unusual truck s-Rio Grand vs Utah Mtns

[Anonymous]

In Nov 2003 Trains in the article above , page 60 in the photogragh there are unusual trucks on car DRGW 70689. Whats up here?

[JoeKoh]

it might be an older or diffrent model of truck for the dump gon.the car looks like its older than the 2 around it.
stay safe
Joe

[Anonymous]

The trucks you're looking at have outside-hung brake beams (instead of the typical inside-hung). Thus the sideframes have extensions in order to give the brake beams a place to attach. Outside-hung brake beams are very uncommon; in fact, the only two instances I can recall ever seeing them was on the Carbon County Railway's hoppers (the last of which were scrapped circa 1988) and Kennecott Copper's ore gons, which were all in captive service.

I wasn't aware D&RGW had ever used these -- and I can't recall seeing another photo of them, either. Now I'll have to look for more photos.

[kenneo]

Mark ...

Why would they want to mount the brake beams on the outside?

Seems to me a bit like inside bearings Amtrak had on the original Superliners.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Inside bearings aren't that unusual. Amfleet is equipped with them and Chicago Transit Authority's rapid transit fleet also has them.

[Anonymous]

As it was explained to me, the advantage of outside-hung brake beams is ease of access to the brake shoes for replacement (you don't have to reach inside the truck). The disadvantage is that if the brake beam falls off, it falls on the rail and has the potential to cause a derailment. The inside-hung brake beam sticks through the "holes" in the sideframe and simply falls down to the bottom of the holes and rests there.

Seems all a bit excessive, doesn't it, but the whole point of a freight car is to be incredibly reliable, rugged, easy to maintain, and foolproof. As example, the principal components of the truck itself -- bolster, two sideframes, two wheelsets, four bearings -- are held together by gravity.

[kenneo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CSSHEGEWISCH

Inside bearings aren't that unusual. Amfleet is equipped with them and Chicago Transit Authority's rapid transit fleet also has them.

Well, try to change out a bad bearing or locate a hot one, that is, if the detector could find it! I know they are used elsewhere, but my experience with them has not been positive.

[kenneo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mark W. Hemphill

As it was explained to me, the advantage of outside-hung brake beams is ease of access to the brake shoes for replacement (you don't have to reach inside the truck). The disadvantage is that if the brake beam falls off, it falls on the rail and has the potential to cause a derailment. The inside-hung brake beam sticks through the "holes" in the sideframe and simply falls down to the bottom of the holes and rests there.

Seems all a bit excessive, doesn't it, but the whole point of a freight car is to be incredibly reliable, rugged, easy to maintain, and foolproof. As example, the principal components of the truck itself -- bolster, two sideframes, two wheelsets, four bearings -- are held together by gravity.

Are these the brakes that clasp (pull) the wheel from "outside" the truck as opposed to being pushed against the "inside" of the wheel? Oh, I hate those things!

Boy do I know about falling brake beams. We had a break-in-two doing only about 7 or 8 MPH on 3% ascending Pulled the lung right out of the leading car and it dropped down with the kuckles still mated, pitch-poled it up and then turned under the following car, and tore everything from the truck. The lung didn't derail the car, (the car came down square on center) it was rolling over the brake beams. Fortunately, only the rear axel of the lead truck, but it took the balance of the shift to get the train the next two miles to the top. It makes one require the use of language not permitted here. "The inside-hung brake beam sticks through the "holes" in the sideframe and simply falls down to the bottom of the holes and rests there. " Thank God!, except when they are torn off by something.

Your last paragraph is ever so true. They are called the "3 Piece Truck" (sorry, can't spell tonight) - You mention 5 pieces -- two of them are wheels, bearings and axels (wheel sets), the bolster and the two sideframes. Just a little help from the springs keeps the arrangement together when no car is on it.

You didn't mention the method for attaching the truck to the car. Just a ridge of steel about the width of an adults thumb --- all done with the aid of gravity.

Thinking about it, perhaps there is a good article for TRAINS here, how freight and passenger trucks are put together and how they operate, inside and outside bearings, brake beams, swing hangers, yada yada.

[Anonymous]

Also a great article would be on the new high adhesion self steering trucks- how they work etc
Scott

[Anonymous]

Also a great article would be on the new high adhesion self steering trucks- how they work etc
Scott