Craig,
One more,AML
Craig Townsend said:
My question is this, who makes the most accurate 70 or 100 ton roller bearing trucks?
This is who I can think of that have made roller bearing trucks in 1/29.
Compare the following; scale to prototype, ease of availability, cost, ease of adding ball bearings.
Manufacturers:
Burl Rice
Aristocraft
LGB
USAT plastic
USAT metal
AML?
Has anyone done a fair comparison between these for cost, availability, etc?
Have you come to a conclusion Craig?
When can we expect pictures of the rolling stock you have modeled which requires 70 or 100 ton roller bearing trucks ?
Working on it Rooster…
I have a small collection, maybe 30 pieces total. A majority are 40’ and 50’ boxcars, 50’ reefers and a few grain cars.
To answer Rooster's inquiry about trucks...
According to my April 1970 ORER these are the cars under the Burlington Northern roster, and the reported weights:
Refrigerator Car 50' Mechanical Designation R
Weight 100,000-129,000 capacity
Should have 70 ton trucks
Boxcar 40' AAR Mechanical Designation A & B
Weight 100,000-148,000 (most are in the 100,00-110,000 range) capacity
Should have 70 ton trucks
Boxcar 50' AAR Mechanical Designation A & B
Weight 100,000-140,000 (most are in the 100,000-110,000 range) capacity
Should have 70 ton trucks.
Grain Hoppers AAR Mechanical Designation LO
Weight 140,000-200,000 capacity (most are 198,000-200,000)
Should have 100 ton trucks
Now the FRA regulations said that cars newly built or rebuilt after 1968 should have roller bearing trucks. How many of these cars in 1970 (the time frame I'm modeling) had been rebuilt? I'm guessing if they had non-BN road numbers they likely hadn't been shopped lately so they would have friction bearing trucks. The BN cars (ORER lists them as additions to the roster) being new should all have roller bearing trucks.
Comparison of Prototype cars to USAT modeled cars. Note I simply looked at car numbers and length not paint schemes. This is just the 50’ refrigerator cars as of April 1970.
50’ Mechanical Reefer
USAT Lists the following:
R16700Santa Fe “El Capitan” - Orange/Black
Road Number SFRD 2103
ORER for SFXX 2103 (series 2000-2263) shows a 44’ interior length between ice bunkers. Incorrect road number for 50’ car. Correct road number for 2103 is SFRC 2103.
See note below.
R16701Santa Fe “Ship and Travel” - Orange/Silver
Road Number SFRC 1139
ORER for SFRC 1139 (series 1100-1199) shows a 44’ between ice bunkers. Incorrect road number for 50’ car.
See note below
R16702Santa Fe “Ship and Travel”- Orange/Silver
Road Number SRFC 1164
ORER for SRFC 1164 (series 1100-1199) shows a 44’ long car between ice bunkers. Incorrect road number for 50’ car.
Note for Santa Fe cars (not describing correct color schemes)
50’ Mechanical Refrigerator cars
SFRC 55200-57099
Note says they are equipped with Detroit Diesel, Refrigerator Type; Trane, Temp Range All, Purpose All
R16703Northern Pacific - Silver
Road Number NPM 139
ORER shows NPM 139 (series 100-149) as a 44’ interior length between ice bunkers. Incorrect road number for NP 50’ mechanical refrigerator car.
Correct road numbers for NPM 50’ series 96000-98466.
Notes say certain car numbers have ceiling hooks for heaters/harnesses, and give specific information about end of car cushioning type and/or load restraints. Notes also say all NP refrigerator cars have been placed on mileage basis.
R16704Burlington Northern - Yellow/Silver
Road Number BNFE 700329
Road number number not correct for 1970
R16705Burlington Northern - Green/Silver
Road Number RBBX 99247
ORER shows these cars as owned by Burlington Refrigerator Express Company
No RBBX 99247 listed.
RBBX 79000-79924 show as 50’ mechanical refrigerator cars. Notes say certain cars equipped with load restraints. Cars equipped with fork lift truck pallets, platforms or skids which will be considered part of the car.
R16706Burlington Northern - Green
Road Number BREX 3
No BREX 3 listed.
BREX 117, 74000-76349 but all are listed as under 50’ interior length.
R16707Great Northern - Yellow/Brown/Silver
Road Number WFCX 8139
ORER shows these cars as owned by Western Fruit Express Company
WFCX 8139 (series 8100-8199) as interior length of 43’ 8 ½”
WFCX 50’ car series 64200-64536. Notes say certain cars equipped with load restraints.Cars equipped with fork lift truck pallets, platforms or skids which will be considered part of the car.
R16708 Pacific Fruit Express - SP & UP - Orange/Brown/Silver
Road Number PFE 301005
ORER shows PFE 301005 (series 300713-301207) as interior length of 43 9” between ice bunkers.
