Home Page › Forums › Modeling the Missouri Pacific, Texas & Pacific, etc › HO Scale › MoPac 70′ Mail Storage Model › Reply To: MoPac 70′ Mail Storage Model
In the last photo, showing the entire car, note how the steam line is mounted low and away from the carbody on the center 2/3 of the car. This would seem to have put it at risk for debris and potential damage at higher speeds. What was the reason for mounting in this obviously lower position versus more flush with the carbody?
In looking at the photos, I would surmise that the steam line location was affected by the brake rigging. The car(s) in the photos have body mounted brake cylinders and the associated levers, rods and slack adjusters. It appears the the steam line was dropped down so as not to interfere with their movement. According to the diagram sheets the last 25 cars got truck mounted brake cylinders.
I am puzzled by the photos in that the close-ups show a dampening strut on the trucks, but the overall view of the car does not. I don’t see any mounting points for the strut, either. I wonder if there was a change in truck design somewhere along the way?
