Jackt202 wrote:Hi Moose,Jack Trumbull here.That caboose truck you have was first made by Maumee Car and Foundry Maumee,Ohio.The owner of that co. passed away a few years back and His patterns where sold.I do not know who is produceing them now.My caboose trucks are made to the drawing the B-B used .I am now going to start to produce a truck without the swing links and springs.The trucks will look the same from the outside.leaveing out the swing links and using fake leaf springs this will reduce the cost of the product.
Jack
hello jack,
thank you for replying and posting pics of your work. not trying to 'dis' anybody elses' work, but your truck comes closest to the truck that i got from mark unfried (i think that mark is the missing link in the history as you've given it). mark hasn't been answering emails or phone calls and i can only pray that should something in life be keeping him from the hobby, that a happy restoration of circumstances be given him. his work, as yours appears to be, is worth noting.
please do describe the particulars of your trucks and suspension. you have 'our' attention! in the unfried truck, main suspension was accomplished by coil springs between the spring plank and the bolster. as in all things, you can only tinker with it once the weight of the car has been set. i'm not a fan of 'one type of truck springing fits all'. also to my liking, the unfried trucks also have working journal box covers that flip up to access the oil port for the truck bearings.
for my specs, i'm looking for:
1. spring plank to bolster springing if swing links aren't possible. (mark's trucks have a work-like eliptical leaf springs, but aren't functional)
2. cast iron or cast steel sideframes (top grade aluminum only if ci or cs aren't available)
3. cast steel wheels (ci if cs not available)
4. bronze axle bushings with an oil galley aligned with the journal box oil port. (pardon me, i'm old school, i don't mind the oil drips, but have grown to dislike sealed ball bearings.)
5. journal box lids for friction bearings.
please do send a private message and i'll email addition contact information. your work looks to me to be just what the doctor ordered. i think that many of us are looking forward to the completion of your production schedule to the point that you can begin delivering.
to those who've replied to my quest, thank you for your interest, your expertise, your data, your comments and questions. i have been on a quest for this particular type of truck for months now. publicly and privately, the hobby suppliers like thom bee, mcc and a couple others have been suggested. all fine equipment to be sure...just not what i was looking for. believe me, had they'd offered such a truck (barber-bettendorf), i'd have sent the money and asked for the trucks and a feather...we'd both be tickled!
to SZuiderveen: wow! thank you for the data and the research! it is appreciated.
moose