Brian Chapman wrote:

For some time I've wondered about railroad transportation and the building of the last battleships ever built -- the Iowa Class (Iowa, New Jersey, Missouri, and Wisconsin -- because of their great speed, also known as super-cruisers).

......

A colossal project. The railroads had to be intimately involved. Mustn't there have been marshaling yards for the big east coast building docks? Logistics must have been pretty carefully orchestrated, wouldn't you think?

In Iowa's and Missouri's case, I'd guess much of the material arrived in New Jersey ports and were shipped to the NY Navy Yard?

For some time I've thought that the story of building these ships would be interesting. Anyone have thoughts or information to offer?

I'd guess that much of the heavier steel plate came in by water, not by rail. I gather the big guns were made at Bethlehem, PA, so they would have traveled by rail to the shipyards, and I think there are plenty of photos of that. Certainly lots of smaller parts came by rail, but in terms of total carloads you didn't need a big yard to hold them before they were used. If the parts were manufactured well before they were needed at the shipyard they were probably warehoused to free up the boxcar for another load, and the government built many warehouses on both coasts during the war to stage material.

As for calling them "super cruisers", one could call the Iowas and South Dakotas that for several reasons, although speed isn't one of them, and they were generally not used in traditional cruiser roles. Air power made cruisers vulnerable, a lesson learned early in WW2 by both sides, and the fast battleships spent most of their service lives working in concert with fleet carriers. In this role they excelled.

Scott Chatfield

With thanks to David Turner, the PDS/instruction sheet for Sunshine's ship
steel plate load can now be viewed at my site.
You'll find a link to it on the Recent Flyers page in the Naperville 2009
group.

Jim Hayes
Portland Oregon
www.sunshinekits.com

I've just uploaded to an Album in the PHOTO section entitled Vulcan trucks:

(1) The original patent diagram for the Vulcan truck

(2) A photo of an early T-Section Vulcan truck taken at the East Broad Top railroad

(3) A photo of a channel or U-Section Vulcan truck taken at the Danbury Railroad Museum.

These should be available for viewing as soon as they're approved.

Bob Karig

There's a medical reason for that. I'll send you some info off list.

SGL



From: STMFC@yahoogroups.com [mailto:STMFC@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
Richard Hendrickson
Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2010 2:55 PM
To: STMFC@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [STMFC] Re: Vulcan Trucks





On Mar 17, 2010, at 6:47 AM, Schuyler Larrabee wrote:

Here's some Vulcan trucks . . .

Schuyler, you're spending way too much time on the computer and not
nearly enough at the workbench. How are you progressing with the
DT&I gon?

Richard Hendrickson









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I give up. I've posted two messages via the web site, and whahoo lost them both.

I've uploaded some illustrations of the later U section Vulcan trucks here:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/STMFC/files/Vulcan_Truck/

Note that the distinctive feature is the use of separate journal boxes retained by "jaws at the ends of the sideframes.

Dennis Storzek

On Mar 17, 2010, at 6:47 AM, Schuyler Larrabee wrote:

Here's some Vulcan trucks . . .

Schuyler, you're spending way too much time on the computer and not
nearly enough at the workbench. How are you progressing with the
DT&I gon?


Richard Hendrickson

Denny,

For the Kadee truck in your possession: how does it roll w/ the stock wheelsets?

Regards,

-Jeff


From: STMFC@yahoogroups.com [mailto:STMFC@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Denny Anspach
Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2010 9:37 AM
To: STMFC@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [STMFC] Re: Vulcan Trucks



One of the problems with some (all?) Ulrich trucks is that they
require the very maximum axle widths- up to 1.055"- to avoid running
along lurching side to side like the most drunken of sailors. I have
not measured the overall width of the trucks to determine whether this
is because the bearing holes are just very deep, or the truck itself
is overly-wide, but I strongly suspect the latter.

Richard's report and review of the new-production Kadee trucks is
encouraging, and quite welcome. I have had one of Kadee's similar pre-
production new-technology frames of one of their later-era trucks for
about 18 months or so, and it is indeed a pretty fine piece of very
clever work and a fine model to boot. I echo Richard's wish for 0.088"
wheels, and (for me), I would further encourage that they be on steel
axles to maximize rollability. That they continue to have some heft in
their weight is very good inasmuch as this weight contributes
directly to lowering the total car weight center of gravity, which
can in turn pragmatically make up the difference resulting from the
absence of a greater amount of weight higher above the rails.

I too am disappointed that the bolster height was not changed to the
industry standard.

