PRR F39 trucks?

[towl1996]

Does any one know what trucks were used under this car? And/or what N scale trucks would be appropriate? I looked on Jerry and Rob's sites and came up with nothing. Thanks

[chicken45]

I looked it up in the flatcar book but the only info it offered was that the F39 and F39a came with non rotating roller bearing trucks, but were replaced with more modern rotating ones by July '55.

[Spikre]

 
  when in doubt go with ASF A-3s.
  think the F39s were a sort of large order,maybe 500 cars ?
  in that case the order could have also included some cars on Barber S-2-Cs,
  or National C-1s.
   cant locate the RMJ articles on these cars yet, but will keep looking.
       Spikre
       

[Lemosteam]

Bill lane has a cloesup of one of his models in S scale.  he is quite meticulous, so maybe someone can identify thew closest 33" wheel truck...

Bill Lane photo-

[prbharris]

Does any one know what trucks were used under this car? And/or what N scale trucks would be appropriate?

Gus Minardi in his excellent, and comprehensive article 'Modeling the Pennsylvania Railroad’s Flat Car Fleet- Part 15: The Pennsy’s F39 and F39A Classes' in the keystone Modeler #65 Dec 2008 said on the first F39 order of 200 cars

"The cars were each capable of carrying two 32’ trailers, were designed for circus-style end loading and came equipped with Timken SKF roller bearing trucks, rubber draft gears for cushioning the shocks of starting and stopping and trucks that had built in “snubbing” devices that reduced sway and bounce which made speeds of 60 MPH possible compared to the usual 50 MPH max speed of a freight train.

The [250] F39A’s were identical to the F39’s with the only difference being the Timken Roller Bearing trucks having rotating bearing caps on the journals."

I hope that this helps. I do not think that there were changes when the F30c and d cars were developed.

There is an extensive article on the PRR F39/F39a truc-train cars in the Autumn, 1992 issue of the Keystone (Vol 25, No. 3), and in F39 Piggyback Flat Part Two by Mont Switzer in Mainline Modeler magazine August 2005 

Other references are in The Keystone; Autumn 1992, Vol. 25, #3.
The Pennsy; June 1954, October 1954, April 1955.
and  E Gatwood and A Buchan 'Pennsylvania Railraod Flat Cars Revenue and Work Equipment 1881 to 1968 PRTHS 2008

I am not sure what modelers who are constructing the N Scale cars from our kit http://www.nscalekits.co.uk/PRRF39.html are using. It would be interesting to hear views.

Peter

Peter Harris
N Scale Kits
www.nscalekits.com

[Spikre]

 
   the trucks on the S model look to be Barber S-2-Cs,but not sure who cast them ?
   Barber was just a design Firm and didn't do any casting in house.
   now the Description - "Timken Roller Bearing Trucks", sounds impressive, but only
   describes the make of Bearing used, says NOTHING of what design the Truck is, or
  who actually Cast it.
   so hone up on truck spotting skills, and Don't trust Models !!
   go by Prototype pics when available.
   and realize after a car has been on the road over ten years that the Original trucks
   can be replaced, in some cases for many years.
   the articles that break down the Specialty Items used on an order of cars can be very
   helpful for as built cars, especialy if the Truck types are listed.
     in most scales only about 10% or less of trucks used since Casting became Standard
   is the reality we face in trying to exactly match truck types.
    and then when several foundries cast the same design under contract the finished trucks
   can look either Identical,or very different depending on when and which foundry cast them.
    a Gould A-3 will look different than a Buckeye, National, Scullin, or ASF A-3.
    Barbers are even worse, as some foundries just added Barber Wedges to AAR trucks.
      just try to get as close as possible, now and then Exact Copies of trucks are found.
      Spikre
       

[prbharris]

Does any one know what trucks were used under this car? And/or what N scale trucks would be appropriate?

This is Ed Martin's picture of the trucks under an elderly F39 in Trailer Train service and one of a new FDa car - this may help too.

Peter

Peter Harris
N Scale Kits
www.nscalekits.com

[Missaberoad]

BLMA's 70ton trucks would be pretty close.

http://www.blmamodels.com/cgi-bin/webstore/shop.cgi?ud=AgUHAgoPBQcFBxQUEBEcHAMNBQ4BBAIFCQkTEQAA&t=main.red.htm&storeid=1&cols=1&categories=02002-00024&&c=detail.red.htm&t=main.red.htm&itemid=9025

[Spikre]

 
   found a pic of TTX F39 470489,taken in 8/84.
   this car is on A-3 trucks,but they could be replacements
  at this late date.
   Rail Model Journal,5/01,page 26.
   the car is loaded with a container chassis carrying a 40'
   container,versitle cars.
   Edit -- Ed Martin's 2 pics above of 470600 also show A-3 trucks.
      Spikre