# Pilot trucks on Steam Engines?



## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

After taking a bunch of pictures of 1:1 steam engines and watching videos I never noticed this.

Are the pilot trucks on a 1:1 steam engine ridgid? 

Can they slide side to side like our models of them? 

JJ


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## ralphbrades (Jan 3, 2008)

This should help you JJ. 

http://www.cabbagepatchrailway.co.uk/mls/g3/bogies.pdf 

Happy reading! 

regards 

ralph


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Pilot trucks on American steam locos move much the same as they do on our models. The prototype trucks are also sprung and are part of the suspension system - a function they don't perform on our models for the most part. Generally speaking, their purpose was to guide the front of the locomotive (and thereby the drivers) into curves, allowing for higher speeds and fewer derailments. There was less lateral movement of the wheels/axles themselves within the truck frame then we sometimes see as prototype curves were not as sharp.


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## DKRickman (Mar 25, 2008)

Two wheel trucks moved more or less identically to those on models (although connected with the suspension, as noted above). Four wheel trucks, on the other hand, moved like the trucks on a passenger car - they could swivel and were on a swing motion bolster. They generally did not have a pivot arm like many models do, nor did they have a lot of side to side freedom. A couple inches was about the limit of the side play in the bolster, and the pivot itself was stationary on the locomotive.


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## S.B.A. (Jul 19, 2009)

Pilot trucks on full size locomotives are basically the same as the models as they move radially. However full size locomotives have a bissle post that basically a block of metal that the pilot truck swings on. This post is in the center of the truck and is centered between the frame rails. as the truck moves to the left or right, the post moves up and at the same time the equalizer bar is moved, which goes back to the driving wheels. There is also some lateral play in the axle, the D&RGW K-37 for example, can have something like a half inch of lateral play on the pilot truck.


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