Atlas 2 rail trucks

MCFUZZ,

Yes,Atlas trucks will work on other rolling stock,but sometimes requires modification. I've only used them on MTH Freight so far, as well as the new Lionel 65ft mill gondolas.

As  Always,

Al Hummel

Any mfg 2 rail trucks can be made to work on any mfg cars.     some just require a lot more work, some are drop in.

The NMRA (national Model Railroad Association) developed standards for models to be interchangeable in 1930s and 40s.     Track gauge and wheelgauge for example.     But a major standard is the distance from the top of the rail to the underbody of the car.   This affects coupler height.   If the car is at this height, then if you mount kadees, they will be at the right height and work with all other cars that follow the standard.

Another set of standards is the distance from the top or the rail to the bolster where the truck mounts on the underside of the car car and the height of the bolster on the truck above the top of the rail.     If these standards are followed, by the truck mfg and the car mfg, then mounting the truck on the car will result in the car underbody being at the right on the rails.   

Most 2 rail mfg are small operations and rely on each other to complete the products needed rather than having all things for a complete model RR.    Therefore they generally build to NMRA standards.

Unfortunately most predominently 3 rail mfg ignore most of the standards.    They seem to have a business model that tries to entice you to buy all your products from control systems to locos to cars and track from one mfg.     For this reason, they all use different truck mounting heights, bolster sizes, and ways to mount the trucks.  

Mounting Atlas, Lionel, or MTH trucks on other mfg cars is more work than just switching trucks.    Bolsters have to changed or modified, holes in truck bolsters have to be changed, and new mounting screws are often needed.

When dealing with these 3 rail cars, I have found in most cases I can disassemble the truck and just replace the wheel sets with intermountain or Athearn wheel sets and reuse the rest of the truck.    It greatly simplifies conversion.     Often the 3 rail coupler mounting tab needs to be cut off too.      MTH and Atlas trucks can be disassembled with a screwdriver.    Lionel requires drillilng out rivets.    All require care taking the springs out and putting them back which a new subject.

I have had very good experience with plastic trucks and metal wheels and/or axles.    the plastic used in trucks is "engineering plastic" (delrin is a brand).    It is very slippery self lubricating, so metal axles roll very freely in it.     It takes injection molding very well but does not glue well.     It is the kind of material  used in bearings in mfg where slide bearings are common such as clamps for fixtures etc.      I also still use a lot of Athearn delrin wheel sets successfully.

Intermountain wheel sets are readily available for around $10/set on eBay. They fit in Weaver plastic equalized trucks, Athearn trucks (I wish Athearn's were available in roller bearing), and some MTH trucks. I've been using them for some time and like how they track on the club layout. They're insulated on one side only.

On the Center Beam MTH cars I modified, I installed a small piece of 3/16" dowel into the MTH truck mount hole to fabricate a bolster for Weaver trucks. I used washers to better stabilize the trucks. This would work on cars where the truck mounts don't need to be moved.

When I have derailment problems I switch to Lobaugh.  Just did that with a beautiful AN boxcar with Atlas/Intermountain.  Cured!

About to do that with a gorgeous PSC Harriman RPO.  It is either that or re-lay track.  For my railroad, equalized is a lot better than sprung.

For those who, a quarter century down the line, buy locomotives made in my shop, the holes are usually there for springs.  Just remove the cork and insert coil springs.

I have about 35 Atlas cars and have only had trouble with 2 cars with the zinc rot.

Dick

I have 2 pairs of 2rail pax car trucks and couplers, etc available for sale.  If interested, email me.

Steve, Atlas trucks get a thumbs more-or-less up.  On real(!) freight cars the truck bolster (connects the sideframes together) is fairly flat and the body bolster above it has depth to lift the car body clear of wheels and random truck movement. 

On older 2-rail cars, including very old Atlas cars (made by Roco in Austria), Weaver plastic cars, those using Athearn/Rich Yoder/etc trucks  that's how they're modelled.  On 3-rail cars this is pretty much reversed, for some strange reason (OK, OK, separate thread for all that) and the body bolster is not so deep, all the depth to separate car and trucks is on the truck bolster.  Everything that follows is variable* (as a Brit I was told to include that due to Californian Law). 

Atlas truck designs have come in two types.  The original design was 3-rail with the ability to use 2-rail wheels (and sold by them from new with either 3-rail or 2-rail wheels).  A few years back the gap left by using scale wheels in 3-rail frames was tackled and the current trucks are nicer.  The (thicker than prototype) truck bolster is about 1/8" and the cars ride at the right height.  MTH bolsters are 1/4" deep* so replacing MTH trucks with Atlas can solve that problem.  Atlas trucks can look better, particularly the roller-bearing caps on r/b trucks - Atlas's go round (not on v early offerings), MTH do not and I've always thought MTH r/b caps were noticeable oversize. 

Atlas trucks are supllied rigid, but the bolster screws can be slackened or removed to let the springing and equalisation work.  Not so MTH (well the ones I've got anyway).  Atlas trucks could be fitted to older 2-rail (deep body bolster designs), but thinning the body bolster could be a pain.

Anyway, wife wants me to empty the rubbish bin - probably good news for all!
Jason

Thanks to all you guys for sharing your opinions. I'm sure glad I asked. I guess there is more involved in this than just putting on a new set of trucks. I've got my work cut out for me. I bought a couple of groups of trucks of unknown manufacturer not knowing what was involved. I'm looking at this as learning exercise. Thanks again to all your input!   Steve.... 

Steve, this is O-scale.  Get a set of Atlas 2-rail trucks and eye them up with the car being improved.  Only when the evening has disappeared will you admit you've saved the cost of a meal and the trucks will do for something else.  Don't forget to shake the Atlas box - the two pieces of round plastic that drop out are to let you fix the trucks to other makes.  I've used them on MTH!
Aaaah, O-scale....
Jason