I am interested in learning about a particular type of steam locomotive tender truck that shows up in hundreds of historical photographs of engines of the 4-4-0 type wheel arrangement. It shows up on tenders of the Civil War period, and it shows up on the famous New York Central & Hudson River R.R. #999 that set a 112.5 mph speed record in 1893, as well. It also shows up on the first common carrier, two-foot-gauge engines PUCK and ARIEL.

The most prominent feature of this type of truck is a large leaf spring, placed parallel to, and directly above the truck side frame, on each side of the truck. The spring is positioned, arching upwards, with its ends resting on the tops of the journal boxes. The top of the arch appears to be supporting the side sill of the tender frame.

The truck side frames are of the typical arch bar design, except the top bar does not hump up between the journal boxes. This is apparently due to the fact that there are no conventional spring groups or spring plank that require the space created by humping up the top arch bar. The space in the side frame that is normally occupied by the spring groups, spring plank, and bolster is completely filled with an extra large bolster that is apparently solidly connected to the side frames.

Considering these features, it appears as though the leaf springs are carrying the weight of the tender, and transferring it directly to the tops of the journal boxes. This would seem to be a quite stable form of suspension, but it raises several questions as to how the truck is able to pivot. I am surprised that such an apparently unusual truck design has gone so long without comment or explanation in any of the railroad oriented publications. I could understand it if the design was a one-time oddity, but this type of truck shows up on perhaps 10-15% of the locomotive tenders between 1850 and 1900. I have never seen it used on rolling stock other than tenders. The only information that I have been able to discover is that this was called the Ohio truck.

I would appreciate any information on this truck design including mechanical details, manufacturer, popularity, pros and cons, etc.

P.S. Since looking into this question, I have been speculating as to how the truck mechanism can possibly work, based upon the details that I can see in the photos. It leads me to only one, quite specific conclusion. That would be that the tops of the springs are not fixed to the tender frame sill. Instead, they would be fixed to the ends of a wide-bearing-stance, low profile (shallow height) pivot bolster that is housed within the height of the tender frame members. In that case, the two large leaf springs would turn with the truck as it pivots, entering and exiting curves. The center bearing between the shallow bolster and the tender frame, would not bottom out and carry weight, but rather, would only serve to fix the center point of truck pivot. The weight would transfer directly from the tender side sills to the ends of the shallow bolster, through rolling side bearings, and then onto the springs which move with the shallow bolster, when it pivots. If this is the case, this truck actually has two bolsters, although the bottom one might not qualify as a bolster because it would not function as a weight transferring beam. It would only serve to tie the truck side frames together.

KEAGLEDESIGN@VISI.COM

> I am interested in learning about a
> particular type of steam locomotive tender
> truck that shows up in hundreds of
> historical photographs of engines of the
> 4-4-0 type wheel arrangement. It shows up on
> tenders of the Civil War period, and it
> shows up on the famous New York Central
> & Hudson River R.R. #999 that set a
> 112.5 mph speed record in 1893, as well. It
> also shows up on the first common carrier,
> two-foot-gauge engines PUCK and ARIEL.

> The most prominent feature of this type of
> truck is a large leaf spring, placed
> parallel to, and directly above the truck
> side frame, on each side of the truck. The
> spring is positioned, arching upwards, with
> its ends resting on the tops of the journal
> boxes. The top of the arch appears to be
> supporting the side sill of the tender
> frame.

> The truck side frames are of the typical
> arch bar design, except the top bar does not
> hump up between the journal boxes. This is
> apparently due to the fact that there are no
> conventional spring groups or spring plank
> that require the space created by humping up
> the top arch bar. The space in the side
> frame that is normally occupied by the
> spring groups, spring plank, and bolster is
> completely filled with an extra large
> bolster that is apparently solidly connected
> to the side frames.

> Considering these features, it appears as
> though the leaf springs are carrying the
> weight of the tender, and transferring it
> directly to the tops of the journal boxes.
> This would seem to be a quite stable form of
> suspension, but it raises several questions
> as to how the truck is able to pivot. I am
> surprised that such an apparently unusual
> truck design has gone so long without
> comment or explanation in any of the
> railroad oriented publications. I could
> understand it if the design was a one-time
> oddity, but this type of truck shows up on
> perhaps 10-15% of the locomotive tenders
> between 1850 and 1900. I have never seen it
> used on rolling stock other than tenders.
> The only information that I have been able
> to discover is that this was called the Ohio
> truck.

> I would appreciate any information on this
> truck design including mechanical details,
> manufacturer, popularity, pros and cons,
> etc.

> P.S. Since looking into this question, I
> have been speculating as to how the truck
> mechanism can possibly work, based upon the
> details that I can see in the photos. It
> leads me to only one, quite specific
> conclusion. That would be that the tops of
> the springs are not fixed to the tender
> frame sill. Instead, they would be fixed to
> the ends of a wide-bearing-stance, low
> profile (shallow height) pivot bolster that
> is housed within the height of the tender
> frame members. In that case, the two large
> leaf springs would turn with the truck as it
> pivots, entering and exiting curves. The
> center bearing between the shallow bolster
> and the tender frame, would not bottom out
> and carry weight, but rather, would only
> serve to fix the center point of truck
> pivot. The weight would transfer directly
> from the tender side sills to the ends of
> the shallow bolster, through rolling side
> bearings, and then onto the springs which
> move with the shallow bolster, when it
> pivots. If this is the case, this truck
> actually has two bolsters, although the
> bottom one might not qualify as a bolster
> because it would not function as a weight
> transferring beam. It would only serve to
> tie the truck side frames together.

