Model Railroading > Helium Car Trucks (Bogies)?

I wish to up-grade an old AHM plastic helium car as used by US Navy, Bureau of Mines and AEC. Does any TOs know what trucks to use? They were 100 Ton trucks I recall with outside clasp brakes. Does any HO supplier make these trucks or similar ones? What were they called? Thanks in advance!    

Here's a picture of the real thing. Hope that helps.
Bill Pyper
Salem, Oregon
 

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The photo shows standard 100 ton rb trucks which were an upgrade to some of the cars. It has 2 brake shoes per axle on the inside. The original 100 ton brass bearing trucks had clasp brakes had 4 brake shoes on each axle, 2 inside and 2 outside.

Models of those trucks show up on the auction site though I believe they are called tank car trucks.

Here is a link to a 3 part article from an SP modeler about upgrading the ahm car. There is another series from an ATSF builder as well.

http://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2012/04/helium-cars-part-1.html?m=1

Good luck. I finally got an ahm car a couple of months ago.

Thanks for the picture! Where was this shot? However, this is the modern-day 100-ton roller bearing truck that was used. I am looking for the original trucks used on these cars from the 1940-1950s that had outside brake hangers and who makes / made them in HO? Thanks beforehand!  

I used the Model Die Casting (now Athearn) SP iron ore car trucks on my helium car.

If you poke around on the Internet (modelingthesp.blogspot.com) you'l find an informative multi-part  history of all of the helium cars that addresses the various trucks used.

TJY

RRBaron Wrote:
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> Thanks for the picture! Where was this shot?
> However, this is the modern-day 100-ton roller
> bearing truck that was used. I am looking for the
> original trucks used on these cars from the
> 1940-1950s that had outside brake hangers and who
> makes / made them in HO? Thanks beforehand!  

I think it was shot at the Amarillo Railroad Museum.
BP
 

Slightly O/T....FYI    Overland Hobbies had a brass one of these cars on consignment just a few weeks ago.
Regards,DK

DKay Wrote:
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> Slightly O/T....FYI    Overland Hobbies had a
> brass one of these cars on consignment just a few
> weeks ago.
> Regards,DK

Indeed I got it to guide me in converting an AHM car--cheaply. Then I will auction said brass car on eBay. 

The other posted pic of the Helium car trucks were after their last modification when they lost their outside clasp brakes.  Here is a shot of the trucks with the clasp brakes.  These are obviously roller bearings, however the older cars had the same basic truck with solid friction bearings.  I did a detailed article that was published in the Santa Fe Historical Society's mag THE WARBONNET on rebuilding the AHM cars into something reasonably decent.   I the article I show how I modified a set of the Roundhouse ore gon trucks as the clasp brake trucks.  In the detail of the model trucks is after I added the solid bearing boxes salvaged off a sacrificial set of friction passenger trucks and you can see how I build the outside brake beams. 

Hope this helps

Pat

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