Large Scale Central

Arch Bar Trucks

General Discussion
#1

I have been given some of the Garden Railways for 1:20.3 rolling stock (boxcars, reefers, gondolas etc.) that I plan to build to run behind my 1:20.3 Consolidation.

I have all the wood to build them but do not have any trucks to go under them, I do have some Bachmann metal wheels and a heap of plastic wheels.

I have looked for trucks available on the net that won’t break my budget and with the US/Australian dollar exchange rate and the cost of postage their price is way over what I have to spend at the moment (cheapest price is from MD trains).

I now am thinking that scratch-building some simple trucks may be the way to go, seeing as I am scratch-building the wagons I may as well do trucks to.

What I am looking for are plans with measurements for trucks, does anybody know where I could get some from?

I did a quick search on the net and I haven’t found any so I’m hoping that somebody here might have built some or can point me in a direction to find some.

#2

GR, had plans for arch-bar trucks years ago. Sidesteet bannerworks handles the plans from GR now. I do not see the plans listed in Sidestreet’s website, but I think I have the plans here somewhere.

#3

Here is a a real drawing of a Baldwin tender truck circa 1890. http://largescalecentral.com/folders/file/6 You could scale it and work from there. or I am casting these and you could do the same.


Not the prettiest but painted up they don’t look bad. I have modified the mold to eliminate the spring detail so that coiled wire or springs could be glued in for better detail. Make the parts and then cast all you need. I have not considered selling them but who knows. If our interested send me a PM.

#4

David Maynard said:

GR, had plans for arch-bar trucks years ago. Sidesteet bannerworks handles the plans from GR now. I do not see the plans listed in Sidestreet’s website, but I think I have the plans here somewhere.

If you are prepared to share them that would be greatly appreciated

#5

David Maynard said:

GR, had plans for arch-bar trucks years ago. Sidesteet bannerworks handles the plans from GR now. I do not see the plans listed in Sidestreet’s website, but I think I have the plans here somewhere.

Most of the plans that were inserted in GR are still on the GR website. If you are a subscriber, you can login and search them. I did find one set of plans for a wooden hopper, which has the trucks with dimensions.

http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/petert/_forumfiles/misc_2016/wooden_hopper_extra.pdf

I also suggest checking the 1" and 1 1/2" scale websites - they pften have plans for trucks and you can always scale them down.

Graeme, a while ago there was a guy on eBay selling old Delton truck frames at $7/set. He bought all the old stock when Aristo took over. Now, 5 years later, it seems they are all gone, as the only ones I found are $25/pair. Take a look at this thread:

http://forums.mylargescale.com/21-rolling-stock/11978-20-3-freight-trucks.html

The attached pic os of the Delton/Aristo trucks under a wooden boxcar.

#6

if you have a 3D printing company near you, this might help you.

this flatcar includes LGB style arch bar trucks.

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:183820

#7

Graeme I found the planset. But the thing is, they are 7/8th scale, 2 foot gauge trucks. With some adjustment, you could make them look right for a smaller scale.

#8

How strong are 3D printed trucks? Just curious.

#9

Keep your eyes on ebay. There’s a guy on there who from time to time lists bundles of parts for Delton trucks; usually enough parts for 5 pair for $25! You need to add wheels and springs. For Springs, Hartford Products .154" springs work great. He’s got an ebay store as well. Alas, I can’t tell you who it is, because the computer where I had his site bookmarked now lays comatose at my feet until such time as I can either get a new graphics card for it or replace it and transfer the hard drive contents. (I searched ebay, but came up empty.)

Later,

K

#10

John Bouck said:

How strong are 3D printed trucks? Just curious.

i don’t know firsthand yet.

but have a look:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmnInLuiID0

#11

All the items that are printed on run of the mill printers, that I have worked with, would not hold up to much use, unless maybe they placed Ball bearings in the side frames for the wheel sets. And then I would question how well the whole works would hold up.

Someone with more precise background on the strength and durability of most 3D printed stuff would better know. I would think that a printed side frame would work well for a master pattern to make a mold from to cast in metal.

#12

You can print in metal.

Burl Rice has done couplers.

(http://burlrice.com/_LS_Coupler/rotary_pattern1.jpg)

http://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/23520/rotary-couplers

#13

I would guess that 3d printed plastic trucks would work fine. You might want to insert a brass tube for the bearings for smooth running.

#14

Is Mark Dashnaw still on here? He prints everything and I’m sure he’d have a good answer about trucks.

T

#15

They obviously would have to be printed in 3 pieces in order to install the wheels and or bearings.

#16

ABS printed trucks would be no different then the plastic trucks offered by Aristo/USA Trains/Bachman etc

PLA printed trucks - I’d insert brass bushings into the wheel well if you expect heavy run times