Passenger Car Trucks By American Models

Key Info

Model Manufacturer:

American Models

Category:

passenger car

Bearings:

roller

Prototype Manufacturer:

Pullman

Wheelbase:

?

Model Info

Intended For:

hi-rail

Manufacturer ID:

840HR

Sprung:

no

Equalized:

yes

Truck Material:

plastic

Truck Finish:

molded in color

Wheels:

33"

Insulated:

single-wheel

Finish:

blackened

Material:

steel

Model Notes:

Lightweight 4-wheel for streamlined passenger cars. There is an obvious blank space in the center of the truck that more-detail-oriented modelers may want to fill.

Supplemental Part:

Part #02407 (Truck Brake Cyl, Torsion Bars)

B.T.S. #02407.

Key Info

Model Manufacturer:

American Models

Category:

passenger car

Bearings:

roller

Prototype Manufacturer:

Pullman

Wheelbase:

?

Model Info

Intended For:

scale

Manufacturer ID:

840S

Sprung:

no

Equalized:

yes

Truck Material:

plastic

Truck Finish:

molded in color

Wheels:

33"

Insulated:

single-wheel

Finish:

blackened

Material:

steel

Model Notes:

Lightweight 4-wheel for streamlined passenger cars. There is an obvious blank space in the center of the truck that more-detail-oriented modelers may want to fill.

Supplemental Part:

Part #02407 (Truck Brake Cyl, Torsion Bars)

Dick Karnes modified his truck using available B.T.S. detailing parts, which includes the torsion bar, brake cylinder, and instructions for constructing the shock strut (in the center, made from a short piece of solid wire with its own insulation sleeve). This is B.T.S. detail part #02407.

B.T.S. #02407.

Key Info

Model Manufacturer:

American Models (click for web site)

Category:

passenger car

Bearings:

solid/friction

Prototype Manufacturer:

Pullman

Wheelbase:

8'3"

Model Info

Intended For:

hi-rail

Manufacturer ID:

842HR

Sprung:

no

Equalized:

yes

Truck Material:

plastic

Truck Finish:

molded in color

Wheels:

33"

Insulated:

single-wheel

Finish:

blackened

Material:

steel

Model Notes:

These are the standard trucks that American Models puts on all of their heavyweight passenger car models. This was the most common steam-era passenger truck, a four-wheel drop-equalized steel truck with separate pedestals.

Key Info

Model Manufacturer:

American Models (click for web site)

Category:

passenger car

Bearings:

solid/friction

Prototype Manufacturer:

Pullman

Wheelbase:

8'3"

Model Info

Intended For:

scale

Manufacturer ID:

842S

Sprung:

no

Equalized:

yes

Truck Material:

plastic

Truck Finish:

molded in color

Wheels:

33"

Insulated:

single-wheel

Finish:

blackened

Material:

steel

Model Notes:

These are the standard trucks that American Models puts on all of their heavyweight passenger car models. This was the most common steam-era passenger truck, a four-wheel drop-equalized steel truck with separate pedestals.

Key Info

Model Manufacturer:

American Models (click for web site)

Category:

passenger car

Name:

Budd

Bearings:

roller

Prototype Manufacturer:

Budd Company

Wheelbase:

?

Model Info

Intended For:

hi-rail

Manufacturer ID:

844HR

Sprung:

yes

Equalized:

no

Truck Material:

plastic

Truck Finish:

molded in color

Wheels:

33"

Insulated:

single-wheel

Finish:

blackened

Material:

steel

Model Notes:

They are available in black or silver.

The model has the requisite brake cylinder and shock strut, but no torsion bar. It suffers from two problems that are easily rectified. Its brake cylinder points in the wrong direction. The springs are too stiff, preventing them from compressing under the weight of the car. Softer springs will do the trick.

Key Info

Model Manufacturer:

American Models (click for web site)

Category:

passenger car

Name:

Budd

Bearings:

roller

Prototype Manufacturer:

Budd Company

Wheelbase:

?

Model Info

Intended For:

scale

Manufacturer ID:

844S

Sprung:

yes

Equalized:

no

Truck Material:

plastic

Truck Finish:

molded in color

Wheels:

33"

Insulated:

single-wheel

Finish:

blackened

Material:

steel

Model Notes:

They are available in black or silver.