==================================================

Responding to the "Ohio Trucks" information.

My best guess, spelled GUESS and a STAB- at that,
would be Buckeye Trucks, made in Columbus, Ohio.
Buckeye Steel Castings made the RR trucks for a long number of years and had cast/printed on the sides "Buckeye".
Don't recall if they were ever called "Ohio" trucks but there were "Buckeye Trucks".

Buckeye Steel Castings (sadly enough) closed up shop just a short time ago and is no longer in operation, unless someone buys the plant and reopens it.

RA Widman, Columbus, Ohio

Crestline PRR Roundhouse
r35bl4s@juno.com

>
> ==================================================

> Responding to the "Ohio Trucks"
> information.

> My best guess, spelled GUESS and a STAB- at
> that,
> would be Buckeye Trucks, made in Columbus,
> Ohio.
> Buckeye Steel Castings made the RR trucks
> for a long number of years and had
> cast/printed on the sides
> "Buckeye".
> Don't recall if they were ever called
> "Ohio" trucks but there were
> "Buckeye Trucks".

> Buckeye Steel Castings (sadly enough) closed
> up shop just a short time ago and is no
> longer in operation, unless someone buys the
> plant and reopens it.

> RA Widman, Columbus, Ohio

==============================================

The following web site may give you some information on tender and car trucks.

www.pennsyrr.com

scroll down to "Rob Schoenbergs..."The Pennsylvania Railroad Company" .
Then to: Freight car trucks
and also tender car trucks.....and others.

RA Widman, Columbus, Ohio


Crestline PRR Roundhouse
r35bl4s@juno.com

While searching thru the net for Ohio Trucks I came across the new (to me) site for the General (that did not have ohio trucks) but a neat site nevertheless!

http://www.locomotivegeneral.com/index.html
lamontdc@adelphia.net

> I am interested in learning about a
> particular type of steam locomotive tender
> truck that shows up in hundreds of
> historical photographs of engines of the
> 4-4-0 type wheel arrangement. It shows up on
> tenders of the Civil War period, and it
> shows up on the famous New York Central
> & Hudson River R.R. #999 that set a
> 112.5 mph speed record in 1893, as well. It
> also shows up on the first common carrier,
> two-foot-gauge engines PUCK and ARIEL.

> The most prominent feature of this type of
> truck is a large leaf spring, placed
> parallel to, and directly above the truck
> side frame, on each side of the truck. The
> spring is positioned, arching upwards, with
> its ends resting on the tops of the journal
> boxes. The top of the arch appears to be
> supporting the side sill of the tender
> frame.

> The truck side frames are of the typical
> arch bar design, except the top bar does not
> hump up between the journal boxes. This is
> apparently due to the fact that there are no
> conventional spring groups or spring plank
> that require the space created by humping up
> the top arch bar. The space in the side
> frame that is normally occupied by the
> spring groups, spring plank, and bolster is
> completely filled with an extra large
> bolster that is apparently solidly connected
> to the side frames.

> Considering these features, it appears as
> though the leaf springs are carrying the
> weight of the tender, and transferring it
> directly to the tops of the journal boxes.
> This would seem to be a quite stable form of
> suspension, but it raises several questions
> as to how the truck is able to pivot. I am
> surprised that such an apparently unusual
> truck design has gone so long without
> comment or explanation in any of the
> railroad oriented publications. I could
> understand it if the design was a one-time
> oddity, but this type of truck shows up on
> perhaps 10-15% of the locomotive tenders
> between 1850 and 1900. I have never seen it
> used on rolling stock other than tenders.
> The only information that I have been able
> to discover is that this was called the Ohio
> truck.

> I would appreciate any information on this
> truck design including mechanical details,
> manufacturer, popularity, pros and cons,
> etc.

> P.S. Since looking into this question, I
> have been speculating as to how the truck
> mechanism can possibly work, based upon the
> details that I can see in the photos. It
> leads me to only one, quite specific
> conclusion. That would be that the tops of
> the springs are not fixed to the tender
> frame sill. Instead, they would be fixed to
> the ends of a wide-bearing-stance, low
> profile (shallow height) pivot bolster that
> is housed within the height of the tender
> frame members. In that case, the two large
> leaf springs would turn with the truck as it
> pivots, entering and exiting curves. The
> center bearing between the shallow bolster
> and the tender frame, would not bottom out
> and carry weight, but rather, would only
> serve to fix the center point of truck
> pivot. The weight would transfer directly
> from the tender side sills to the ends of
> the shallow bolster, through rolling side
> bearings, and then onto the springs which
> move with the shallow bolster, when it
> pivots. If this is the case, this truck
> actually has two bolsters, although the
> bottom one might not qualify as a bolster
> because it would not function as a weight
> transferring beam. It would only serve to
> tie the truck side frames together.

One possibility may be Ohio Falls - Jeffersonville, Ind - later became AC&F.