Yet another question on an entirely different project ..... trucks.

Really, really close!

Are the trucks MTH used underneath the Overton cars different [ = shorter ] than the ones MTH uses underneath the longer woodside passenger cars ?   They [ the trucks I mean ] look shorter in photographs.

Disclaimer:  I have not examined these cars in person, let alone own either type of car.

SZ

The real railroads used various lengths of the same general design.  Depended on car length.  Take a look at that SP 40' RPO.

If you are referring to the 64' wood cars, I agree with bob2, they are really great trucks. My only comment is that they just might be a little wide so they can  accommodate the three-rail wheelsets:

The sideframes are quite detailed:

Oddly, they come with the three-rail-style couplers; they are very easy to remove, though:

The trucks you need for Jersey Central's steel coaches are available (less wheels) from Scale City Designs.   Number 48-032 are four wheel sprung trucks (formerly made by Grace Line and later, Old Pullman) . Solid side frame equalized trucks of the same design are Number 48-280, which were formerly made by Walthers/Keil Line.   

Both types well model the trucks Jersey Central used.   Here are two of them I built. The coach has sprung trucks, the combine has equalized trucks. They were built from All Nation kits.

However, the combine was modified to more closely model the CNJ prototype by citing off the baggage ends and swapping them left for right on the car sides. That placed the baggage area window in the correct location. Vestibule doors were added to the baggage end, which required lengthening the roof and floor to suit. ( It helped to have a matching scrap of Northeastern milled roof stock on hand).

S. Islander

Forgot to add a prototype photo or two.  The MTH trucks, very well detailed, model an 1890's design which used an oak beam for the top bar of the truck, with a steel alignment bar at the ends and along the bottom of the side frame.

That alignment bar helps to minimize strain on journal box pedistal bolts holding them to the top beam.  Steel cars built in the late 'teens and  onward, used cast steel frame trucks which did not need that extra support for the journal box pedistals.

S. Islander

Next month we get to see what passenger car trucks Lionel put under the Reading passenger cars they cataloged this year. Hopefully the trucks are a better match than the MTH wooden passenger car trucks. Is anyone familiar with the differences between Reading and CNJ round roof passenger cars?

I don't know how hard the Lionel passenger cars or their trucks will be to convert to 2-Rail, or if it will be even worth it. Lionel posted a "Virtual Train Show" where they showed samples of the upcoming Reading passenger cars. We don't know how close this will be to the final product. It looks like the vertical springs are missing, maybe they will show up on the final model. https://youtu.be/_0lCDuq-LEU?t=2038

I also grabbed a picture of trucks from a Jersey Central coach for comparison.

Here is the MTH truck.  It is slightly older design than the CNJ above.  I don't have photos of Lobaugh or All Nation, but I think they are slightly older as well.  Might try Sunset Harriman trucks if they have any for sale.

Duh .... yes I forgot about the Sunset Harriman project and I did all the graphics for it. ...

I did find a great price on MTH 2 rail ones.  I ended up getting 4 pair at $30 each.  They are easy to work on and when I have some time this week, I will be working on getting them mounted on my first car.  I ended up finding the RPO and coach at a bargain basement price on the bay.  They need some clean up and rework, but one car has the All nation trucks ready and I'm trying the MTH ones to replace incorrect trucks on the coach.  Not perfect but a start and as I find better ones, I can upgrade down the road.  Photos to follow.

Yeah - All Nation, Lobaugh #15, and PSC are similar to Harriman - they have the braces outboard of journal boxes and the brake shoes are inboard, but still all are closer to what you want.