Update Oct 1st
Next, spray the side frame assemblies and cross members with gray Tamiya primer.
After the primer dried, the side frames and cross members were painted with Scale Coat II Harbor Mist Gray (part #2032) to match Union Pacific’s streamline passenger cars paint scheme between 1941 ~ 1955. Once the paint is dry you can assemble the trucks and mount them under your car. CA glue is used to hold the cross members in place.
I’m pleased to report the 43-R truck did not change the height of this car and it matches the roof lines my other cars perfectly. In the next photo below you see The Little Nugget with its new trucks on the left and a normal K-Line car on the right. Also, this photo is a good example of what the trucks looked like before and after.
Kevin J. Holland wrote an article in the February 2005 issue of Model Railroader Magazine, called “Modeler’s Guide to Lightweight Passenger Trucks”. On page 67 there is a short section on some of the Pullman’s triple bolster lightweight trucks. Also, I heard the Railroad Prototype Cyclopedia vol. 6, covers the subject of passenger car trucks. If anyone has vol. 6 of the Cyclopedia let me know if it has any useful information on Union Pacific’s LFM hybrid triple bolstered trucks.
Tamiya flat black, (part# XF-1) was used to help create to the look of hand hole/inspection openings into the side frames. Almost all the parts in the Keil-Line kit were used except the brake shoes and bolster castings. The brake shoes weren’t installed because of potential clearance issues with my track.
The horizontal cross members used between two side frames are important part of this white metal truck kit. Their job is to keep the side frames at the proper distance apart so your wheelsets can roll freely. All during this build I wasn’t sure if they would have enough clearance under The Little Nuggets lower side skirt. Luckily, they cleared the side skirts while going around my layouts turns and look good underneath the lounge car.
In the early streamline years Union Pacific was continuously searching for better riding high-speed trucks to go under their lightweight aluminum passenger cars. 1937’s version of the triple bolster truck design made by LFM with oval opening in the side frame didn’t make it into Union Pacific’s next generation passenger cars built in 1941. You can see builder’s photos of this newer version U-43-HR truck design on pages 207 and 208 in the book The Union Pacific Streamliners. Also, you can see U-43-HR trucks in person if you visit either Travel Town’s third pre-war Union Pacific Pullman sleeping car named Hunter’s Point or visit the Civic Center at the Millbrae Train Museum near South San Francisco.
Although I wasn’t able to install the exact LFM triple bolstered trucks under my O-scale version of The Little Nugget at least I was able to build a nice set of pre-war 43-R trucks that still look great. These smooth running Napoleon Hat style trucks are a much closer match than what was underneath the car before and they have working spring suspension.
Thank you for following this project!
