Freight Trucks

Assembly

Question: What is the best tool/easiest way to change out springs on our truck sets?

Rick White answers:

One trick that Tom Bee (the truck maker) does each time he handles springs: place a piece of heavy thread or string through the spring and hold onto it. You do not want the spring to spring away from you or at you. I have seen Tom Bee and others use a large flat bladed screw driver to push down on the spring, then pull out (if removing) or push in (if adding) on the spring with the hand. Always hold onto the string to keep the spring in control. I have some bolsters to replace, so I will be doing this with Tom Bee's strongest springs, the purple ones. Tom Bee can replace the bolster and all the springs in five minutes per truck. I will be lucky to get a truck done in 30 minutes. Looks easy when Tom does it, not really that easy. The force you need with purple springs makes this hard. Practice will make you faster. I have four pair of trucks to do this on, so I should be getting faster, hoping for 20 minutes after doing all 8 trucks. Not hoping for five minutes, I am not strong enough to do it that fast.

References

• "Modeler's Guide to Freight Car Trucks", Jeff Wilson, Model Railroader
• "Freight and Tender Trucks", NMRA
• "Product Guide", A. Stucki
• "AAR 1966 Hopper Car", Ozark Mountain Railcar
• "Barber S-2 Stabalized Truck Component Diagram"
• "BNSF 70 Ton Boxcar"