# D&RG passenger truck plan



## Amber (Jul 29, 2011)

Does anyone know where I could get a fairly large scale, hopefully accurate drawing or plan for the D&RG passenger trucks, especially the older ones? Of course, I don't know if there's an older and newer version of the trucks that were used, but I'd like to find the early 1900s version if it's different. But then, I'll take what I can get.
Thanks,
Amber


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Amber, 

The Colorado annual on the D&RG coaches has plans and photo of the Narrow Gauge trucks: also the additions made later. the book is titled - Colorado Rail Annual 
No. 25: “Rio Grande Narrow Gauge Varnish”. If you are interested in the Narrow Gauge coaches it is a 'must buy' really. I have a copy which is very useful.


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By peter bunce on 24 Jan 2012 03:07 AM 
Hi Amber, 

The Colorado annual on the D&RG coaches has plans and photo of the Narrow Gauge trucks: also the additions made later. the book is titled - Colorado Rail Annual 
No. 25: “Rio Grande Narrow Gauge Varnish”. If you are interested in the Narrow Gauge coaches it is a 'must buy' really. I have a copy which is very useful. Hi Amber,

I agree with Peter. Colorado Rail Annual #25 is a great reference for passenger cars and their history, on the D&RG. About $50.


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## Amber (Jul 29, 2011)

Well, you see, therein lies the problem, $50.00 I don't really want an entire book about passenger cars, it would have limited use for me at best. The car that I've been building is actually based on the S.P. narrow gauge short combines. I have the book "Slim Rails Through the Sand" but the plan drawings are pretty small and I'm not sure how accurate they are as far as the trucks are concerned. Bigger plans tend to be more accurate. Even O scale plans are easier to measure than HO or S scale plans. I'm hoping that there's some place that I can order just the truck plans from.


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Amber on 26 Jan 2012 10:41 AM 
Well, you see, therein lies the problem, $50.00 I don't really want an entire book about passenger cars, it would have limited use for me at best. The car that I've been building is actually based on the S.P. narrow gauge short combines. I have the book "Slim Rails Through the Sand" but the plan drawings are pretty small and I'm not sure how accurate they are as far as the trucks are concerned. Bigger plans tend to be more accurate. Even O scale plans are easier to measure than HO or S scale plans. I'm hoping that there's some place that I can order just the truck plans from. Well then, if your interest is in S.P. narrow gauge, contact the library at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento. They have many prints archived and maybe they could copy them for you for a nominal fee. They have a good-sized reference library there. Might give it a try.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm hoping that there's some place that I can order just the truck plans from
Amber, 
This is a very limited-interest hobby, and therefore few retailers are interested in selling items that no-one else will want after you buy one. 

I understand that you may prefer to just purchase what you want, but, as in most fields, building a library is a valuable exercise. In 5 years you might want to know about some other aspect of a D$RGW coach, so you will have the reference on your shelf and won't need to pay for it. 

I keep my eyes open for used books at train shows, as they are often inexpensive and add to the stack over my bench. Unfortunately, some of the books we covet were limited printing in the first place and are now out of print. Even if you find a used copy, it may be expensive. 

The least expensive way is to find someone who has already built an extensive library and ask them to help! In the long run though, you need something to trade or they will get fed up of you always using their stuff. 

Have you checked out Carsten's "Slim Gauge Cars"? Only $19.95 and it has lots of plans of D/RGS coaches. Table of contents at http://carstensbookstore.com/slgacaseeded.html


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## Ron Senek (Jan 2, 2008)

Don't know where you live but Colorado public libraries carry quite a few train related books that might have what you are looking for.


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## Amber (Jul 29, 2011)

Actually, I've been thinking seriously about getting "Slim Gauge Cars". I can afford that, and there's so much usable information in that book that goes along with my railroad interests. 
I'm a long way away from Colorado, Michigan's Upper Penninsula. 
As for trading material, actually, if I got my butt in gear and did the drafting work, I would have some good potential trading material. I have done extensive measuring and sketching of the Quincy & Torch Lake straight braced rock cars and what was left of a flat car on the siding past the roundhouse, and I have an accurate drawing and measurements of the frame and cylinders of Q&TL #1, a 2-6-0. #5, a 2-8-0, is still up by the hoist house also, but I haven't measured it. I suspect it's not much different from a C-16 though. I also did measurements and drawings of the 3 ft gauge trucks used under the Q&TL rock cars, but I never got around to making any of them at the time.


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## Michael Glavin (Jan 2, 2009)

Amber, 

Which truck are you looking at in "Slim Rails Through The Sand", or maybe the page number of the coach your building? I may have a drawing that would help... And what scale are you modeling? 

Michael


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Look at Google Books for John White's "American Railroad Passenger Car." There's some good info on passenger car trucks in there. While most of it is standard gauge, it's a good read. (And on Google, the price is right.) 

I would echo the recommendation for "Slim Gauge Cars." I would, except my copy disappeared shortly after I bought it, and I haven't seen it since. When I do find it, I'm sure it will be a welcome additon to my library.  

