PCC Truck Overhaul Completed

mwntrolley · **Posted:** Wed Mar 23, 2022 7:49 pm

Happy to report that National Capital Trolley Museum had a successful final inspection yesterday at Lyons Industries for its project to overhaul of the pair of PCC B2 trucks from former Toronto Transit Commission #4603.

The work included frame repairs, new swing link bushings, torque arm bushings, fabrication of new rear hub plates, replacement of axle seals, new shock absorbers, new motor bellows, replacement of all rubber components, rewiring of the shaft brake actuators and track brakes, and traction motor overhaul.

Lyons Industries was extremely cooperative and professional throughout the entire project and provided a high quality finished product, despite material and labor challenges due the COVID-19 pandemic. NCTM also greatly appreciates the generosity of our friends at Baltimore Streetcar Museum and other donors who provided some key components needed for the project, as well as several professionals in the transit industry who graciously donated their time to peer review the project specifications.

Upon return of the trucks to NCTM, work will commence to return former TTC #4603 to service, enabling the museum to have both of its former TTC PCC cars available for regular operations.

Best wishes,
Matt Nawn

https://www.dctrolley.org/TTC4603.html

http://www.lyonsind.com/

Larry Lovejoy · **Posted:** Wed Mar 23, 2022 8:56 pm

Looks like Lyons usual fine work.

Since TTC is a broad gauge operation and NCTM is standard, what is the provenance of these trucks? The super-resilient wide tread wheels make them appear to be ex-Shaker Heights, but the Westinghouse brake actuators suggest this this truck is kitbashed.

We need to broad gauge a set of Shaker Heights B2 trucks, and hence are interested in the experience of others.

/s/ Larry
Lawrence G. Lovejoy, P.E.

wesp · **Posted:** Wed Mar 23, 2022 10:30 pm

Larry,

These are Shaker Trucks from SHRT 75. NCTM scrapped SHRT 75 on site. TTC 4602 is a Westinghouse car. The actuators are from the TTC trucks that came with TTC 4602 from Toronto. The GE actuators on the SHRT trucks were swapped out for the WH actuators so we have WH actuators to match WH control (with GE motors!).

In summary, a kitbash.

Matt Nawn may add additional technical details.

Wesley

o anderson · **Posted:** Fri Mar 25, 2022 10:35 am

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The photo of this post reminded me that a similar overhaul of PCC trucks is ongoing at IRM and nearing completion. This is the second truck to Cleveland Railways 4223 which the restoration started (I think) in the early 1990s and is perhaps the only, or one of the very few, down to the frame PCC restorations (versus renovations). A current view (Circa 2013) of the car is included. Photos courtesy from Frank and Randy Hicks by way of their blog:

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Frank offered these other comments:

Quote:

I believe the motors for the car are at the motor shop being rebuilt. And these are indeed Shaker trucks – our car was sold by Cleveland to Toronto and then sold by Toronto back to GCRTA for service on the Shaker Heights line in the early 1980s, so at that time it was regauged back to standard and fitted with Shaker profile wheels. So these are its original trucks and its c1978 wheels.
As an aside, we are currently short one car’s worth of Shaker Heights wheels and we are in the market for a car’s worth if anyone has some they can spare. Of our PCC cars:
-CTA 4391 is on Shaker wheels from a sister car to 4223 that was acquired for parts
-CTS 4223 is on its own Shaker wheels
-GCRTA 63 is on its own Shaker wheels
-KCPS 755 is going to go onto trucks with wheels we got off a Shaker car that Mad River & NKP scrapped years back
-and that leaves NJT 4, our Newark PCC, which would probably operate except that it’s on narrow tread wheels and would be prone to derailing on our track
-I’m not counting CSL 4021, which has a different type of wheel anyway.

Kimball B. McGinley · **Joined:** Mon Feb 08, 2021 4:41 pm **Posts:** 11

Can someone please explain about "track brakes"? Function, advantages,
history, popularity, etc. I have never heard the term before.

EJ Berry · **Posted:** Sun Mar 27, 2022 12:19 pm

Track brakes are the devices that hang between the wheels of a PCC truck. They have electromagnets inside. In an emergency stop, the electromagnets are energized and the track brakes clamp onto the rails, increasing the braking force.

In Philadelphia, a buzzer would sound when the track brakes were deployed. They did wear out the rail at car stops giving the Roadway Department more work.

The Kawasaki trolleys currently in service have them too.

Phil Mulligan

mcgrath618 · **Joined:** Mon Feb 15, 2021 6:54 pm **Posts:** 231

EJ Berry wrote:

Track brakes are the devices that hang between the wheels of a PCC truck. They have electromagnets inside. In an emergency stop, the electromagnets are energized and the track brakes clamp onto the rails, increasing the braking force.

In Philadelphia, a buzzer would sound when the track brakes were deployed. They did wear out the rail at car stops giving the Roadway Department more work.

The Kawasaki trolleys currently in service have them too.

Phil Mulligan

I've heard that buzzer a few times, though they've all been in the tunnels.

Brian Norden · **Posted:** Sun Mar 27, 2022 10:50 pm

EJ Berry wrote:

Track brakes are the devices that hang between the wheels of a PCC truck. They have electromagnets inside. In an emergency stop, the electromagnets are energized and the track brakes clamp onto the rails, increasing the braking force.

In Philadelphia, a buzzer would sound when the track brakes were deployed. They did wear out the rail at car stops giving the Roadway Department more work.

The Kawasaki trolleys currently in service have them too.

Phil Mulligan

For that matter, the PCC cars in the collection of Southern California (Formerly Orange Empire) Ry Museum all still have their track brakes and the buzzers.

EJ Berry · **Posted:** Mon Mar 28, 2022 7:26 pm

The buzzer might have been stock, to tell the operator "that's all the brakes you got; there ain't no more."

Phil Mulligan

JeffH · **Joined:** Fri Mar 14, 2014 11:44 pm **Posts:** 239

EJ Berry wrote:

The buzzer might have been stock, to tell the operator "that's all the brakes you got; there ain't no more."

Phil Mulligan

For a car so standardized as a PCC, there was a remarkable inconsistency surrounding just what the buzzer signifies.

In some cases, it means the car is in emergency. Or, someone is holding the sensitive edge of the rear/center door. Or, the M-G set has failed. Or, a passenger is requesting a stop.

EJ Berry · **Posted:** Sat Apr 09, 2022 10:07 pm

Philadelphia PCC's have an alarm-type bell for the sensitive edge being obstructed. If the treadles are activated, that door will open. If the door was closing, it will reopen. Stop request is a single ding bell. I never heard an MG fail but the operator has a voltmeter and you can hear the MG set turning. Could be there's a light.

Phil Mulligan

JeffH · **Joined:** Fri Mar 14, 2014 11:44 pm **Posts:** 239

EJ Berry wrote:

I never heard an MG fail but the operator has a voltmeter and you can hear the MG set turning. Could be there's a light.

Phil Mulligan

I'll see if I can find which car, it must have been either Shaker or New Jersey. Probably Shaker,
because if you have a failed MG further back on the train, you'd want to know about it.