That's more like it, Tim. I was about to ask what was the matter with the good old, tried and true North Coast booth for cleaning brass with aluminum oxide media. It not only removes the tarnish

I don't know how generally true this is, but the 70-ton versions applied to CN gondolas in the late 1930s/early 1940s had oval openings in the sideframes, rather than the circular versions I've seen

??? Ron, it's NOT an ASF A-3, so how could it be a "version" of the Tahoe/Tangent trucks?

I just finished a couple of Proto 2000 gondolas and was reminded that they need washers too! What is so hard about getting the height right? Tim O'

The Royal F slack adjuster went over the normally "free" end of the fulcrumed brake lever (the rear lever, not the one attached to the brake cylinder) and allowed this "free" end to be pinned in

Found this nice presentation of Kadee trucks -- these are the old metal trucks, but most/all of them have been updated in the new HGC form. http://starr-mrc.org/ProtoInfo/Trucks/KadeeTrucks.htm Tim

Dennis wrote Dennis there are many counterexamples to that -- 70 ton trucks that show 2 centered springs (no space between them), and 70 ton trucks that have 3 springs in a line. But I totally agree

I didn't like that truck at all -- I thought it was much cruder than the Tahoe / Tangent respective versions, so I've been replacing them as I acquire cars equipped with them. To the SP guys -- you

Jeez, I didn't even realize we were talking about the Accurail truck. I know that IM occasionally orders bulk trucks, but they don't tell us what they are for, and we don't ask (that's their

Dennis Storzek said: Anyone who needs an AAR 70 ton truck with spring plank need look no further than the Accurail "Bettendorf" truck, but of course that would be admitting it's not correct for all

Jim, I have been trying to stay out of this tread, but with your question I feel I have to dive in! Like Paul Harvey, I am the only one with the rest of the story. To answer your question straight up,

Speaking of such, is there any obvious difference in appearance between a 50 ton National Type B, and the 70 ton version? I have noticed several cases where Type B's were applied to 70 ton

Of course, of the model trucks available, the trucks that are "bigger" are often bigger because of draft issues rather than because they should be. Ditto with journal boxes. In reality, the

Jim Scott wrote: "Need" to be replaced? Depends entirely on your personal accuracy standards. The fact is, MANY freight car trucks have as yet no model equivalent, and in a number of cases, not

Thanks for all the feedback which I'll pass on to my friend. The Kadee washer sounds like an easy fix. I know David is also planning to release the car in the as built scheme for the Lehigh Valley

Roland, I'm sending you off-list a page from the 1940 Car Builders' Cyclopedia which describes and illustrates the Royal F slack adjuster. It should answer your questions. Richard Hendrickson

Not Close Paul Lyons

You can find an excellent handout in the file section for the group, its called: Freight Car Underbody Detail by Gene Green. An illustration of a slack adjustor is on page 14. It was added to the

Denny True, with the caveat that not all brass is the same -- brass comes in many alloy forms with different oxidation properties. Also, tarnish can come from contact with another material - I just

Hi, I'm going to build two Sunshine kit's (#96.9) for 40' Autobox car and four D&RGW 40' twelve panel box cars. I have a problem with the construction of the brake system. The kits comes with one