Normal plain journal brasses have a steeple-back design to match the journal wedge. Question: What locos / cars used used flatback journal brasses?

Reason for asking: GGRM has four brand-new Magnus AARFB 6x 11 flatback brasses.

Thanks!

Doug Debs

Flat back brass are used with flat back wedges. This brass and wedge design were adopted by the AAR in 1962. They are more robust that the steeple back design. The flat back brass is more ridgid that the steeple back design. AAR offered a longer repack period for stabilized boxes, which had to include flat back brass. It also included lid seals and approved rear seals. Conventional repacks were good for 24 months, stabilized repacks were good for 30 months. The flat back brass could be used in any car, but it has to be used with the flat back wedge. There may have been finanicial credits or penalties for exchanging brass types in interchange cars, but I would have to look at an old Field and Office Manual to refresh my memory on this.

David Johnston

It may have been different in other years, but this is from the 4/1/76 AAR "Lubrication Manual":
Rule 1-E-4
Journal stops will be considered defective and requiring renewal for the following reasons:
(b) Missing (only if car is stencilled for 30 month lubrication and has steeple back brass)

Rule 1-K
Stabilization of journal boxes is accomplished by either installing HI-HAT or Flat Back brass and like wedges or by installing journal stops with steeple back brass and wedges.

By the end of the use in interchange of plain (friction) journals in 1995, the interval for repacking was a uniform 36 months, and I think all had to be somehow stabilized.

Can new steeple back brass journal bearings still be purchased from Magnus?

Thanks

Tom Birkett

I am not aware of any manufacturing of AAR journal brass in the United States. There are bearing companies that will sand cast the parts, that then have to be machined and babbitted. I saw recent examples that were poorly done.

Old brass that are not to badly worn can be rebabbitted with great difficulty. It is hard to get them clean enough to tin. As they are heated, oil keeps seeping from small pores in the brass.

Kelly Andersen, at Strassberg, was looking at making a run of 4 1/4 X 8 brass, but when he needed real commitments, there was not the interest to make the project go.