I've got a couple of supplier questions that I can't just get phone answers on today(Saturday).
I've been looking for ABC Rail on the internet today in furtherance of a search for #24 brake shoes. I've found a defunct ABC Rail URL and a defunct ABC-NACO URL and references to a Meridian Rail that seems to be the successor to at least part of the above. Does anyone know if Meridian does cast iron shoes and who to contact for rare sizes? The other question is on journal bearings. I'm looking for a 7"x14" and a 9"x14" as spares. Is Magnus/Farley still the source for these or did they spin journal brasses off to someone else? Does anyone have suppliers for odd sizes?

mstrp@shianet.org

In January 2002, an investment group out of New York City purchased ABC and renamed the plants Meridian.

The Meridain Web site is below. Hope this helps some.

Cheers,
Keith Albrandt


Meridian Rail
kalbrandt@rypn.org

There is a company in Corsicana, Tx that ,I believe, used to be a part of ABC Rail. They now are called "Meridian, Rail Services Division". The Plant Manager is Bobby Bergey (bergeyr@abc-naco.com) and the number two guy is Rick Wagner. At the Cosicana plant they rebuild wheels only but maybe they can turn you to someone else.

Phone: (903)874-4741

Lots of luck.

retsquid@tvec.net

Here on the Fort Collins Municipal Railway, we had to make our own patterns an had Urich Locomotive pour our brake shoes for us. Infact, we have supplied shoes to the Fort Smith Trolley also. We just recently had 11 more sets poured.

When it comes to bearings, we made our own also and 3 years ago we also had to have new FRA certified wheels made. Pennsylvania Machine and Tool works in Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania accomplished that for us.

Roger Mitchell
Master Mechanic and director
Fort Collins Municipal Railway


n0mcr@netzero.net

> I've got a couple of supplier questions that
> I can't just get phone answers on
> today(Saturday).
> I've been looking for ABC Rail on the
> internet today in furtherance of a search
> for #24 brake shoes. I've found a defunct
> ABC Rail URL and a defunct ABC-NACO URL and
> references to a Meridian Rail that seems to
> be the successor to at least part of the
> above. Does anyone know if Meridian does
> cast iron shoes and who to contact for rare
> sizes? The other question is on journal
> bearings. I'm looking for a 7"x14"
> and a 9"x14" as spares. Is
> Magnus/Farley still the source for these or
> did they spin journal brasses off to someone
> else? Does anyone have suppliers for odd
> sizes?

Magnus is still the place for new plain bearing brass, expect to pay $550 each for them, down to $490 each if you buy a good quantity of them. It is best to buy them through museums and others with a stock of old ones.

David Farlow, CMO
Whitewater Valley RR

Hudson.Industries@worldnet.att.net