I am curious as to the distinctive feature of late Bar-End trucks Todd was referring too. And why did Lionel use passenger trucks on the 1982 Cop and Hobo and not the bar end trucks as used on Milk Cars.
The exact "whys" of a lot of decisions over the years are simply not known. But having been in a similar position myself, you don't have a lot of time to ponder the question, but you make the best decision with what you know, and then move on without doing a lot of looking back.
They also used those same Timken passenger car trucks instead of the bar end trucks on the re-release of the Erie animated gondola car between 1980-1984, as well as the die-cast machinery car with transformer load back in 1980 and the same car (with girders) in 1981.
Ahh forgot about the others. Sorry I meant Erie Gondola in my post. I like the trucks on the car though...oddly.
As for the Cop & Hobo, I never noticed the different trucks, thanks for pointing that out. I don't recall too many different powered or roller equipped trucks in those years. The 9308 Aquarium car shares trucks that era's lighted caboose. Shortly after, 82-83, it looks like the lighted caboose started to get the passenger trucks like the Cop & Hobo you mentioned.
...Shortly after, 82-83, it looks like the lighted caboose started to get the passenger trucks like the Cop & Hobo you mentioned...
It was long before that. The passenger trucks were used on the premium SSS Bay Window caboose starting in 1976 with the NP versions. This was to match the die-cast trucks of the rest of the rolling stock, which were the sprung "Standard-O" type, for which a roller assembly had not been developed yet for interior illumination. Several more followed over the years.
The 9307 Erie animated / cop-hobo gondola had the passenger trucks starting in 1979.
Not to be picky, but just to correct some dates: the 9308 Aquarium Car was first produced in 1981 (it used regular plastic trucks), and the 9307 Erie Animated Gondola was first made in 1980.
Besides the bay window caboose, don't forget the other "first use" of the die-cast passenger car truck in the 1970's: on the TCA Bicentennial Passenger Cars, also from 1976.
