01-18-2022, 07:59 PM
Hi gang
Before I retired I took some close up shots of items that may interest you when weathering the wheels and bolsters of equipment. I will try to share some of my observations with you.
There are a lot of differences between roller bearing and Babbitt bearing trucks. Here are both types of trucks used on a caboose. This roller bearing truck shows there is a little rust on the wheel
This one is a modified friction bearing truck. It can show some rust depending on how much the wheel was cleaned when the roller bearing was installed.
and last is the babbitt (or friction) bearing truck that was the norm for most cars before the late 50's. There is no rust on the wheels because the wheels always had journal oil on them because the journals don't have a rear seal around the axle. You also want to remember when these cars were humped the journal covers were opened and a man would be adding oil using a tube as the cars were pushed over the hump. Many times his aim wasn't as good as it could have been
I also took some close ups of the Blunt truck that were on the ALCo S-1 It too had friction bearings and the outside surface of the wheel always was oily with no rust. Keeping the truck side frames clean was always a job because there was enough journal oil to keep the dust sticking
Attached are several more photos that will enlighten a little more.
Charlie
Before I retired I took some close up shots of items that may interest you when weathering the wheels and bolsters of equipment. I will try to share some of my observations with you.
There are a lot of differences between roller bearing and Babbitt bearing trucks. Here are both types of trucks used on a caboose. This roller bearing truck shows there is a little rust on the wheel
This one is a modified friction bearing truck. It can show some rust depending on how much the wheel was cleaned when the roller bearing was installed.
and last is the babbitt (or friction) bearing truck that was the norm for most cars before the late 50's. There is no rust on the wheels because the wheels always had journal oil on them because the journals don't have a rear seal around the axle. You also want to remember when these cars were humped the journal covers were opened and a man would be adding oil using a tube as the cars were pushed over the hump. Many times his aim wasn't as good as it could have been
I also took some close ups of the Blunt truck that were on the ALCo S-1 It too had friction bearings and the outside surface of the wheel always was oily with no rust. Keeping the truck side frames clean was always a job because there was enough journal oil to keep the dust sticking
Attached are several more photos that will enlighten a little more.
Charlie