Trucks for Atlas Boxcar

Jim,

No offense, but I’m not certain that’s an Atlas boxcar.  The grab irons are molded on which is more suggestive of a Weaver car.  If so, then Weaver die cast Bettendorf (two springs each side) would be fine.

If it truly is an Atlas car (Trainman, perhaps?), then Atlas Bettendorf die cast trucks are fine.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Price

That looks to me to be an Atlas boxcar from the line in 1980s.    The same or nearly body is used in the current Atlas "Trainman" line.

Those are not the original trucks however.    The original trucks were plastic bettendorf and the couplers were a sort of Hook style.

That car would have a bettendorf style truck as built but might get roller bearing trucks at some rebuild later in life. 

The models had a large mounting hole in the bolster that accommodated a plastic pin.    Petersen Supply

(http://www.petersensupply.com/)

I just checked the website and they still offer them.    "retrofit plugs"

at one time recently offered a press fit plug for the hole in the bolster to allow mounting a different truck with a screw.

Looks like a Weaver PS1 with plastic Bettendorf trucks. The plated thumbtack is definitely Weaver. Can you shoot a picture of the underside. Just to be sure. You didn’t mention why your changing them out. I’m assuming you want diecast ones. You have a few choices.

The Weaver trucks are available at around $30. They are listed often on the auction site.

MTH produced the exact same truck and coupler as Weaver. #20-89022.  Also $30 and maybe a little harder to find. There larger dealers may still have stock.

Lionel ended up with the Weaver cars in their Lionscale line. I picked up a few at the 1/2 price sale. Diecast couplers and sideframes. Flat profile wheels that really roll well. Also around $30. You can order direct from Lionel. The original Weaver setup and MTH lookalike use the truck pivot screw to also secure the coupler. You need the screw adjusted just right as far as tightness so that the truck pivots well but also keeps the coupler upright and level. Not a dealbreaker.  Lionel mounts the coupler directly to the truck. Everything diecast mounts to a plastic center on the Lionel.

With shipping on whatever you choose is going to be around $40. I had a few Weaver cars at a show a few weeks ago with diecast trucks and couldn’t sell a one for $30.

Jim,  After I typed all this. I realized who you were. When you decide what route you want to go. I can probably hook you up with what you need. We aren’t that far down the road from one another.

Hi Dave!  It’s definitely an Atlas car as shown in the photo below.  Likely it’s early as it says it was made in Austria.  Appreciate all the help from you and the OGR guys.  I picked this car up at a show several years ago and I don’t have the box.  I picked it off the shelf and put it in a train and it didn’t track well so I’d like to replace the trucks with the better die cast metal ones.  They are held on with screws.  

As for being just “down the road”, I retired 5 years ago, sold the house in RI and we live in Florida now.  We were fortunate to found a house with a bonus room upstairs so I filled it up with trains.  I built a new layout and it’s largely “finished”.  I’ll post some photos here and on the O gauge tricks and tips FB page soon.  

Yes, I was just looking at the Weaver cars on the auction site and comparing them to the old Atlas ones. They look close but the giveaway on your first picture was the stirrups. The Weavers are rectangular.

Those are Weaver trucks on the car. I didn’t even notice it was a Maine Central. Then when I saw your name and the roadname it all came to me. I was to focused on the trucks.  I have Diecast Weaver Bettendorf, Roller Bearing and the Lionscale Bettendorf. If any of these work. My info is in my profile.

Jim,

As an alternative to buying a die cast set of trucks, try adding a little weight to the inside of the car, ideally over each truck.  The NMRA has standards for O scale cars which you can look up, but for a forty foot car the total weight should be 15oz.  I weight ALL my weaver and older Atlas cars so they track much better- it's also a lot cheaper than buying die cast trucks. FWIW.

Cheers,

Price