Update 9/26:
The silver K-Line trucks that are currently mounted on my O-scale lounge car are similar to postwar 41-C or 41-N lightweight passenger car trucks. These are getting swapped out with a more prewar correct Napoleon Hat style truck. Now all I have to do is build a set of trucks from this pile of 74 metal parts.
Once separated into individual truck assemblies the smaller pile did not look so daunting. Although, it’s still an impressive amount of parts for one truck!
The first step was cleaning and filing the white metal parts before assembly. I used a soft wire brush, 0000 steel wool and jewel’s files. Here’s a close up of the journal in case you haven’t figured out how they got nicknamed Napoleon Hat.
Start by pressing the brass eyelets into the retainer plates. The instructions said for wheelsets with pointed axles (like used on K-Line wheelsets) use the side of the retainer plate with the countersunk depression.
Next, the instructions recommend attaching the retainer plates to the backside of the journals using a few drops of CA glue/epoxy.
After the glue has dried, install your coil (aka helical) springs.
Now, glue in place your leaf (aka elliptical) springs in the center of the side frame.
To secure these new white metal side frames to my existing K-Line center bolster I drilled and tapped two #4-40 holes on the back of each side frame.
Since I’m mounting the new 43-R side frames underneath the K-Line 3-rail center bolster pickup assembly I needed to make large openings in the plastic base to allow the screws through.
Four #4-40 x1/2” screws can now be used to attach the side frames to the K-Line bolster. During this test fit you can see the new 43-R Napoleon Hat trucks (on the left) should support The Little Nugget’s car body at about the same height as the original K-Line trucks (on the right).
I was hoping this kit included eight brake cylinders (two cylinders per side frame) to better match the 1937 Union Pacific City of Los Angeles passenger cars. But since the kit only came with one brake cylinder per side frame that’s what getting installed.
I’m still not sure yet if the two cross members/beam ends that connect between the side frames will have enough clearance under lounge cars lower skirts. Stay tuned for the next part, I’ll work on painting these new 43-R trucks and installing them under my O-scale version of The Little Nugget.
Thanks for following this thread