Denny

Denny S. Anspach MD
Sacramento

One of the problems with some (all?) Ulrich trucks is that they require the very maximum axle widths- up to 1.055"- to avoid running along lurching side to side like the most drunken of sailors. I have not measured the overall width of the trucks to determine whether this is because the bearing holes are just very deep, or the truck itself is overly-wide, but I strongly suspect the latter.

Richard's report and review of the new-production Kadee trucks is encouraging, and quite welcome. I have had one of Kadee's similar pre- production new-technology frames of one of their later-era trucks for about 18 months or so, and it is indeed a pretty fine piece of very clever work and a fine model to boot. I echo Richard's wish for 0.088" wheels, and (for me), I would further encourage that they be on steel axles to maximize rollability. That they continue to have some heft in their weight is very good inasmuch as this weight contributes directly to lowering the total car weight center of gravity, which can in turn pragmatically make up the difference resulting from the absence of a greater amount of weight higher above the rails.

I too am disappointed that the bolster height was not changed to the industry standard.

Denny


Denny S. Anspach MD
Sacramento

Here's some Vulcan trucks . . .



http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Vulcan_trucks



OK, OK, that was a joke. What about these? Are these what he wants (shown
as an example)?



http://www.upbids.net/asp/detail.asp?id=43591 Or these:



http://www.linkandpinhobbies.com/Graphics/rgm_3216.jpg Or maybe these, in F
scale (?):



http://tttrains.com/largescale/bachmannfn3hopper.htm Or these, in HO
scale:



<http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://home.comcast.net/~stalbansrr/
ProtoInfo/Trucks/Vulcan.gif
<http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://home.comcast.net/~stalbansrr/
ProtoInfo/Trucks/Vulcan.gif&imgrefurl=http://home.comcast.net/~stalbansrr/Pr
otoInfo/Trucks/KadeeTrucks.htm&usg=__yQ5P4qfVcpDJdesSLJW1yMxKqXM=&h=102&w=22
8&sz=18&hl=en&start=9&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=ccatihzCGP3ZcM:&tbnh=48&tbnw=108&pre
v=/images%3Fq%3Dvulcan%2B%2Btrucks%2Brailroad%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26
rlz%3D1T4PCTA_enUS365US366%26tbs%3Disch:1>
&imgrefurl=http://home.comcast.net/~stalbansrr/ProtoInfo/Trucks/KadeeTrucks.
htm&usg=__yQ5P4qfVcpDJdesSLJW1yMxKqXM=&h=102&w=228&sz=18&hl=en&start=9&um=1&
itbs=1&tbnid=ccatihzCGP3ZcM:&tbnh=48&tbnw=108&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dvulcan%2B%2
Btrucks%2Brailroad%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26rlz%3D1T4PCTA_enUS365US366%
26tbs%3Disch:1 >



I doubt what he wants is this, though:
rapid.org/board/showthread.php?p=1198008

(scroll down about 2/3 of the page.)



SGL (enjoying himself)











From: STMFC@yahoogroups.com [mailto:STMFC@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
Anthony Thompson
Sent: Tuesday, March 16, 2010 9:57 PM
To: STMFC@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [STMFC] Re: Vulcan Trucks





Tom Madden wrote:

Lack of freight car immersion showing...
Tom "but I can sure tell the difference between 2410 and 2411
Pullman trucks" Madden

Pullman had trucks?? <g>

Tony Thompson Editor, Signature Press, Berkeley, CA
2906 Forest Ave., Berkeley, CA 94705 www.signaturepress.com
(510) 540-6538; fax, (510) 540-1937; e-mail, thompson@signaturepress.com
<mailto:thompson%40signaturepress.com>
Publishers of books on railroad history







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The Central Ohio Prototype Modelers Meet has a new and updated website for our meet. Please check out http://www.hansmanns.org/meet/ for the latest information on the first ever Prototype Modelers Meet in the Central Ohio area.

Denis Blake

Andy and Jon,

Last night while I was at home, I was able to check my materials on the WP cars. The WP cars did have radial roofs, same as the models. See John Ryczkowski's article WESTERN PACIFIC 50' SINGLE-SHEATHED AUTOMOBILE CARS in MM, March 1995. Both the general arrangement drawing and Jeff Koeller's scale plan show radial roofs. The GA drawing calls is a "Murphy All-Steel Flexible Roof", not Pullman. The cars, however, were Pullman-built.

My apologies to you all for being vague in my earlier answer to Tim, but I ask for a bit of slack. I can only post to the group while I'm at work, and so don't have access to my reference materials (which is why I don't answer many threads here). When I'm at home, I am locked out of Yahoo groups by the server at the university, and can only read and respond to the original poster. Yes, I could set up another account from home, but then I would see every message twice. I will be in this situation until I retire from UVA in three years (hopefully), and move everything over to my home computer.

