# Accucraft passenger car trucks



## StanleyAmes (Jan 3, 2008)

I am begining the job of reworking the trucks so that they roll well and at the same time lower the body. 

Some questions. 

1) What is the prototypically correct height for these cars? 
2) Did the prototype have the stabalization bars that are above the trucks? 
Several posts have indicated that removing them and thus lowering the body improves their appearance but I thought I would ask about the prototype. 

3)Even without the wipers the wheels do not roll freely. It appears that the journalhas movement in it and provides an angled force against the axle. Has anyone solved that issue? 

4) has anyone replaced the wheels with ball bearing ones that have electrical pickup? 

Thanks 

Stan


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

I don't know if this will be useful or not, but I have three Bachmann J&S coaches that had the scraper tab power pickup--a little copper tab that rubbed the wheel flange. A terrible, terrible system--it adds a great deal of drag and an ugly scraping noise. I replaced 2 axles on each car with Gary Raymond ball bearing wheels with power pickup. What a huge improvement! The cars roll quietly and much much more freely. A Bachmann "Annie" can now pull all three easily up a 5.5% grade 


While I was at it I replaced the original lights with LEDs and used a combination of a bridge rectifier and a large capacitor to stop flicker, as described by Dave Bodnar (http://www.trainelectronics.com/LED_Articles_2007/LED_102/index.htm). We like to run them at night a lot and now they run and illuminate smoothly and consistently


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## K27_463 (Jan 2, 2008)

Stan, the height as modeled on these cars is within a very small fraction of prototype, cannot recall the measurements made but is was very close around a tenth or 16th of an inch actual. 
The outriggers are indeed correct , thoug in later years some were removed on cars that got rebuilt. 
I have not noticed the journal movement you speak of but would strongly urge that you lube the journals with a heavy bushing lube, something thick enough to stay in place but not quite thick as grease, though some types of white STA-lube also work well. AMs ships teh cars dry, so some lube is reasonable. If the journals actually are moving, a drop of CA should lock them. You could also ream out a bit . 
Jonathan www.rctrains.com


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

My understanding is that the stabilizer bars were not original, but added at some point to--obviously--reduce sway. I forget where I read that, so I can't claim that it's 100% accurate. It did come from a reliable source, though. 

As for the journals moving, they do that. It's part of the equalization. Gluing them negates the equalization of the truck, so I'm not sure I'd go that route. (This assumes the springs are such that that aspect of the equalization is actually functional.) If it gets too problematic, I'd solder/glue some kind of raised guide on the journal so they can't slide in or out on the pedestals. This will keep them in line with the axles. Others have replaced the brass bushings with ball bearings, reporting a tremendous improvement. I think Phil's Narrow Gauge offers to do this for you if you don't want to do it yourself. With improved journals, the electrical pickups may cause a bit less drag than they do on the stock trucks. Replacing with suitable ball-bearing wheelsets would also work, and would give you electrical pick-up and smooth operation based on the quality of the wheelset itself. Since that varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, you'll have to inquire as to whose is better. 

Later, 

K


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

I was wondering if I should lower my Sierra coaches, till I saw some prototype photos. Wow, you could almost walk under one of those. Ok, I exaggerate a little


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## Big65Dude (Jan 2, 2008)

Stan -


I lowered the bolster bearing plates on my J&S trucks by remounting them under the bolsters rather than on top as they come stock. This also has the effect of getting the anti-sway bars a little closer to the underside of the body of the coach.












Sorry, no pix of the process, only the results - shown here.


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