All,

I was thumbing through a copy of The Locomotive Cyclopedia when I noticed an ad from American Steel Foundaries for hub-mounted roller bearings. In this application, the bearings are press fitted into the hub, while the journal bearing looks a lot like a standard friction bearing. A couple of questions came to mind:

1. How is this setup lubricated?
2. What, if anything holds the axle into place
3. Why didn't this catch on more? In theory, it would seem like a way to convert the main journals of a friction bearing steam locomotive without having to build or alter the frame.

Finally, does anyone know of surviving equipment with this setup. I find the idea intriguing.

David- I was under the impression that the main purpose of this bearing setup was to provide a conventional friction bearing "backup" for the "new-fangled" roller bearings. Several locomotive classes were built new using these axles; the engine truck on the ACL R-1 4-8-4's is one example that comes to mind.

This arrangement does appear it would provide an easy way of converting existing locomotives to roller bearings, but AFAIK, there was no ASF version of this for driving wheel bearings. The "floating axle" Timken roller bearing arrangement used on at least the first 2 N&W A class 2-6-6-4's may have been an attempt at that.

I'm not aware of any suriving locomotives using this bearing arrangement.

Western Pacific Railroad locomotive 486 tender uses the ASF hub bearing design. This tender still exist and is located at the Western Pacific Railroad Museum in Portola, CA. The other locomotives in this class may also have had the hub bearings, I do not know. I had to rerail this tender one time when it was in maintenance of way service. After we put it back on the track I opened the journal lids to be sure that they would run OK. When the tender was moved I was surprised when the axle did not turn even though it had a completely serviceable 7X14 plain journal bearing. After a little investigation I discovered a large bolt circle and gap on the inside plate of the wheel. With respect to your specific questions, as I recall there was a button grease fitting on the inside wheel plate. The bearing was located in the wheel plate. I assume the hub of the wheel presses on the axle like any other wheel. I would guess the reason more of these were not used is that it looked like an expensive wheel and difficult to maintain.

David,

Thanks. I'm always amazed by the many "toys" advertised/mentioned in the Cyclopedias, and always am curious as to their practicality.

David

David- IIRC, the ASF advertisements in the Locomotive Cyclopedias show the DM&IR 2-8-8-4's as being equipped with these bearings; there are still 3 of those left:

http://www.steamlocomotive.com/yellowstone/?page=dmir

There were quite a few New Haven passenger cars equipped with the ASF rollers. The entire new-in-1930 "Yankee Clipper" train (all Pullman Parlor Cars) was so equipped, as were a number of 1929 Osgood Bradley coaches and smokers, and some 1930 Beth Steel (H&H) head end cars. At RMNE, we have one of the Clipper parlors, one of the 1929 smokers and one of the 1930 bagg-RPOs, none of which have the ASF units in place. I suspect they were short-lived.

Howard P.