Combining BLMA trucks/wheels

[tom mann]

Is anyone else combining BLMA 100 ton trucks with 33" wheels?  I've been doing this to quickly lower Microtrains boxcars.

[nscaler711]

Yes, I Am, does a great job of making the car look lowered without throwing off the overall look.
Does well on Autoracks too.

[ryan_wilkerson]

Interesting...so what are you doing with the wheels (36"?) from the 100-ton trucks?

[nkalanaga]

Since BLMA makes 70 ton trucks, is there a reason for using the 100 ton?

[ryan_wilkerson]

Going from memory but I believe:
70-ton trucks have 33" wheels
100-ton trucks have 36" wheels

[nkalanaga]

Ryan:  You're right, but what I was wondering was "Why go to the trouble of putting 33 inch wheels in 100 ton trucks, instead of using 70 ton trucks that already have 33 inch wheels."  I assume there is a reason, but can't figure out what it would be.

I made "100 ton" trucks by putting 36 inch wheels in old MDC 70 ton trucks, but that was because I didn't have proper 100 ton trucks.  That shouldn't be a problem here, since BLMA makes both.  In fact, my favorite dealer has the 70 ton trucks in stock, but not the 100 ton.  I need a pair of those for a tank car, and haven't been able to find them.  The Atlas, and my MDC, trucks have the "standard" bolster height, and I need the lower BLMA trucks.  It's currently riding on a pair of 70 ton.

[nscaler711]

Yes normally 70t trucks would use 33" wheels and 100t would use 36" wheels, but for my purposes, I keep the trucks what they should be, per car type, but I want to give it a more lowered look ill use 33" in my 100t, trust me it doesn't look to bad under a autorack which makes the 100t look small already....
As for my 36" wheels that I swap, I put them in other trucks that might be under cars that use 36" wheels but are equipped with MT wheels.

[nkalanaga]

Ah, so your reason is to lower the 100 ton trucks a little extra, not to make models of lower capacity trucks.  That makes sense.

[ryan_wilkerson]

Lowering a scale 1.5"
That's about a quarter of a millimeter.

[nscaler711]

Lol yep! You'd be surprised but its noticeable standing still next to another car by the same manufacturer with stock trucks. 
Or at least to me anyways... 

Also @nkalanaga yes, if I wanted lower cap. Trucks I would use the 70t... Thank goodness there's not a 85t truck... I'd go insane...

[tom mann]

I'm doing it to get a different spring package (i.e., 3 outward springs).

[cjm413]

I'm doing it to get a different spring package (i.e., 3 outward springs).

Keep in mind that 100T trucks are larger than 70T trucks.  Having 3 outward springs may be one step forward, but it's at the expense of going two steps backward in having an oversized truck with wheels that are too small...

CJM

[nkalanaga]

Tom:  That also makes sense.  My MDC trucks have the three springs, but they also have the "standard" bolster height, so wouldn't work for you.  Maybe BLMA can be talked into making the 3-spring version of the 70 ton trucks?  They weren't rare.

[bbussey]

Is anyone else combining BLMA 100 ton trucks with 33" wheels?  I've been doing this to quickly lower Microtrains boxcars.

I did that with the TrueLine newsprint boxcars, to lower them and to represent a config that closer resembled the prototype.

[Mark5]

Keep in mind that 100T trucks are larger than 70T trucks.  Having 3 outward springs may be one step forward, but it's at the expense of going two steps backward in having an oversized truck with wheels that are too small...

CJM

What he said. To my eye the truck would look a little "funny". That said, this hobby is full of compromises.

Mark