TTX Long runner cheat


CambriaArea51

CambriaArea51

Well-Known Member
Started this out about 5 years ago. Athearn I believe did a brief run of these cars with the middle section widen so the trailer would go through curves and switches without affecting the trailer tires causing it to fall off. Problem is even though you have a widen section on the trailer it moves and won't be straight on the trailer afterwards.
So to do this I used Walthers channel side 85' flatcar and Bowser 53' trailer. I figured if the running gear could swivel when going through curves and switches it can stay on the flatcar and always stay straight once through the curve.
The Bowser trailer is perfect for this because the trailer running gear is assembled using 2 wedge pieces.
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The distance between the axles on the trailer was what was needed to put a screw and washer in between.
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I cut the sides of a washer to fit in between the rails so the running gear could sit on that and be able to swivel.
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With things put together a weight is added to put pressure on the 5th wheel hitch.
A couple of pieces of strip styrene is added to the sides of the channel to take up any slack from the wheels to the channel side of the flatcar.
When completed it's able to go around curves with a suttle notice to the flex of the running gear.
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I think the problem is where you have the associated hitch plate on the adjoining flat car. The prototype that I've seen have the hitch at the very end of the flat. That limits the amount of twist on the wheel end of the trailer.
If you're using trolley line turnouts or 18" radius curves, there might still be a problem.


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D&J RailRoad said:
I think the problem is where you have the associated hitch plate on the adjoining flat car. The prototype that I've seen have the hitch at the very end of the flat. That limits the amount of twist on the wheel end of the trailer.
If you're using trolley line turnouts or 18" radius curves, there might still be a problem.


View attachment 126084
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The hitch is set for 53' trailers, that's what the long runners are built for. The car will take a 22" curve an 18" is tough on the car itself.
 
D&J RailRoad said:
I think the problem is where you have the associated hitch plate on the adjoining flat car. The prototype that I've seen have the hitch at the very end of the flat. That limits the amount of twist on the wheel end of the trailer.
If you're using trolley line turnouts or 18" radius curves, there might still be a problem.
Click to expand...

Ken, your model is different than Tom's. Long Runners were drawbarred together and both sections have the same number. Also, the diagonal hitch bracing points toward the wheels of the trailer. Some prototype photos: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rslist.aspx?id=TTEX&aid=Q128
 
D&J RailRoad said:
I think the problem is where you have the associated hitch plate on the adjoining flat car. The prototype that I've seen have the hitch at the very end of the flat. That limits the amount of twist on the wheel end of the trailer.
If you're using trolley line turnouts or 18" radius curves, there might still be a problem.


View attachment 126084
Click to expand...

Ken, your trailer is in fact mounted backwards and incorrectly across two cars. The slanting support part of the hitch assembly should be under the trailer.

The hitches on the end of the car, were mounted to allow loading pairs of 45' trailers (hence the "Twin 45" lettering) back-to-back (using cranes, not ramp loading). Or trios of 20's, with two oriented one way and the third reversed with the hitch at the end of car. NOT to connect to a trailer on the next car.


The TTEX "Long Runners" as others have noted have the hitches placed so that pairs of otherwise obsolete cars can carry three 48-53' trailers instead of only one per car. The third trailer is basically centered over the middle of the two cars. Tom's car accurately represents this configuration.


Note lack of bridge plates on any of these cars for "circus style" ramp loading.
 
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