Check it out. Hard for me to believe the only thing fixing this truck to a passenger car is 1 cotter pin and the center pin assembly. I guess that is modern engineering for you..........
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPjFEGHnSM0
Background: This sleeping car was purchased by RAPIDO trains for preservation. So far they have spent close to $200,000 on it, so far. Window replacement, repainting, some interior repair and I believe they had to replace 1 pair of wheels and axles in order to move it from Georgia to Ontario, Canada. I believe it is shown here at the Toronto Maintence Facility of VIA Rail. Sad part of the move from Georgia to Canada. One overnight in CP's Toronto yards and some idiots put graffitti on the car sides. All it took was a few hours in one yard. You can see from the video the graffitti was since removed.
Structural and floor inspection video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70UHZ3QqgDs
Note that the weight of the car does most of the work "securing" the truck; all the locking centerpin does is keep the truck attached in 'tension', and if you think about the structure described it does that compellingly well. Note that the 'flange' is what does the securement, and is essentially a stout steel collar retaining the truck; the wedge goes in FROM ABOVE, is hammered to positive engagement, and then is pinned wedged in (and the cotter holds that transverse locking pin from coming out). Even if it were just a cotter holding the wedge... that's a big honkin' cotter!
If you can figure out a load that could shear that cotter, let the pin come out laterally, and then get the wedge to come up enough to let both half-pins come up... well, that's an awful lot of simultaneous coincidence.
OvermodNote that the weight of the car does most of the work "securing" the truck; all the locking centerpin does is keep the truck attached in 'tension', and if you think about the structure described it does that compellingly well. Note that the 'flange' is what does the securement, and is essentially a stout steel collar retaining the truck; the wedge goes in FROM ABOVE, is hammered to positive engagement, and then is pinned wedged in (and the cotter holds that transverse locking pin from coming out). Even if it were just a cotter holding the wedge... that's a big honkin' cotter! If you can figure out a load that could shear that cotter, let the pin come out laterally, and then get the wedge to come up enough to let both half-pins come up... well, that's an awful lot of simultaneous coincidence.
So there is a designated access through the floor to permit securing the center pin from above?
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACD Overmod Note that the weight of the car does most of the work "securing" the truck; all the locking centerpin does is keep the truck attached in 'tension', and if you think about the structure described it does that compellingly well. Note that the 'flange' is what does the securement, and is essentially a stout steel collar retaining the truck; the wedge goes in FROM ABOVE, is hammered to positive engagement, and then is pinned wedged in (and the cotter holds that transverse locking pin from coming out). Even if it were just a cotter holding the wedge... that's a big honkin' cotter! If you can figure out a load that could shear that cotter, let the pin come out laterally, and then get the wedge to come up enough to let both half-pins come up... well, that's an awful lot of simultaneous coincidence. So there is a designated access through the floor to permit securing the center pin from above?
Overmod Note that the weight of the car does most of the work "securing" the truck; all the locking centerpin does is keep the truck attached in 'tension', and if you think about the structure described it does that compellingly well. Note that the 'flange' is what does the securement, and is essentially a stout steel collar retaining the truck; the wedge goes in FROM ABOVE, is hammered to positive engagement, and then is pinned wedged in (and the cotter holds that transverse locking pin from coming out). Even if it were just a cotter holding the wedge... that's a big honkin' cotter! If you can figure out a load that could shear that cotter, let the pin come out laterally, and then get the wedge to come up enough to let both half-pins come up... well, that's an awful lot of simultaneous coincidence.
Yes. There should be a small hatch in the floor above the pin.
Some cars that were modified later in life by non-railroaders have had other stuff built above the hatch. I once had to help remove part of a kitchen cabinet in order to get at the hatch.
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
I believe battleship turrets, which weigh hundreds of tons, are just held in place by gravity.
SO when Godzilla picks up the train cars, the wheels will FALL RIGHT OFF...Oh no.
EnzoampsSO when Godzilla picks up the train cars, the wheels will FALL RIGHT OFF...Oh no.
Note that freight trucks are different, because three-piece structure is different. There have been attempts over the years to arrange some kind of locking center pin arrangement, but most three-piece designs already rely primarily or absolutely on gravity to hold the sideframe ends on the bearing carriers -- just jacking up the sideframes lets the wheelset with its package bearings roll right out, there almost always being no clasp brake foundation out past the ends. And if the wheelsets part company it would not be long before the sideframes departed the locked-in bolster. A 'safe' locking pin would have to drop in from the top, as in the passenger application, with the bowl arrangement modified for the multiple pieces rather than just having a strong fixed pin; it might take all sorts of work to unload a car with a bad truck to reach the pin, then reload it when done.
One of the quiet things that made 'security' pinning less critical was the introduction of controlled constant-contact side bearings, which better keep the body from rocking to destabilize the car, or arrest some of the tendency for trucks to hunt at speed.
So Godzilla picks up freight cars and the wheels fall off. They'll go back on almost as easily once the big guy leaves for Tokyo.
BaltACD So there is a designated access through the floor to permit securing the center pin from above?
Editor Emeritus, This Week at Amtrak
I've restored automobiles before and I see the similarities in the process. Two big differences are, the tools are larger and you'd better wear steel-toe shoes.
A question: what's with the Budd cars? I think I've seen them at the Mimico yard but why are they used in this way?
Backshop I believe battleship turrets, which weigh hundreds of tons, are just held in place by gravity.
People would be amazed at how engineers use gravity to their advantage.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.