# Freight Car Truck Reviews.



## Tom Parkins (Jan 2, 2008)

I checked the searches, and I personally don't recall any reviews of Freight car trucks. I would like to see a review of 1/29 standard freight car trucks. Perhaps in 2 categories, solid bearing and roller bearing ( not to be confused with ball bearing). I am interested in comparisons of the actual truck, not the wheels. If we are comparing a USA and Aristo truck, let's assume that they have similar wheels, or nearly identical wheels. 

Do trucks with real springs track any better than trucks with molded plastic springs? Which one handles poor track better? Do some trucks work better under loads? What type holds up better? What gives a better lasting appearance? Are the stock trucks on most brands acceptable? Is it a worthwhile investment to change to all one brand of trucks? 


I'm not looking to bash one brand or the other, I'm just looking for good comparisons of the actual trucks. Yes wheels are a big influence in performance, but let's try to keep it apples- apples and assume similar wheels in all the trucks. 

What are your experiences? Those mentioning replacing those PITA rusty Aristo springs, we DO NOT need another thread on how to do that. 

Tom


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I don't think the springs really do anything. May look a little better, but my eyes are not that good, as long as they go around the track, I'm happy.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

When I started, many people made a big deal about sprung trucks, so I was told Aristo was superior, and USAT inferior, since most of their trucks at the time were unsprung.

But as I improved my trackwork, I found USAT ultimate box cars tracked much better than Aristo. I found the higher weight of the car helped, but I was amazed that the unsprung trucks seemed to perform better.

Now that I have about 10 years under my belt and can run very long trains, I've noticed that most sprung trucks have springs so stiff that they are really unsprung, more "equalized" than anything else.

Likewise on locomotives.

To get a car weight exactly right, or change springs so that the springs are actually "working" seems like an impossibility. The "sweet spot" was impossible for me to "find". I likewise experimented with passenger trucks, since they had more springs and you could pull a spring out.

In my experience, having a truck that is equalized somewhat, and nice heavy wheels and correct backspacing is what works best.

Regards, Greg


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## Chucks_Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

I've had nothing but problems lately with Aristo's sprung trucks on the new 2-bay coal hoppers, brake shoes falling off because the factory used some bad glue. Then the lower spring bearing pad works it's way out and the truck falls apart. The Aristo brass PRR N5c caboose trucks are also a joke as they're made of brass and the solder joints will fall apart...real nice for a $300.00+ caboose. Suppose that I'll have to do what a friend has done and mount some USA center cupola caboose trucks under that N5c. 

I really like the USA R2033 Bettendorf Trucks as they only cost like $4.00 each and they're basically bulletproof.


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

I run neither the USA nor the Aristo trucks, being a narrow gauge guy, but I'll echo Greg's comments about the springs not really making a bit of difference in performance. I've run both varieties for nearly 30 years, and there's simply no measurable difference in performance. The key with trucks is how they're mounted to the car. Take a page out of the small-scalers' playbook on that one. Many commercial cars' trucks are too loose for reliable operation. You want to create a 3-point suspension with your trucks. On one end of the car, you want the truck to be somewhat loose--able to swivel around the kingpin, rock up and down, and side to side. The truck on the other end, you want a bit tighter. You still want it to swivel, and rock up and down, but you want to limit (or eliminate) any side-to-side play. The result is a car that won't rock on the tracks, because the one truck is tight enough to keep the car stable side to side, but it can still move up and down to compensate for changes in the grade. The other truck is free to adjust for up and down grade, as well as any twists that may present themselves. 

All my scratchbuilt equipment gets this treatment. I usually don't mess with the commercial stuff unless it starts to present a problem. If it does--and I adjust the trucks as I've described--the problem goes away. 

Later, 

K


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

I've never noticed any advantage to having the sprung trucks, but I like the aristo freight trucks because I use aristo's knuckle couplers, and the aristo trucks are relatively easy to modify for closer coupling of truck-mounted couplers.


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## jgallaway81 (Jan 5, 2009)

Having a review thread request, I have a question to add:

While Aristo was first out of the gate with actual spinning roller-bearing end cap, the USA metal trucks seems to have a nicer implimentation. Aristo's version has a history of loosing the end caps to the axles. Has anyone found this problem with the USA version?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

You might have wanted to ask this on another thread, since it has the possibility of derailing the thread, and really early in the thread. 

I will add that I make sure all my trucks are equalized. On USAT and AML cars I unscrew the sideframe screw 1/4 turn and "work" the sideframes by holding one in each and and twisting in each direction to make sure there's a little give. If there is not, I may take the sideframe off and either use graphite (when one or both bolster and sideframe is plastic) or light oil (when the bolster and sideframe are both metal). 

This has given me the most success. 

Regards, Greg


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## Ward H (Jan 5, 2008)

Greg, 
Can you described what "equalized" means in this context? I though it would mean "both bear the same characteristics" but not sure.


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## RailCat (Apr 10, 2009)

Howdy, 

Equalization simply refers to the truck sideframe's ability to twist slightly front to back to keep all four wheels in contact with the rails. A rigid frame truck can sometimes have three wheels on the track and one in the air when going over rough track work or through a switch. A sprung truck will equalize by flexing around the springs if the springs are not too stiff. An unsprung truck can also equalize if at least one side is free to pivot slightly. An unsprung truck can actually equalize better than a sprung truck. Especially in the smaller scales. 

Scott


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yep, what he said... 

Greg


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