The model has the requisite brake cylinder and shock strut, but no torsion bar. It suffers from two problems that are easily rectified. Its brake cylinder points in the wrong direction. Most scale modelers will want to replace the truck-mounted dummy couplers with Kadee body-mounted couplers. Doing this allows one to cut the coupler mount off the truck and rotate the truck 180 degrees; problem solved! The springs are too stiff, preventing them from compressing under the weight of the car. The result is that the equalizer rides too low with respect to the rigid portion of the truck.

Original.

Modified, with softer springs. Also shown are 0.060" styrene shims between each journal retainer and the journal above it to create a more realistic look to the journals' relative position, although at the result of the truck's springing action being much stiffer.

Key Info

Model Manufacturer:

American Models (click for web site)

Category:

passenger car

Name:

4-wheel Superliner

Bearings:

roller

Wheelbase:

?

Model Info

Intended For:

hi-rail

Manufacturer ID:

846HR

Sprung:

yes

Equalized:

no

Truck Material:

plastic

Truck Finish:

molded in color

Wheels:

33"

Insulated:

single-wheel

Finish:

blackened

Material:

steel

Model Notes:

For use on the Amtrak Superliner cars.

Key Info

Model Manufacturer:

American Models (click for web site)

Category:

passenger car

Name:

4-wheel Superliner

Bearings:

roller

Wheelbase:

?

Model Info

Intended For:

scale

Manufacturer ID:

846S

Sprung:

yes

Equalized:

no

Truck Material:

plastic

Truck Finish:

molded in color

Wheels:

33"

Insulated:

single-wheel

Finish:

blackened

Material:

steel

Model Notes:

For use on the Amtrak Superliner cars.

Key Info

Model Manufacturer:

American Models (click for web site)

Category:

passenger car

Name:

Heavyweight 6-wheel

Bearings:

solid/friction

Prototype Manufacturer:

Pullman

Wheelbase:

?

Model Info

Intended For:

hi-rail

Manufacturer ID:

860HR

Sprung:

yes

Equalized:

no

Truck Material:

plastic

Truck Finish:

molded in color

Wheels:

33"

Finish:

blackened

Material:

steel

Model Notes:

Older production runs were very stiff. The center axles tended to be too tight in their journals, and therefore the center wheelsets did not rotate well. The truck tended to remain skewed on the track, and traversing curves was problematic. This problem is easily resolved by using a #40 drill bit to deepen and vertically elongate the center axle holes, thus allowing the center axles to move both laterally and vertically with respect to the outer axles.

Current production trucks are improved, with the center axles having shorter, rounded ends. Be sure to examine yours.

Key Info

Model Manufacturer:

American Models (click for web site)

Category:

passenger car

Name:

Heavyweight 6-wheel

Bearings:

solid/friction

Prototype Manufacturer:

Pullman

Wheelbase:

?

Model Info

Intended For:

scale

Manufacturer ID:

860S

Sprung:

yes

Equalized:

no

Truck Material:

plastic

Truck Finish:

molded in color

Wheels:

33"

Finish:

blackened

Material:

steel

Model Notes:

Older production runs were very stiff. The center axles tended to be too tight in their journals, and therefore the center wheelsets did not rotate well. The truck tended to remain skewed on the track, and traversing curves was problematic. This problem is easily resolved by using a #40 drill bit to deepen and vertically elongate the center axle holes, thus allowing the center axles to move both laterally and vertically with respect to the outer axles.

Current production trucks are improved, with the center axles having shorter, rounded ends. Be sure to examine yours.

Key Info

Model Manufacturer:

American Models (click for web site)

Category:

passenger car

Name:

Heavyweight 6-wheel

Bearings:

solid/friction

Prototype Manufacturer:

Pullman

Wheelbase:

?

Model Info

Intended For:

scale

Manufacturer ID:

860S

Sprung:

yes

Equalized:

no

Truck Material:

plastic

Truck Finish:

molded in color

Wheels:

36"

Finish:

blackened

Material:

steel

Model Notes:

Older production runs were very stiff. The center axles tended to be too tight in their journals, and therefore the center wheelsets did not rotate well. The truck tended to remain skewed on the track, and traversing curves was problematic. This problem is easily resolved by using a #40 drill bit to deepen and vertically elongate the center axle holes, thus allowing the center axles to move both laterally and vertically with respect to the outer axles.

Current production trucks are improved, with the center axles having shorter, rounded ends. Be sure to examine yours.