Unless there was an additional [pretty thick] brass washer or something between the truck bolster and the clearly-original cylindrical mounting posts soldered to the tender floor, there is something wrong with mine. Jace Kahn
General Manager Ceres & Canisteo RR Co./Champlain County Traction Co. To: [email protected] From: [email protected] Date: Tue, 13 Aug 2013 12:49:38 -0500 Subject: Re: {S-Scale List} Omnicon 2-8-0 Tender Trucks Jace, I own both the 2-8-0 and the 4-6-0 engines. I bought both used, but I believe they are pretty much "factory". Since I'm at the studio they're not in front of me, but I recall a fairly thick mounting post on the tender bottom. I don't recall if they were loose for simply part of the floor. One interesting item, those engines followed one another, but the Archbars are just a bit different. Coupler height has never been an issue. Bob Werre PhotoTraxx On 8/13/13 12:29 PM, JGG KahnSr wrote: Some time ago I asked if anyone had an extra pair of tender trucks and was willing to part with them, as a previous owner of the one I had bought had swapped out the original archbar trucks for Andrews. I was able to obtain a set of sideframes from another list member which I understand he had cast from the originals, all other sources having come up empty. I drilled them for the wheelsets almost immediately after getting them but the bolsters had sat on the back burner for some time. I finally fabricated a pair the other day and assembled everything. I first ground off the mounting stub from the back of one sideframe and drilled and tapped it, soldering the other side after opening a hole in the bolster for its stub. The former was so much trouble and so unsatisfactory I decided to drill each mounting stub for a pin, which I did (even replacing the one I'd earlier soldered). There were two problems with the replacement Andrews trucks (and I cannot identify them, as they are unlike either the Overland USRA 2-8-2 or USRA 4-6-2 tender trucks, nor yet like SS&LS ones) other than that they are not prototypical: they are a bit longer wheelbase than the original archbars (and the previous owner had also ground away some of the ends beams to accommodate them), and they made the tender sit too low for good coupler height. I gained at least 1/16" when I assembled my replacement archbars with the bolster at the top of the sideframe, but that was still inadequate. Even after using THREE washers each on the kingpins, the coupler STILL sits too low, even after a bit of judicious filing on the mounting pad on the rear beam. From frustrated curiosity, would someone check their stock model and tell me whether a Kadee sits at the correct height with no modications? And, if so, h ow their trucks and body mounts differ from mine? Jace Kahn General Manager Ceres & Canisteo RR Co./Champlain County Traction Co.