PFE does not show any 50’ mechanical refrigerator cars on roster in 1970
R16709 Pacific Fruit Express - SP & UP - Orange/Black/Silver
Road Number PFE 300146
ORE shows PFE 300146 (series 300138-300195) as interior length of 44’ 7” between ice bunkers.
PFE does not show any 50’ mechanical refrigerator cars on roster in 1970
R16710 Pacific Fruit Express - SP/ UP - Orange/Silver
Road Number UPFE 451787
No UPFE road name listed in 1970 ORER
R16711 Pacific Fruit Express - SPFE - Orange
Road Number SPFE 301212
NO SPFE road name listed in 1970 ORER
R16712 Union Pacific - Yellow/Silver
Road Number UPFE 458059
No UPFE road name listed in 1970 ORER
R16713 Milwaukee Road - Orange/Brown
Road Number URTX 818
URTX is owned by Union Refrigerator Transit Lines a division of General American Transportation Corporation.
ORER lists URTX 818 as having a 35’ 2” interior between ice bunkers.
ORER lists 50’ refrigerator cars in series 27000-28999.
Notes say certain cars equipped with load restraints.Cars equipped with fork lift truck pallets, platforms or skids which will be considered part of the car.
R16714 Burlington Route - Yellow/Brown/Silver
Road Number BRMX 123
No BRMX listed in 1970 ORER
R16715 Canadian Pacific - Silver
Road Number CP 85267
ORER lists 85267 (series 85000-85499) as an equipped boxcar. No mechanical refrigerator cars listed as CP owned
R16717 BNSF - Green/Silver
Not in existence in 1970
R16718 BNSF - Red Oxide
Not in existence in 1970
R16720Rio Grande - Orange/Black
Road Number D&RGW 50571
ORER lists D&RGW 50571 (series 50500-50599) as a 60’ 1” interior length refrigerator car.
50’ series are 50600-51149 Notes say certain cars equipped with load restraints.Cars equipped with fork lift truck pallets, platforms or skids which will be considered part of the car.
R16721 Rio Grande - Yellow/Black
Road Number D&RGW 60844
ORER lists D7RGW 60844 (series 60820-60899) as a 50’ 1” interior length refrigerator car. Cushioned underframe, plug door.
R16722 Chicago & North Western - Yellow/Green
Road Number CNW 61020
ORER does not list CNW 61020. Closest number is CNW 60618 & 61302 which are listed as 40’ 6” interior length boxcars.
R16723 Railway Express Agency - Green w/Green Trucks
Road Number REX 6100
ORER lists REX 6100 (series 6100-6599) as a 42’ ¼” interior length between ice bunkers. REX does not own any 50’ refrigerator cars.
R16724 Fruit Growers Express - Yellow/Brown
RNBX 92308
ORER lists RNBX 92308 (series 92289-92328) as a 50’ 1” interior length refrigerator car. Notes say certain cars equipped with load restraints. Cars equipped with fork lift truck pallets, platforms or skids which will be considered part of the car.
Because I know Rooster is going to ask… Out of the list this is one of the two plausible cars. Road number and paint scheme are close.
Model…
Prototype from Series
http://www.railcarphotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=93200
Built Sept 1964. As shown in the 1992 picture it does have roller bearing trucks, and it looks to be in the original paint scheme, so unless I get more information this car gets 70 ton roller bearing trucks based on the load limit of 181700. April 1970 ORER shows a load weight of 180,000. So if I take the total weight 263000 divide by 2000 I get 131.5. Divide that by 2 (since the car has two trucks) and we get a total of 65.75 per truck.
Interesting to note that this car as of 1992 still has it’s roof walk. Makes me suspect the date is off as roof walks should had been all removed by 1992. No need to access the roof?
If it matters to some folks, the actual prototype is not a mechanical type Reefer.
I put the Kadee 973 70 ton trucks on the USAT D&RGW car using method illustrated below:
-Ted
Ted,
Yes you are correct about the mechanical part, but wrong about the insulated boxcar. The ORER lists that series as “refridgerator, insulated or RBL (AAR mech.). RBL is defined as Refrigerator Cars. RBL 49’ 8” or over.
So according to the AAR this particular car has insulation, but not mechanical cooling equipment. Boxcars are defined as either as X, or B with lots of subsets.
The only series that might be plausible as a mechanical refridgerator car would be the the Santa Fe cars. But even those are incorrect road numbers.
Craig,
Thank you, I stand corrected given the ORER / AAR if defining cars with non mechanical or lacking ice bunkers, but being insulated, as RBL refrigerator cars - bizarre as it seems.
The SP/UP had PFE mechanical reefers resembling the USAT offering.
USA Trains PFE mechanical reefer car:
-Ted
I installed Aristo roller bearing trucks years ago on all six of my USA PFE mechanical reefers and called it good.
Paul,
Same for me, too.
-Ted