But I’m building my Christmas train! Tis’ the season!
I’m working full time on benchwork and tracklaying on the newest iteration of the Littleton and Smallville. Weather out there is just delightful. Won’t worry about the challenge now 'til it comes up. Something to look forward to when the snow’s blowing all around us, winter nights. Cheers, everyone!
I’m willing to wait. Got alot of fish to fry and the kitchen is getting kinda smelly with them all backing up.
Reminder: Only 76 days left till Build Challenge 2014… It will be the best ever!
And as a side note, I prefer Archbar trucks with metal wheel sets.
51 Days till “MIKs Build Challenge 2014” Rears it head and “The Games Begin”. Since Sir MIK approved of my "Ace up the sleeve " Idea I have been busy in the prep to make this years challenge better then ever. Looking foreword to what you guys come up with this year.
Todd, and Doug already built a couple of great cars, to bad they can’t be used for the coming challenge.
For the record, can any one tell me the years when Archbar trucks were outlawed? It might change how I do things.
Dave they were outlawed in 1939, in favor of the Bettendorf truck…
Outlawed in 1939 for interchange service, but still usable on in house cars
Why were they outlawed?
They were outlawed for interchange service for safety reasons. They were bolted together and the bolts could come loose.
Joe’s note jives with my recollections about this subject. I bet the Bettendorfs were a lot stronger as well, and loads were getting heavier all the time. I read about all this stuff in my teens but I’ve forgotten many of the details. There were other cast-type trucks that were also approved, as I recall.
Archbars are still the prettiest. 
As a teenager in the 'sixties, I still saw an occasional arch bar truck or two, but rarely, on some non-revenue cars in the yards around Toronto. I can’t swear that these cars ever rolled out onto the mainline anymore however.
The step after Archbar trucks were Andrew trucks followed closely by bettendorf
For those who desire a more in depth answer, follow the link found in the first post on the following:
Dave: Thanks for the link, that was interesting reading.
I have no idea where this thread is headed, but if ya settle on structures, wake me up, 'cause I love to make buildings and have a huge supply of styrene just waiting to be sliced up.