On Jul 29, 2004, at 1:43 PM, Richard Hendrickson wrote:
The model trucks are described as "1934 AAR trucks with Simplex bolsters" and carry L-L Canada part number 212560. They're like other L-L Proto 2000 trucks, with sharply molded one-piece frames in engineering plastic (although they don't have molded-on brake shoes) and die-cast metal rib-backed wheels on nylon axles.
These new trucks represent ARA/AAR cast steel trucks with integral journal boxes, spring planks, and Simplex bolsters. Aside from the bolsters, they're typical of many 40 and 50 ton trucks used on North American freight cars from the early 1920s through the early 1950s. The bolster ends are distinctive, as they are flat rectangles with prominent "SIMPLEX" lettering molded into them, but Simplex bolsters were widely used in both the U.S. and Canada, and a bit of work with a file would modify them to represent other types of solid-end bolsters.
As there are few good HO scale replicas of cast steel trucks from this era with spring planks - the only ones I know about are made by Accurail and Model Die Casting, and the MDC trucks represent an uncommon prototype - these new trucks from L-L Canada are a significant addition to the available HO scale truck options. I don't know whether they will be available from L-L dealers in the U.S., so it may be necessary to smuggle them into the country from Canada, where the current price is equivalent to $3.25 USD.
It's funny you mentioned these as I ordered some last week to use on an F&C IC single sheathed car. They should be here at any moment.
