In March 2024, Tony Thompson posted a blog article More about Chrysler trucks which was his first experience with the new Plate C Model Prototypes 3d printed trucks. I went to their website and found that they also offer two 3d printed trucks for these common prototype trucks in their line of trucks. These two are "AAR Double Truss" and "ASF Ride Control A-3" trucks. I bought one pair of each of the two versions of 70-ton "3-spring" trucks that they offer. This blog post is to show a pair of cars that I've decided to put the new trucks under. I may get a couple more of these trucks in the future to equip my upcoming F-70-3 kitbash, which I hope to finish at some point soon.
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| Plate C Model Prototypes ASF "Ride Control" trucks. |
I've always liked the hefty look of the "3 spring" (which are actually 6 or 9-spring packages) 70-ton trucks which we should have under many of our 70-ton freight car models, but until recently there's not been any good models of these trucks.
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| Note these are my own pen mark noting on the labels. |
I should say that Plate C is using their own custom length axles with semi-scale tread wheelsets, which can not be replaced with standard length IMRC wheelsets. So any fitting for resistance detection wheelsets will basically have to be applied 'in place' on the car. I noticed a little bit of sudden binding on the axles and sudden stoppage of the car rolling on the track, so I believe there's a little bit of debris in the journal needle bearings. I may use a light turn with the A-Line Truck Tuner to remove any remaining 3d print artifacts from the interior of the needle bearing cones. Hopefully that will clean up the rolling qualities of the trucks.
Retrucking Projects with New Plate C Trucks
AAR Double Truss style was used for:
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| SP 94296, G-70-4, detail photo showing the weathered Plate C truck. |
G-70-2/4 SP 94250-94264, SP 94265-95264, T&NO 43500-43549 - totaling 90 cars built in 1941-42. Athearn RTR, etc.
F-70-2 SP 79700-79824 (125 cars built 1941-42) with Columbia Steel trucks (similar to AAR Double Truss, probably Col. Stl. version of AAR truck)
F-70-3 SP 79825-79924 (100 cars built 1941-42) with Bettendorf 70-ton trucks (unsure of AAR Double Truss is accurate for these, but probably close)
F-70-3 SP 79825-79924 (100 cars built 1941-42) with Bettendorf 70-ton trucks (unsure of AAR Double Truss is accurate for these, but probably close)
ASF Ride Control style was used for:
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| Plate C ASF "Ride Control" trucks installed to form one of the 100 cars from SP F-70-5 class. This is a conversion from an Espee Models F-70-6/7 kit. |
F-70-3 SP 79925-79954 (30 cars, built 1942) with ASF trucks (Ride-Control Plate-Cs should should be accurate for these last 30 cars).
F-70-5 SP 79955-80054 ASF (100 per truck type, built 1946) - (should be correct for Plate C truck)
F-50-5 SP 80055-80154 Bettendorf (100 per truck type, built 1946)
F-70-5 SP 80155-80254 Scullin trucks (100 per truck type, built 1946)
Additional Notes:
F-70-3 are 60ft long, while F-70-2 & -5s are 53'6" long. The -2/5s were pilot designs which the SP followed up with over 2000 cars in 1948/49 with the F-70-6/7 and then another 1000 cars of the all-welded cars of F-70-10 in 1953/54
G-70-2/4 are 65ft Mill Gondolas
In Closing
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While many modelers probably will not worry about accurate trucks, but the unique design of the 70-ton "3-spring" packages is something that I like to see represented on my models. So I'm happy to see some new models available to represent these trucks.
Jason Hill
Related Articles:
SP 65ft Mill Gondolas (Part 1) - Overview
It would be helpful to us novices to have a date items like these came on the prototype. Love your site for its information. Frank Rawson
ReplyDeleteI would have to do more research, but the SP classes that I've mentioned here that have the AAR Double Truss are circa 1941-42 built and the ASF trucks seem to be more like 1946. But of course they were used for several years before the railroads moved on to 2-3-2 spring packs in 70-ton ASF A-3 type truck cars like Tangent and Kato have modeled for use on other cars they have produced in the 1949-1955+ era.
DeleteI've edited the roster data here to include the year the various cars were built.