Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site umcp-cs.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!godot!harvard!seismo!umcp-cs!mangoe From: mangoe@umcp-cs.UUCP (Charley Wingate) Newsgroups: net.railroad Subject: Re: Trucks Message-ID: <1997@umcp-cs.UUCP> Date: Wed, 19-Dec-84 12:57:44 EST Article-I.D.: umcp-cs.1997 Posted: Wed Dec 19 12:57:44 1984 Date-Received: Thu, 20-Dec-84 05:25:50 EST References: <6498@brl-tgr.ARPA> Distribution: na Organization: U of Maryland, Computer Science Dept., College Park, MD Lines: 20 Almost all cabooses these days and all locomotives use what I believe are called "double-hung" trucks. These can be identified by two features: 1. Transversely mounted leaf springs (the end sticks out of the frame) 2. Two short connecting rods or a U-shaped bracket surrounding the springs The way it works is this: the car weight rests upon the springs, as in a normal truck. Instead of resting directly upon the truck frame, however, they rest upon a bar which runs across the truck. The ends of the bar are connected to the bottom ends of the connecting rods, while the tops of the rods are fastened to the frame. If you look carefully, you will notice that the connecting rods point inwards at the top. This allows the sprung weight of the car to sway in and out slightly, reducing transverse shocks. The inward cant of the connectors provides the centering force. I'm sure these trucks have another name, but I can't recall it. I can't ever recall seeing them on anything except a caboose or a locomotive. Charley Wingate umcp-cs!mangoe