Later, 

K


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## Amber (Jul 29, 2011)

I'm working on a car based on the the short combines, #400 and #401. Those are both short cars, not much over 30 feet long. Crazy me, I'm trying to build it in 1/6th scale for my "passengers", the Barbies and G.I. Joes. I started this car several years ago but only got as far as the underframe parts. I finally got the underframe put together last summer. Next, I need to build the platforms and then the floor. I don't have a garage where I live, so I have to wait for milder weather to cut the wood for that, outside. I've been wanting to get started on the passenger trucks, but I need the measurements for the parts in order to make them look somewhat like the real thing. I could give the page number in the book, but I won't be home until Sunday evening. I believe it's just the standard passenger truck that was used on many of the passenger cars.


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## Michael Glavin (Jan 2, 2009)

Amber, 

I am familar with the Cabooses your modeling, there on pg 64-65, also note at least two trucks are in play. I have a drawing of the truck used on C&C's coach on pg. 85, looks like the right one to me. I can plot the drawing in any scale desired. 

Contact me via PM to discuss getting you a drawing. 

Michael


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## Amber (Jul 29, 2011)

One of the cars is shown and drawn with freight trucks that were used toward the end of operations, the other one has the passenger trucks that I'm interested in. I'll have to wait until I get home tomorrow night to look at the book to see what you're looking at on page 85.


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## Michael Glavin (Jan 2, 2009)

Yeap, freight trucks were used on other coaches too! Let me know if I can help... 

Michael


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## bruja (Jan 7, 2008)

I just finished making D&RG passenger trucks from Bob Hartford's superb kit. While those may no longer be available, the kit came with full size drawings. Those may still be available from him, although he may no longer be in business. I checked his website recently and saw it was undergoing modification. Not sure what that means but I think Bob sold the business again but maybe he could be reached through the new site which is
http://www.hartfordlargescaleproducts.com/. Good luck 
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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Will this help? the pic is high res and zoomable 
http://cdm15323.contentdm.oclc.org/...OT=/p15323coll6&CISOPTR=1169&CISOBOX=1&REC=16


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

I think Bob sold the business again but maybe he could be reached through the new site which is 
http://www.hartfordlargescaleproducts.com/. 
Bob took the business back - but didn't get the old website and the 'owner' paid for 5 years so it is dormant for now. 

hartfordlargescaleproducts.com is his new website for the 'old' business, which is still providing the products. The only exception is that Bob isn't providing the wood. His kits come with cutting instructions and all the metal parts. He does respond to email - eventually.


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## Amber (Jul 29, 2011)

Bruja said "I just finished making D&RG passenger trucks from Bob Hartford's superb kit. While those may no longer be available, the kit came with full size drawings." I don't suppose I could talk you into making a photocopy of those plans for me?  
I just ordered some parts from him a couple of weeks ago and got them last week, I needed parts to continue a couple of old projects that had been sitting for a number of years. I was using his sprung pedestals to build a few G scale ore cars, patterned after the Eureka mine tram cars, and I didn't order enough of them at the time, and then I couldn't get them any longer. I was quite happy to see that he's doing business again, I really like his castings. 
As for the passenger truck, I did find a basic line drawing of the standard D&RG truck on-line, and printed it out at different sizes until I got one that's within 1% of 1 inch scale, according to the measurement of the 5 foot wheelbase. At least I can take measurements from that that will be close. I don't know how accurate the drawing is, but it might have to do. 
Michael, the trucks under the car on page 85 are the ones I was thinking of, I believe they're the same ones used under #400 and #401, I somehow missed seeing that drawing in the book...DUH!  It's drawn in 1/4 inch scale, which makes it at least measurable for the big parts. I would need the drawing in 2 inch scale to be the scale that I'm working in. 
It's interesting, I noticed that car 400 has an odd passenger truck with 2 small coil springs on each side of the center leaf spring, while car 401 used the same trucks as the C&C caboose on page 85. I have 3 Narrow Gauge & Short Line Gazette magazines with articles about these cars. Mar/Apr 2000 has an article, with drawings, on car #16, which is a similar SPNG short combine, Sept/Oct 2003 has an article, with drawings, on car #400, And Nov/Dec 2003 has an article, with drawings, on car #401. The car I'm building won't be an exact copy of one of these cars, but will be very close.


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Don't know if the following will be of any help, but it's a perspective view of a 4-wheel Pullman passenger truck which is spec'd on the D&RGW folios for cars 319 etc. Although I believe this is a standard gauge truck I believe the construction method would remain the same.The width of the image is actually 1223 pixels restricted to 800 pixels for display, just click the image to view the larger one. Hope it's of use.


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## chuckger (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Amber,

If you go to Large Scale Central to rolling stock forum, then to page 6, look up New Passinger Cars by Ron Spencer. He built passinger trucks for his cars following plans in GR magazine. This may or may not be of help, but there is a lot of usefull info here.

Chuck


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## Amber (Jul 29, 2011)

That's a good drawing, it shows the way the truck is put together, helpful info.


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