Do/did ATSF's 8-40BWs have the same weight problems as the GP60Ms

[YoHo1975]

Subject pretty much covers it, did the GE 4 axle units have the same weight problems? If they didn't then why didn't they?

[edbenton]

From calling a few sources of mine I have.  The B-40-8W had some minor issuse but they were solved by putting the Fuel tank back moving BOTH air tanks in front of the fuel tank and it could carry its full load of fuel. 

[beaulieu]

GE had less trouble balancing the Dash8-40BW, but they did manage to make a locomotive that rides worse than the GP60M, it is even heavier. So yes they had the same problems as EMD, you will notice that no one but Santa Fe ever ordered any.

[oltmannd]

The GE floating bolster truck is nobody's kidneys friend.  The Conrail B40-8s were 287,000#, so I imagine the W's were even heavier.

Actually, the somewhat lighter B36-7s rode worse than the B40s at speed due to their shorter length. 

[edbenton]

Heck the ONLY RR's that have GE B truck Widecabs are the BNSF via the Santa Fe and Amtrak.  From what I can glean and from looking at my old 1994 ETT the B-40-8W weighed in at 290K right at the limit of what they could with full tanks.  Yes that FB-2 is a kidney buster but still rides better than the old AAR-B it replaced. 

[oltmannd]

The AAR type B is a swinghanger truck with stiff primaries and soft secondaries ala the EMD swinghanger truck.  It SHOULD ride better than the FB.  I never did a head to head ride test of the two, though.

[Stevo3751]

I know the GP60M's were problematic but I would understand if the B40-8W's had problems, too. The safety cab feature was still new at the time of their building.

[Paul Milenkovic]

I guess I think I know how a pedestal journal guided, drop equalizer, swing hanger truck works.  I think I sorta know how the Pioneer-III style Amfleet truck works -- Don Oltmann explained it is merely a rubber sandwich for the primary springs and those big air springs, allowing some side motion and tied against fore-aft motion with those carbody struts.

How does an FB (floating bolster) truck work?  Is it anything like the Amfleet truck?  And what is a Flexicoil, and how does that one work?

[Lyon_Wonder]

IIRC, the wide nose cab made the GP60M's top heavy.  I wonder if EMD had put the GP60Ms on a longer frame, say 62', would have helped?

[YoHo1975]

Paul, if you go look through some of the other thread from around the time I made this one, a poster by the name bogie engineer (hmm, something tells me he knows things) explained some of the differences in these trucks.  

I guess I think I know how a pedestal journal guided, drop equalizer, swing hanger truck works.  I think I sorta know how the Pioneer-III style Amfleet truck works -- Don Oltmann explained it is merely a rubber sandwich for the primary springs and those big air springs, allowing some side motion and tied against fore-aft motion with those carbody struts.

How does an FB (floating bolster) truck work?  Is it anything like the Amfleet truck?  And what is a Flexicoil, and how does that one work?