HW Truck Kit

[up148]

Decades ago, I bought a HW truck kit at the Chicago meet. Pot metal or some other cast metal (not brass). There was even an article or two about assembling them in either OSN or OST, as they were a little tricky IIRC. I need a pair and just wondering who they were made by or if anyone has one they want to sell?

Butch

[De Bruin]

Un-assembled HW passenger 6-wheel truck kits were sold by All Nation, Walthers and Lobaugh, likely others but these are what I'm seeing in the old catalogs. All three offered 4 wheel versions of HW trucks as well.
Jim would be a better authority on the metals, but looking at my stock the Walthers (later re-issued by Keil-line) were usually white metal, the All-Nations appear to be Zamac (very nice too) and the Lobaugh look like bronze (very stout.) Walthers and Lobaugh listed both equalized and cast side frame versions while my AN catalog only illustrates an outside equalized side frame version. I have found the Walthers design problematic to assemble correctly and the white metal often too soft or brittle, so prefer AN or Lobaugh.
What style are you looking for?

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Un-assembled HW passenger 6-wheel truck kits were sold by All Nation, Walthers and Lobaugh, likely others

One of the others was Calumet(?) or that's what I remember on the outside of the box. I'd be looking for another set of those specifically if you'd be running across any since I once again failed to capture them in an RTV mold.

[bob turner]

I think what you are looking for is the Auel fully sprung/equalized Pullman truck. The originals were done in Zamac, and USH apparently had some made from the same patterns. Dennis of D&K Castings made molds and produced a smaller brass version - very tight for 5'gauge, but perfect for Proto-48.

I can post photos, but I will just try to find your e-mail and send a shot or two - so as not to abuse my free Shutterfly account.

Be aware that the Auel kit is 17/64, and that apparently MTH has made a truck that is more accurate than the PSC trucks. That is saying something!

[J. S. Bach]

...snip... and that apparently MTH has made a truck that is more accurate than the PSC trucks. That is saying something!

I am curious as to which MTH truck?

[bob turner]

My impression is that MTH has done accurate Pullman 6-wheel trucks, as well as Commonwealth and older Simplex 4-wheel trucks. So far, I don’t think their freight trucks are “up to snuff.” I could be wrong.

You should see some of the Lionel tenderand Diesel truck sideframes! They will blow you away!

[Jay Criswell]

Graceline did a nice one in white metal. Not the soft stuff either. I have the parts and instructions. They are sprung.

Don't forget USH did them in white metal also.

Jay

[R.K. Maroon]

Here are the Carl Auel trucks:





These are double sprung -- you can see both leaf and coil springs. There are a chore to assemble and a bit fragile when complete. Lots of parts:



The USH version is smaller but of the same basic design, as are similar trucks from Graceline, Ace, and Calumet. I want to say that the Ace and Calumet are legacy Graceline. You can see the two different sizes here:



The All Nation trucks started as Varney and then became General Models and finally All Nation. They are very similar to the Walthers version. Both are cast rigid sideframe, but the sideframes are pivoted on the bolster block for equalization (as good as you can get with six axles and solid sideframes).

Walthers are the black set on top (I believe):



Note the offset bolster on the Varney/GMC/AN:



Lobaugh and Alexander both had rigid sideframe versions in bronze. The Lobaughs are a little crisper in detail. There are other obscure versions as well, including a sprung set from Scale Model Railways.

Jim

[Jay Criswell]

Here is a copy of the Graceline Assembly Instructions. Copyright violation? I dunno.

https://photobucket.com/u/jaycriswell/s ... =Graceline

Jay

[Jay Criswell]

I also have the brass kits for these trucks that were produced by Chooch.

Not sprung but equalized.

Jay

[bob turner]

Did not know the USH were smaller. I have a kit for Butch, but he is checking on whether it would be better than the MTH.
The All Nation may be the best of the one-piece sideframes - I think Joe Fisher used them exclusively.

[E7]

Butch,

You could try here:

Jeannette Gatch
Auel Industries, 1 Wilson Drive, Herminie, Pa. 15637
724-446-7444

<auelogauge@msn.com>.

Rich

[up148]

Thanks Guys! The combined knowledge of this forum is amazing and the offering of help just as phenomenal. This is for a friend who is super-detailing an American Standard kit, which is now fitted with the MTH trucks. The MTH trucks do look good, but I noticed the typical large metal truck bolster stamped with "MTH" and offered some kits I bought in Chicago 25-35 years ago, but I can't find them. So, I thought I would (re)learn what is available see what I could find. Many more trucks and kits than I ever knew about.

[sarge]

Some details to add or correct:

The Ace range went to John Keil and from there presumably to Scale City when they purchase the Keil range. I checked Scale City's website to see if they re-issued them, and they are not listed. Neither are the Walthers which Keil-line also bought, though the Ace 43-R shows as do several of the Walthers trucks other than the six-wheel heavyweight.

They might have been Graceline originally, though I don't know. I do know John did some retooling of whatever he bought to re-issue, so there might be part incompatibilities between the Ace and his version.

Ralph Brown (American Standard) did a delrin or nylon six-wheel sprung heavyweight truck for a short while.

Carl Auel's trucks are larger simply because he did his range in 17/64" scale.

Joe Fischer did indeed use the AN truck, which is noticeably different (and better in form) than the Walthers. If you preferred a different truck and supplied it, he would use it in his later production.

Watch the centre axle on Walthers trucks. They usually rub on the bolsters and give a rolling quality not unlike a brick. The AN can also rub on the bolster spans, so care in assembly, relieving the contact points, and checking the sideframe screws periodically for slackness and splaying of the frames is warranted.

Not only did KTM do them, but PSC in several configurations.

[J. S. Bach]

...snip... Ralph Brown (American Standard) did a delrin or nylon six-wheel sprung heavyweight truck for a short while. ...snip...

I had a pair of the two-axle ones; man, would they roll. At least compared to what I had been using (on acquired cars); Walthers, All Nation, Scalecraft, Lobaugh, and some never identified at the time. Anyway, I liked their rolling qualities so I bought a pair of the three-axle version. What a mistake; the sideframe was warped longitudinally and they really did not roll for crap, my well-seasoned Lobaughs rolled so much better.