BLMA 70 ton trucks available

[sp org div]

N Scale Supply is showing both versions of the BLMA 70 ton trucks as currently available, which means their superior 33” wheels must finally be back in production. Get them before they disappear as fast as the 100 ton trucks did.
 If you are as finicky as me and have been waiting for fox valley 33” wheels, these wheels are the only other alternative with the most accurate wheel face. Atlas has not done any solo wheel runs without the truck sideframes, but letting them know by filling out a pre order will likely speed up your chances of getting your hands on some and guarantee seeing them before they sell out everywhere else.
Hopefully the manuf / covid debacles are fading away and N scale will finally start seeing a better flow of much needed products again.

[bbussey]

ESM has had ASF 70-ton Ride-Control trucks and 33' low-profile metal wheels available for the past two years, they are comparable to the BLMA equivalents, and they always have been in stock.  In addition, the ESM trucks are available in freight car red and silver in addition to weathered black.  MBK has carried the product line that entire time, and NSS carries the product line as well.

[thomasjmdavis]

ESM has had ASF 70-ton Ride-Control trucks and 33' low-profile metal wheels available for the past two years, they are comparable to the BLMA equivalents, and they always have been in stock.  In addition, the ESM trucks are available in freight car red and silver in addition to weathered black.  MBK has carried the product line that entire time, and NSS carries the product line as well.

Bryan,
Do you make the friction bearing ASF A-3 ride control (at least, that is how a couple of reference books refer to an A-3) in addition to the later roller bearing version?  I have seen ESM trucks with roller bearings, but not the earlier friction bearings.

[ednadolski]

ESM has had ASF 70-ton Ride-Control trucks and 33' low-profile metal wheels available for the past two years, they are comparable to the BLMA equivalents

Are these the same ride height as the BLMA trucks?

[thomasjmdavis]

The Atlas BLMA page shows the friction bearing as in stock, but the roller bearing (both 70 and 100 ton) as pre-order.
https://shop.atlasrr.com/c-1405-blma-n-parts.aspx?pagenum=2

[Mark5]

Are these the same ride height as the BLMA trucks?

I think the short answer is yes.

This is a bit of a trick question cuz off hand I think that only the 100 ton trucks have lower bolsters.

[Mark5]

The Atlas BLMA page shows the friction bearing as in stock, but the roller bearing (both 70 and 100 ton) as pre-order.
https://shop.atlasrr.com/c-1405-blma-n-parts.aspx?pagenum=2

MBK just got a large shipment in, currently showing 518 of the 100 tonners in stock:

https://www.modeltrainstuff.com/blma-n-9005-100-ton-asf-ride-control-trucks-with-36-metal-wheels-1-pair/

[thomasjmdavis]

MBK just got a large shipment in, currently showing 518 of the 100 tonners in stock:

https://www.modeltrainstuff.com/blma-n-9005-100-ton-asf-ride-control-trucks-with-36-metal-wheels-1-pair/

Well, it figures they would have the trucks Atlas says are pre-order, but don't have the ones Atlas says are available (as of when I typed this)....

https://www.modeltrainstuff.com/trains/couplers-trucks-wheelsets/#/filter:custom_scale:N/filter:brand:Atlas/filter:brand:BLMA/filter:brand:Eastern$2520Seaboard$2520Models

But certainly good news for those who need 100 ton trucks.

[thomasjmdavis]

Ah well, the "currently available" apparently did not last long at N scale supply, all showing as out of stock on their webpage as I write this
https://www.nscalesupply.com/atl/atl-trucks.html  (scroll down to find the BLMA)

[bbussey]

Bryan,
Do you make the friction bearing ASF A-3 ride control (at least, that is how a couple of reference books refer to an A-3) in addition to the later roller bearing version?  I have seen ESM trucks with roller bearings, but not the earlier friction bearings.

Not yet.  We have them designed but not tooled.  Standard A-3 version and A-3 friction-bearing journals refitted with roller bearings.  But probably not available separately until the next well car or XIH boxcar run.

Are these the same ride height as the BLMA trucks?

Yes.  We tooled them when we couldn't consistently get trucks and wheels for our 50' boxcar releases, and the boxcars were designed to ride on BLMA trucks.

Ah well, the "currently available" apparently did not last long at N scale supply, all showing as out of stock on their webpage as I write this
https://www.nscalesupply.com/atl/atl-trucks.html  (scroll down to find the BLMA)

NSS orders monthly so they will restock soon.  And they currently are available at ESM and have been constantly since introduced in 2019.

The Atlas BLMA page shows the friction bearing as in stock, but the roller bearing (both 70 and 100 ton) as pre-order.
https://shop.atlasrr.com/c-1405-blma-n-parts.aspx?pagenum=2

The friction-bearing A-3 must be in stock because we got notice earlier this week that the A-3 truck frames for the G32B kit will be shipped to us shortly.

[garethashenden]

A-3 friction-bearing journals refitted with roller bearings. 

Ooohhh!!!!!   About time someone offered these.

[BruceStikkers]

I recently bought a supply of the ESM 70 ton trucks and 33" and 36" wheel sets from N Scale Supply after studying what was available. Their wheels and trucks are very nice and will now be my standard.  I have tried many different ones over the years and really like these.

Bruce Stikkers
St. Joseph, IL

[thomasjmdavis]

Not yet.  We have them designed but not tooled.  Standard A-3 version and A-3 friction-bearing journals refitted with roller bearings.  But probably not available separately until the next well car or XIH boxcar run.

Yes.  We tooled them when we couldn't consistently get trucks and wheels for our 50' boxcar releases, and the boxcars were designed to ride on BLMA trucks.

NSS orders monthly so they will restock soon.  And they currently are available at ESM and have been constantly since introduced in 2019.

The friction-bearing A-3 must be in stock because we got notice earlier this week that the A-3 truck frames for the G32B kit will be shipped to us shortly.

Bryan- thanks for the several responses.  I did pick up a few pairs of (Atlas/BLMA) A-3s from Fifer a couple weeks ago, but they came in "BLMA" packaging (no mention I see of Atlas), so I'm not sure if they are new or old production, but they were in stock at the time.

Good news that A-3s (and modified A-3s) will be coming from ESM at some time in the future. 

[ednadolski]

Are these the same ride height as the BLMA trucks?

Yes.  We tooled them when we couldn't consistently get trucks and wheels for our 50' boxcar releases, and the boxcars were designed to ride on BLMA trucks.

Thanks, I just got myself some to try out

Ed

[bbussey]

Tom,

The new truck frames are probably 2022 or more, depending upon when we will need them for a GSC or XIH rerun.  However, that could change if we get an overwhelming response on the HO XIH boxcar.  That could grease the pipeline some regarding the N scale schedule.  It's more likely that additional wheel diameter and axle-length variations will come first, as it doesn't take much capital to seed a new wheel product and they are turning into a good profit center.  The 50' boxcars are going on hiatus for a turn.  A G26 gondola run with new variants will be the next N item, and they utilize MTL truck frames.  But the model release after (whether GSC, XIH or something new) will require new truck frames so that's the latest that they would appear.  And watch for multiple truck frames to be released simultaneously as it's less costly to tool them simultaneously.