About the time Q-Car Company introduced the CRT 4000 "L" car model in March, 1973, the Wagner Car Company introduced a power/ trail set of trucks. They were called:
BLW78 & Bar, CTA 4000 Power 6'-6" wheelbase, 33" wheels and
BLW66 & Bar, CTA 4000 Trailer, 5'-6" wheelbase, 31" wheels.
This is part of page 16 of "O Gauge Trolley Trucks, Truck Book No.4, Wagner"
Please discard the printed material in the upper left side of the page. It related to a different set of trucks.
If you desired the BLW78 & Bar could be ordered without a motor if the model was to be a non-powered car.
If the car was to be a trailer, the same as the prototype car; then the trucks should be ordered without the "Bar" (3rd rail beam).
Should you run into NOS (new old stock) or used stock of the Wagner trucks for the Q-Car 4000, chances are you may find the power truck is of an older design. Initially the trucks were offered as DC60 (open frame motor sitting upright or vertical) or INCH (open frame motor sitting on its side with split axel). When can motors were introduced a CLL (can low level) design was offered along with the DC60 and INCH. Taken from page 5 of the same Wagner power/trail truck catalogue.
Please discard the printed material in the upper left side of the page. It related to a different power truck. The photos are samples of the type of drive in the truck. The side frames for the "L" cars are different.
The DC 70 is included to show you the difference between the motor and design. Notice the size of the motor and location of the brushes. The DC 70 motor was a more powerful motor than the DC 60.
Today Current Line Models offers only the CLL (Can Low Level) design. When Current Line Models took over the Wagner Car Co. line of products, the same descriptions for the trucks were retained.
Q-Car Company
Q-car does not have a specific side frames set as "Elevated Trucks". Instead the modeler must do a mix and match. To make things a little complicated Q-Car never had a Baldwin 5'6" wheelbase side frame for the trail truck.
These are the side frames Q-Car has which are applicable to a CRT 4000 series car:
CS 205 Baldwin 7222A, 72" (6') wheelbase
,CS 212 Baldwin 8430AA, 84" (7') wheelbase
,CS 221 Baldwin 7825A, 78" (6'6") wheelbase
,CS 233 Peckham BU 7222, 72" (6') wheelbase
, and
.The last 2 sideframes the Peckham BU are listed now but will be covered later.
If you are planning on using Q-Car Company sideframes, it appears the Baldwin 7825A (6'6") and Baldwin 7222A (6') sideframes are the best choices.
Do not use the Baldwin 8430AA sideframes. They are too long of a sideframe and will interfere with the coupler installation, car floor depending upon interior construction, and the strap metal step on the side of the 4000 series cars.
The Baldwin 7825A should be used for the motor truck. Pieces of styrene strips can be added between the bottom of the journals to the end of the sideframe.
Although the Baldwin 7222A sideframe is 6" longer than required, it is the best for the trail truck. Q-Car does not have any other suitable 66" sideframe available.
Q-Car Company has for the CRT and CTA 3rd rail beams the:
CS 090 3rd Rail Shoe Beam, Over-running Style
,CS 090B 3rd Rail Shoe Beam, Over-running Style (CRT)
,CS 161 3rd Rail Shoe Beams (CNS&M)
, andCS 395 3rd Rail Shoe Beam CTA 1-50 & 6000
.
While the CS 090B and CS 395 are the same they have separate applications. The CS 090B 3rd Rail Shoe Beam, Over-running Style (CRT) is intended for older CTA cars like the "Baldies". If you look carefully at Bruce Moffat's new book you will find photos of "Baldies" painted in the CTA green and white paint scheme where the trucks have an arc protection shield attached. I'm sure photos of "Plushies" in the CTA green and white can be found with this 3rd rail beam.
The CS 395 3rd Rail Shoe Beam CTA 1-50 & 6000 is intended for CTA PCC "L" equipment - the 1-50 and 6000 series and newer. This beam has an arc protection sheet attached. Neither the CS 090B or CS 395 have any sleet scraping equipment.
The CS 090 3rd Rail Shoe Beam, Over-running Style is intended for the older wooden CRT cars.
The CS 161 3rd Rail Shoe Beams (CNS&M) is the 3rd rail beam commonly found on all North Shore Line equipment. This casting closely matches the 3rd rail beam used on the powered truck under the "Plushies" and "Baldies".
If you are modeling a 4000 "Plushie" or "Baldie" in the CRT era and slightly later, using Q-Car sideframes and 3rd rail beams and desire to most accurate, then the following trucks are to be ordered:
Power truck with the CS 221 Baldwin 7825A 6'6" sideframe, the CS 161 NSL 3rd rail beam installed; and
Trail truck with the CS 205 Baldwin 7222A 60" sideframe, the CS 090 3rd Rail Shoe Beam should be used.
This is a summary of what is written above.
Table for the Application of Q-Car Company 3rd Rail Beams on CRT/CTA 4000’s
| ||
From time built until late 1920's
|
From
1930's to cars painted green and cream by CTA
|
From
the time the cars painted green and cream to retirement
|
Both Trucks
|
Larger Motor Truck
|
Both Trucks
|
| CS 0903rd Rail Shoe Beam, Over-running Style | CS 161 3rd Rail Shoe Beams (CNS&M) | CS 090B 3rd Rail Shoe Beam, Over-Running Style (CRT) |
Smaller Trail Truck
| ||
| CS 090 3rd Rail Shoe Beam, Over-Running Style | ||
The time
frames are approximations. Always consult a photo of the prototype car you
are building.
| ||
Summary
Since the Wagner/Current Lines sideframes and 3rd rail beams were designed for the Chicago "L" they are the best to use for any 4000 model - "Plushie" or "Baldie".
If the Wagner/Current Line product is not available then the Q-Car sideframes and 3rd rail beams are suitable.
If you look at photos of the 4000's in their later CTA career, you'll notice the electrical arc protection boards added to the 3rd rail beams of the trucks.
When using Q-Car 3rd rail beams if an arc protection board is needed, the board can be made from 0.010" - 0.015" sheet brass. First make a template out of card stock. I prefer using index cards. The parallel blue lines on one side help in drawing the area where the card stock is to be cut.
When making a template for the arc protection board orientate the index card with the lines vertical with the truck on level track. With a pencil start drawing lines where the index card is to be cut. When done cutting out the template transfer the design to sheet brass. Glue the arc protection board in place with ACC.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
This post has been long and we need to come to an end. Before ordering trucks for your 4000 read the important set of comments in the next post!
Cheers,
Ed
Thank you for this important blog about the Wagner and Q-Car drives.
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