Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site uvacs.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!mcnc!ncsu!uvacs!gr From: gr@uvacs.UUCP (Greg Richardson) Newsgroups: net.railroad Subject: Re: trucks Message-ID: <1739@uvacs.UUCP> Date: Mon, 10-Dec-84 10:30:47 EST Article-I.D.: uvacs.1739 Posted: Mon Dec 10 10:30:47 1984 Date-Received: Thu, 13-Dec-84 01:34:46 EST References: <147@decwrl.UUCP> Organization: U.Va. CS Dept. Charlottesville, Va. Lines: 38 > Can someone give me (us) a quick tutorial on freight trucks? > I see the terms "Bettendorf", "arch-bar", "Timken Roller-Bearing", > and am totally lost as to how to recognize them in the field, > or what advantages and disadvantages each has, and what period > each was used in. I only mentioned a few -- I'm sure there are others. > -- Kenn Goutal ...decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-parrot!goutal ? > > Wed 5-Dec-1984 12:36 EST The three types of trucks you mention above are by far the main three. In chronological order of use they are 1) Arch-Bar, 2) Bettendorf, and 3) Roller Bearing. Arch bar trucks were popular around and after 1900 - the only ones you will see nowadays are in museums and the like - cars with arch-bar trucks are NOT interchangeable (between railroads that is) by ICC regulations. Also, most arch-bar trucks contained wheels that were cast iron - another ICC inter- change No-No. Arch-bar trucks have the appearance of being made with relatively flat metal bars. There are no smoothly curved sideframe castings; in fact, each piece of the sideframe is bolted together. Bettendorf trucks are made of single piece cast sideframes which has a curved appearence. Like Arch-bar trucks, Bettendorf trucks have friction bearings. This feature can be spotted by the presence of a small spring-loaded door over the axle case. A brass and babbitt pad rests on the top of the axle which is lubricated by an oil-soaked pad which presses against the bottom of the axle. That is the reason for the small door- to check and add oil to the axle case. This truck was popular from the 20s up until 1950. After that time, most cars built had were done so with roller bear- ings. A roller bearing truck has basically the same sideframe as the bettendorf. In fact, many (most) bettendorf trucks have had the friction bearing removed and a roller bearing assembly inserted. This can be spotted by the removal of the axle case door. The main spotting feature for the roller bearing is the rotating end plate on the bearing case. There are several common shapes - triangular, circular, and hexagonal. I cannot think of any others right off. Next time you're out, look for these things - trucks are actually quite easy to distinguish. I hope this makes sense! - Greg Richardson - UVa Academic Computing Center - Charlottesville VA - uvacs!gr