1.6" scale Barber-Bettendorf Trucks

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moose the caboose
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Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2011 4:35 pm

1.6" scale Barber-Bettendorf Trucks

Post by moose the caboose »

I'm currently back to working on a couple of caboose projects and I'm looking for a supplier of the Barber - Bettendorf Trucks..

the trucks below were supplied to me by Mark Unfried. They seem to be unobtainium for the time being.

Image

click here

Mark's trucks were some of the nicest around and really set off the look i wanted.

click here

anywho, i'm on the hunt for several more sets...got any extras or is anybody making something similar? i thought that someone on the west coast had something like them, but haven't seen any reference to them lately.


Moose
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makinsmoke
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Re: 1.6" scale Barber-Bettendorf Trucks

Post by makinsmoke »

Is Mark not marketing them anymore?

Brian
moose the caboose
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Re: 1.6" scale Barber-Bettendorf Trucks

Post by moose the caboose »

makinsmoke wrote:Is Mark not marketing them anymore?

Brian
hi brian,

calls made by both returning and new costumers have remained unanswered. i know that life sometimes gets in the way of our hobbies, so whatever mark chose or was forced to choose, i bid him 'good morrow upon his life's sailing' until he is able to re-join us. the quality of his trucks and assembly work is a-one in my book. at the moment, i'm trying to find trucks of the same style.

PRR5406: message coming to you shortly. thanks for the pm.

moose
vtgrwood
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Re: 1.6" scale Barber-Bettendorf Trucks

Post by vtgrwood »

Hello,

Jack Trumbull in Toledo, OH makes a bettendorf caboose truck. Although, his has a prototypical cast swing bolster. Jack also makes a roller bearing version. The first caboose in the link below has his trucks on them, and if you read down through the comments it shows how much the guy paid for them. I can get you his contact info if you send me a PM.

http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/F ... fault.aspx

George
mjahn
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Re: 1.6" scale Barber-Bettendorf Trucks

Post by mjahn »

moose,

could you use a pair of Tom Bee trucks and make up leaf springs to replace the coils?
Mattaniah Jahn

Matt Corps. Railsystems,
operating on the Manatee Central RR
http://www.flickr.com/photos/62441046@N06/sets/
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makinsmoke
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Re: 1.6" scale Barber-Bettendorf Trucks

Post by makinsmoke »

They'd be standard trucks with leaf springs, not swing-motion caboose trucks.

These were very unique trucks used under many cabooses.

540 is not a huge amount of money for the right truck, but certainly more than 400.

Brian
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kenrinc
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Re: 1.6" scale Barber-Bettendorf Trucks

Post by kenrinc »

Tom's trucks are excellent but they are based on a prototype that I've not often seen under a caboose, at least not out west. Does anybody know what prototype they are based off of? Maybe Barber or National? Freelanced? You'd probably be better off trying to modify MCC Bettendorf trucks with leaf springs if you want it to look right. $.02

Ken-
JimJam
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Re: 1.6" scale Barber-Bettendorf Trucks

Post by JimJam »

Hi Guys -

I have Bettendorf castings available. I'm going to try to attach a couple photos of them here.

Right now, I'm selling the Bettendorf castings (unfinished) for $120 (Six castings. Four side frames and two bolsters.). I recently moved and my shop is still in boxes so I can't mill them. I've always built trucks from these castings with coiled springs. But, I'm sure they could be adapted for leaf springs. Fake leaf springs can be purchased from MCC.

See my web page for other Live Steam products and builders plates. http://www.bostonloco.com/

I have a few more full size builders plates to add to the web page. Check back in a couple weeks when I have them cast.

I can be emailed at: Boston.Loco@Live.com

- Jimi -
Boston Locomotive Works
Attachments
Boston loco truck.JPG
ADSC_4153.JPG
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SZuiderveen
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Location: Baltimore

Re: 1.6" scale Barber-Bettendorf Trucks

Post by SZuiderveen »

I think that many of the respondents do not know how a true swing motion caboose truck is built.

It is not a "three-piece truck."

A double transom casting bears on two lugs at the bottom of the central opening in the side frames, and spans between the two sideframes. The bolster, much shorter than the three-piece truck, is suspended by four swing hangers from the two cross tansoms. Perhaps these prints may help understand.
Sideframe
Sideframe
Transom
Transom
E2434A1.jpg
Steve
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makinsmoke
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Re: 1.6" scale Barber-Bettendorf Trucks

Post by makinsmoke »

What he said...
Barber-Bettendorf Swing motion caboose truck. Figure 16 on the webpage below.

Not nearly as simple as a leaf spring standard freight truck.

Now, in the 50's Santa Fe switched over to the ASF A-3 Ride-Control truck for their caboose upgrades that for all intents and purposes looked a lot like the standard "Bettendorf" freight truck. Compare figure 5 with figure 9 on the webpage below.

There were additional springs and adjustable shims that allowed for adjustment of the wearing surfaces.

Here's a neat little page basically for HO modelers but photos and descriptions of popular trucks including the above.
http://mrr.trains.com/~/media/import/fi ... rucks.ashx

Brian
vtgrwood
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Re: 1.6" scale Barber-Bettendorf Trucks

Post by vtgrwood »

The trucks that Jack has at Trumbull Locomotive Works are prototypical as the previous original drawings show. That's why they have a higher price. Not that you need a prototypical caboose truck, he just wanted to produce one for the market.

George
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kenrinc
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Re: 1.6" scale Barber-Bettendorf Trucks

Post by kenrinc »

Yes I am aware of how a swing motion truck operates, as always, there may or may not be a need for an EXACT prototypical truck depending on the level of detail your looking for. On a typical caboose it's really difficult to tell unless you get down on your hands and knees. I understand that some people want that, it's just nice to know that you can "represent" that truck when you don't have the parts available to you...

Ken-
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