[color=darkgreen]Rick, are you thinking dissimilar shrink and expansion rates? Wild, that could be a causal element; I have none of the AMS flats either, so am like you, unable to test that possibility. [/color]
My (very early) Accucraft flat was significantly bowed on the first few trips into the sun. Enough so that I called Cliff and complained. He was sympathetic to the point of offering to replace it, but didn’t really have a solution.
I put a brick on it every time it was in the sun. There is still a bow, but it is now within the acceptable range for an unloaded truss rod car. I can’t swear that the brick did the trick, but think it helped.
I do believe the ultimate solution is either sawing the deck, or removing it (mill?) and replacing it with planks. I can’t remember who was sawing the decks, but that did look like a good solution. One challenge to sawing is finding a razor saw with a very thin blade, and little or (preferably) no set.
The bow problem didn’t appear to be related to over tightening of the truss rods, but I’ll recheck to make certain.
Happy RRing,
Jerry
The truss rods on my Accu cars aren’t functional. They end at the bolsters.
Later,
K
Kevin Strong said:
The truss rods on my Accu cars aren't functional. They end at the bolsters.Later,
K
Kevin,
That’s interesting, are you refering to flat cars only or to all your AccCraft cars?
Rick Marty
None of my Accu cars have functioning truss rods.
Even though they have threaded ends into the turnbuckle, they do not function.
it’s just show.