Kind regards,


Garth Groff

Andy Carlson wrote:

Al Brown wrote:

P.S. I have, I think, two of the MDC cars. Notes to self: (1) Find the cars. (2) Read Richard's articles. (3) Decide what to model, and do it.

I've been having a similar experience, though I did (2) already. Still got to deal with (1) and (3). Not sure what my original plan was, but I'm guessing Mopac.

Tony Thompson Editor, Signature Press, Berkeley, CA
2906 Forest Ave., Berkeley, CA 94705 www.signaturepress.com
(510) 540-6538; fax, (510) 540-1937; e-mail, thompson@signaturepress.com
Publishers of books on railroad history

The second article in Richard's series, about the end-door cars, appears in RMJ 7/96.

Al Brown, Melbourne, Fla.

P.S. I have, I think, two of the MDC cars. Notes to self: (1) Find the cars. (2) Read Richard's articles. (3) Decide what to model, and do it.

P.P.S. It is a continuing pleasure to get educated by the experts on this list.

To be precise however, the T&P cars with the 8-foot Superior doors were wood sheathed. Richard's article in RMJ was the inspiration for all of these projects. I think there were actually two articles. There was one in MM written I believe by the late Paige Porter who worked for Roundhouse. I wish Paige and Brian could have collaborated on more projects.

Although I cannot find my notebook with T&P photos, I remember how surprised I was when after buying a photo of one of the T&P cars in service from Bob's that when I returned home I found that I had the identical photo from Wil Whittaker. Since the one from Bob's was an 8x10, while the one from Wil was smaller, it did not register when I saw it. Also it demonstrates that Wil and Col. McCoid may have known each other or at least traded a negative.

I should add that i really miss RMJ and MM.

Bill Welch

Tom Madden wrote:

Lack of freight car immersion showing...
Tom "but I can sure tell the difference between 2410 and 2411 Pullman trucks" Madden

Pullman had trucks?? <g>

Tony Thompson Editor, Signature Press, Berkeley, CA
2906 Forest Ave., Berkeley, CA 94705 www.signaturepress.com
(510) 540-6538; fax, (510) 540-1937; e-mail, thompson@signaturepress.com
Publishers of books on railroad history

Tom, that's an Ulrich truck, but not a Vulcan; it's a Bettendorf T-
section.

Richard Hendrickson

Lack of freight car immersion showing...

Tom "but I can sure tell the difference between 2410 and 2411 Pullman trucks" Madden

On Mar 16, 2010, at 5:43 PM, pullmanboss wrote:

Is this the Ulrich truck you mean, Dennis? (Scroll down in the
listing for an enlarged view.)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ULRICH-40-GS-GONDOLA-Southern-Pacific-
SP-91976_W0QQitemZ230448409129

Tom, that's an Ulrich truck, but not a Vulcan; it's a Bettendorf T-
section.

Richard Hendrickson

Tom Madden wrote:

Is this the Ulrich truck you mean, Dennis? (Scroll down in the listing for an enlarged view.)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ULRICH-40-GS-GONDOLA-Southern-Pacific-SP-91976_W0QQitemZ230448409129

That's a T-section truck, not a Vulcan.

Tony Thompson Editor, Signature Press, Berkeley, CA
2906 Forest Ave., Berkeley, CA 94705 www.signaturepress.com
(510) 540-6538; fax, (510) 540-1937; e-mail, thompson@signaturepress.com
Publishers of books on railroad history

Here is what he needs:

http://www.irm.org/gallery/CWI1185/aab

These are U section trucks, as I believe the old Ulrich trucks were, but it's been a couple decades since I've seen a pair. At least the Kadee Vulcans will have the distinctive shape at the ends of the sideframes over the boxes.

IIRC, Canada Hobbycraft offered archbar trucks in their TruLine Trains line that had very nice Simplex bolsters. It may be possible that their bolster will fit other sideframes. One can always hope.

Dennis

Is this the Ulrich truck you mean, Dennis? (Scroll down in the listing for an enlarged view.)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ULRICH-40-GS-GONDOLA-Southern-Pacific-SP-91976_W0QQitemZ230448409129

Tom Madden

On Mar 16, 2010, at 2:53 PM, Anthony Thompson wrote:

Richard Hendrickson wrote:

Yeah, I could, but that's why I wrote the article and published all
those photos in the first place . . .

I can't find in the article any mention of the single-door
cars.

That's because the models were entirely bogus. When the T&P rebuilt
those cars with wider single doors, they also steel sheathed them.

Richard Hendrickson