Topic: SR&CL Ry Car Building - Caboose

[tomc]

I got a couple more days in the shop and got one pair with the wheels in. Another pair with the bottom strap done and ready to drop wheels in except I am short steel for the last pair and I am using one of the straps for a bend pattern so will hold off till more steel comes in.

Tom C.

[russ]

Looking very fine,. Tom

Russ

[tomc]

I got three days in the shop and got all 6 trucks put together except for the bottom strap.  makin progress.

Tom C.

[tomc]

With all these parts done I was able to put a couple of the Bolster assy into the frame.

A shot of the equalizer bar about where it goes and a top shot


Tom C.

[tomc]

After completing the transoms, I attacked the equalizer bars and added their spring cups.  I used a 1/4 inch rod to hold them from sliding off.  The hole spacing was determined by the jig I made for the frame bolt holes at the start. 

Tom C.

[tomc]

Here is a shot of the Transom attatched to the top plate of the frame.

Then with a plate that tied both sides together and the spring cups on their piece of steel.  Sure are a lot of parts to a truck!.

Tom C.

[Ferd]

Hi Tom
The castings look great. Still can't get over how big all the stock is that you are working with.
Great to see the progress.

thx  Ferd

[tomc]

While I was drilling, Mel made axles.

Tom C.

[tomc]

Here is a couple welded up and are waiting to have the welds ground down.

Tom C.

[tomc]

I think I have a little Irish in me as I make another jig to layout the 13 holes we needed in the top frame piece.  A shot of 1of 12.

Tom C.

[tomc]

We also had to bend up 12 hunks of iron for the top piece of the truck.  These need an offset to miss part of the swing motion.

Mel made a jig to sit in the press and we tried the acetalyne torch first but couldn't keep it hot.  Tried to put in our furnance but only would heat the bottom.  Finally hit on the idea to open the top to the furnance and lay the pieced across it and then use the torch to heat the top.  That worked.  A shot of the first one behind the transom piece.

Tom C.

[tomc]

More small progress.  The 1/4 inch rod got threaded and pounded thru the transom.  The shoe had to go under it and requred cussing!!  Takes 12 pieces for 3 pr of trucks.

Tom C.

[tomc]

Here is a shot of the finished assy waiting to go on the bolster transoms.  Now that I have one done, there are 5 more to do.  On the other shot, you can see the truck side bearing "rubbing area" that keeps the car from tipping to much.  That piece goes thru the upper wood piece to the other side and has a landing area there also for the bolster side bearing.

Tom C.

[tomc]

I have been busy assembling the swing motion parts to the spring plank.  This is a mockup of what I need to do.  Attaching the aluminum parts to the wood after making the swing links.

Tom C.

The other picturs shows the swing links attached to the spring plank with out the side bearing plate attached yet.

[tomc]

We finally got back to working on the trucks!!!  Mel got the Journal boxes machined on the outside and is now working on the Pedistals.

Tom C.

Below is a finished pedistal.