Skip to main content

My upcoming project is to scratch build a New York & North Shore Traction Car. Here is the car order description:

Kuhlman Car Co., bought April 9, 1909; Wooden double truck semi-convertible, interurban type; 12 windows; Railroad roof; Brill 27F1 trucks; Four Westinghouse 101B motors; K-28 controllers; Capacity 48; Cross seating; Body weight 23,245 lbs; Hot water stoves; Cost $3775. 43'4" x 33'4" x 8'3-1/2" x 8'6" x 12'

How do these dimensions, 43'4" x 33'4" x 8'3-1/2" x 8'6" x 12' apply to the car?

I am guessing, but my take is:

43'4" is the overall car length, bumper to bumper;

33'4" is distance between the truck pivots;

8'3-1/2" is the internal width of the car;

8'6" is the outside width of the car;

12' is the height of the car.

NY & North Shore 26

Attachments

Images (1)
  • NY & North Shore 26
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

That would not have been my guess.  That is a drop platform car. The 43' 4"  is probably the length over the platform end sills, that is the overall length of the car.  The 33' 4" dimension is the length over the body end sills.  At the body end sill there is a step down about 10" onto the platform which is supported by the platform knees.  This would make the platforms 5' long. The truck and the wheels have to fit fully inboard of the body end sills so the truck centers are probably another 8' shorter than the 33' 4" dimension.  So the truck centers are probably about 25'.

This construction was common for trucks that used wheels 34" to 36" in diameter. By using a drop platforms, the passengers had one step down onto the platform and then had to use a single folding step to get down to the street.  This simplified car construction and speed loading.  To see what happens without a drop platform, look at the fully open cars which had two to three steps to get from the seats to the ground. 

The development of the high speed motor aliowed the use of 24, 26, and 28 inch wheels and got rid of the drop platform. This probably started about about 1915. 

Please post a photo of your finished model when it is done. 

Yes, except my guess was that the truck centers might be 8' shorter, so that would be four feet at each end.  But that is just a guess. Scaling that dimension off the photo will probably be required. And just like the real car, your trucks will have to fit under the carbody, so the truck centers might have to be adjusted. 

Last edited by David Johnston

Add Reply

Post

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Ste 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×