MTL Commonwealth Trucks

[BCR 570]

Looking at Mark's website, the closest-looking truck appears to be the Micro-Trains Commonwealth top-equalized six-wheel passenger truck, but I cant tell which one it is on the MTL website.  I need a product number.

The ends and top of the side frame are similar and I would just need to remove the centre axle housings.

They have the offset bolster hole so I am wondering how well that would work with a short no offset front truck and a long offset rear truck.


Tim

[peteski]

I don't think that the location of the bolster hole in the truck (and whether both sides have it at the same location) is important.   Regardless of the bolster location the wheels will follow the rail.

[thomasjmdavis]

Looking at Mark's website, the closest-looking truck appears to be the Micro-Trains Commonwealth top-equalized six-wheel passenger truck, but I cant tell which one it is on the MTL website.  I need a product number.

The ends and top of the side frame are similar and I would just need to remove the centre axle housings.

They have the offset bolster hole so I am wondering how well that would work with a short no offset front truck and a long offset rear truck.


Tim

The top-equalized passenger truck is not packaged for sale as a part.  So it doesn't show up on the website (at least, not last time I was looking for them).  However, I've been able to order them from customer service and/or Joe on two occasions- so if they have them, they will be glad to sell you a couple if you contact them.  The trucks were made for the heavyweight baggage car.  AFAIK, they haven't used them on anything else, but they are interchangeable with the drop equalized trucks on most of their passenger cars (except the single window coach, which uses a different bolster offset). But, I very much doubt that's what it is- a 1920s era passenger truck under a heavy duty flat car seems unlikely.

Just speculating- without knowing the era of the particular car- could it be tender truck? Given that CN still had steam engines at work when I was a kid (granted, a long time ago), it wouldn't be out of the question if it is a 60s or 70s prototype. Does the prototype have friction bearings, or roller bearings?

Are there prototype photos anywhere?

[BCR 570]

Thank you both; will contact MTL to try and obtain one.

Tim

[BCR 570]

Well I am now noticing that the Sperry car was converted to roller bearings by 1973, likely at the same time it was re-engined.  That rules out the MTL truck I was considering as it has friction bearings.

This is what I need to try and cobble together:




I am looking at the Rapido NSC six-wheel passenger truck and thinking that it might be the best option as it is straight along the top of the sideframe:

http://www.spookshow.net/trucks/nsc6wheel.html


I have emailed Rapido to see if I can get a pair of trucks from them.

Tim

[peteski]

Well I am now noticing that the Sperry car was converted to roller bearings by 1973, likely at the same time it was re-engined.  That rules out the MTL truck I was considering as it has friction bearings.

This is what I need to try and cobble together:

Tim, those to me look like European type trucks. You might be better off looking for spare parts for European models.  Let me look into my collection to find something close.

[peteski]

So this might be close.  Once I saw the prototype photos, the trucks looked vaguely familiar to ones  on my model.  Not quite the same but they have the "flavor".

These trucks have wheelbase of 9'10" and 36" wheels with 0.554" axle length (and the axle fit is pretty tight - not much lateral play).  They also have electric pickup.
They are for  https://www.dm-toys.de/en/product-details/Jaegerndorfer_JC75020.html. This model is out of production but parts should still be available.  They also make similar models with the same trucks. The part number for a pair of trucks is 7510-001-19 . I ordered them from DM-Toys (in the link above).

[BCR 570]

Hmmn; definitely similar; I like the part below the bearings as I havent seen that on any other truck.  Wheel base is a foot short and wheels are too big (Sperry cars had 33" wheels), also an interesting mounting system, but worthy of consideration if they can be had.  Thank you very much for posting!


Tim

[bbussey]

You can switch the wheelsets out as long as the axle length is standard.

[peteski]

Hmmn; definitely similar; I like the part below the bearings as I havent seen that on any other truck.  Wheel base is a foot short and wheels are too big (Sperry cars had 33" wheels), also an interesting mounting system, but worthy of consideration if they can be had.  Thank you very much for posting!
Tim

You're welcome Tim.  I updated my earlier post with the axle length. Maybe you could retrofit 33" wheels. I have other European passenger cars which have longer wheelbase than 9" 8", but the sideframe detail is quite different, and I doubt that those trucks can be purchased separately. Also most European passenger cars rode on 900-1000mm diameter wheels (which is around 36").