GP7 or GP20, etc, to have the ALCO trucks. Its a matter of popping off the sideframes and not changing the whole truck.
You could put those LL ALCO sideframes on an Athearn BB GP38-2 or 40-2 too.
the Rio Grande converted a PB to a steam generator car and put bloomberg 2 axle trucks underneath it instead of the original 3 axle alco trucks.
D&RGW's Rio Grande Zephyr -- Five Roger *** Photos by Marty Bernard, on Flickr
(Not my photo, found on google search)
Colorado Front Range Railroad: http://www.coloradofrontrangerr.com/
Chesapeake and Ohio had a small fleet of EMD SD-18s that rode on ALCo tri-mount trucks with GE 752 traction motors from six axle ALCo trade ins.
When Rock Island re-engined some ALCo FA/FB-1s with EMD 567 series V-16s, they also plunked them down on Blomberg trucks.
Renegade1cThe Rio Grande converted a PB to a steam generator car and put bloomberg 2 axle trucks underneath it instead of the original 3 axle alco trucks.
That is an interesting piece of equipment.
Were the trucks powered like a slug from the lead unit, or were they just along for the ride?