I'm in need of quite a few arch-bar trucks and am having a hard time finding any. I thought Weaver made them but can't find them on their website. Does MTH sell them individually, or are there any other manufacturer's selling them?
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
I use a lot of them for kitbashed caboose models, etc., and I was getting them from
Lionel parts suppliers at local train shows, but they didn't have any the last time I
checked. They were provided for the Civil War Lionel passenger cars, and I think
others....they were the "talgo" type, with couplers mounted.
Originally Posted by coloradohirailer:
I use a lot of them for kitbashed caboose models, etc., and I was getting them from
Lionel parts suppliers at local train shows, but they didn't have any the last time I
checked. They were provided for the Civil War Lionel passenger cars, and I think
others....they were the "talgo" type, with couplers mounted.
Me too.......I was buying them every time I saw some as I scratch build Civil War era cars. But evey dealer that had them says they are no longer made. The only ones I can find now are 2 rail scale high dollar brass units.......Sorry no help....but I'd like some too!
I thought Weaver made them but can't find them on their website.
Weaver DID sell them but have since cancelled production due to Lack-a-sales. Contact Bob Lavezzi, he may have a few left. Once Gone, there will be no more until demand dictates production.
What's your price point? These trucks are in abundance on the cheapest Lionel rolling stock items from the 1960's. The cars, especially the gondolas(6012, 6112, 6042, 6142, etc.) can be had for $2-$4 including trucks in the bargain boxes/bins under the tables at any sizable train meet / swap / show.
The bad news about those Lionel gondolas cited above, or at least the several groups
of them offered at auction that I immediately researched, per your welcome advice, they don't ALL come with archbars, and the not clear photos on the net made it difficult to discern who was who....so searching for these will be confined to digging
them out of junkboxes personally.
Typically the cheapest of the cheap(no decoration, no trim, no operating couplers) had the arch bar trucks.
Thanks for the replies.
I want to use them on some Labelle kits. I'm afraid the Lionel trucks will make the car sit to high, but I'm not sure, as I don't have any. The same may be true for MTH as well.
My experience with Weaver trucks and Intermountain kits have been good, which is why I would prefer Weaver. I've used them before.
Labelle sells arch-bar trucks, but don't have a picture of them. I'll probably e-mail them and see what they think pertaining to 3-rail operation.
Several thoughts...
First, Lionel archbar trucks are available...on eBay if nowhere else. While surfing the O scale listings last evening I ran across a multi-pair auction. Of course, these are for the traditional line of products...like the old General set and its complementary cars. But they ARE archbar in style.
Secondly, Keil Line, available through Walthers, makes a diecast non-sprung archbar truck. There's a good chance it's the old Walthers product of 30+ years ago since Keil Line picked up most of that product line when Walthers bailed. They're a bit 'crude' by today's standards (esp. the Weaver product...no longer available), but they ARE archbar. I believe they're available through Walthers with either 'Hi-rail' (3-rail) or scale wheel sets.
Thirdly, the old O scale Athearn archbar trucks...scale plastic wheels, only...are yet showing up on Horizon's (sole distributor and owner) Athearn listing. That's the 'good' news. Of course, the badder news is that they're not in stock. HOWEVER, at a trade show a couple of years ago I questioned a Horizon/Athearn representative about this practice (It was an HO part, I believe). They suggested that IF the demand were sufficient, they might make a run of the particular item. I have a standing backorder of these trucks with Horizon. It's still there. They haven't blown it away. Patience and hope required, as with so much of this hobby. Also, adding to the backorders of this product might help the situation along...hint, hint, hint. Occasionally these Athearn trucks float by on eBay, too. Sellers seem to get about $7+ dollars a pair. They ALWAYS sell.
You mentioned the LaBelle archbar truck option...
https://www.labellemodels.com/...hn31fe4rcvt81buj0o02
You can see from this web page that their supplier is San Juan. I'm going to investigate further, but I would wonder that these are actually On3 narrow gauge trucks. It doesn't say so, but that's San Juan's principal market. Re running on hi-rail...I doubt San Juan's trucks could accommodate a typical O3R wheelset. On the other hand, there have been several postings about running O2R wheels on O3R track...which I have done successfully, myself....as long as you have a square-top rail such as Gargraves, Ross, Scaletrax, etc. The highly rounded...e.g., Lionel tubular...rails are not going to welcome scale flanged wheels.
Just some thought, FWIW, always...
KD
Contact Just trains and the public delivery track as both do stock Weaver trucks and may have some in stock
