FYI, Kadee has introduced a new, improved series of freight car trucks. These are two-piece, self-centering trucks with cast high performance plastic side frames rather than the sprung cast metal side frame in the previous line. They look much better than the previous series (because the spring package is more realistic looking w/o the little brass springs), and are smoother rolling because of less friction with the new plastic side frame. There are several types of trucks in the new line. See Kadee's web site. Of particular interest to Frisco modelers are #562, the ASF A-3 "Ride Control" truck, and #566, the Barber S-2-B truck, both long time Frisco favorites. Typical of Kadee, they're not cheap - $8.95 per retail price. But, also typical of Kadee, they look and roll great. Ken
This is good (but expensive) news. Most of my Kadee cars do not roll freely at all. Goodbye $$$$$. Too bad that Kadee did not do this from the start of their excellent car line.
Rick - Agree! I probably have well over 100 pair of "old" Kadee trucks, either under their RTR cars and other cars I've put them on, or in inventory in the the "truck box". They have always been marginal rollers. $$$$$ indeed! The new ones are really nice, though. I have one pair in service already - the #560 Barber S-2 roller bearing 70-ton truck. This was the first of the new line released. I ordered one each of most of the others as part of my recent Walthers order. To help offset the high cost, Kadee at least does give you a mounting screw with each truck. Ken
So do these new trucks have no springs at all (a solid truck like what every one else uses)? If so this is good because I have a few cars with the spring trucks and I had a lot of problems with derailments using those trucks.
Ethan - Yes, there are no actual springs in the new Kadee trucks. The truck sideframe is a solid high performance plastic casting, with the spring assembly molded in. They look great. Ken
Hey, Ken, are the new Kadee trucks noticeably better than the Kato ASF A-3 truck or the Branchline Barber S-2A truck (albeit no wheels)? You recommended both of these in another thread, and I bought several sets to replace existing trucks on my Frisco cars. I know I didn't pay $8.95 for either truck, so I am wondering if the extra money is justified. I know the Branchline is a 2A as opposed to the Kadee being a 2B, but is there enough diffference between the two to care about? Thanks, Terry
Ken, Thanks for the information on these! You do a swell job as the de facto FTG (Frisco Truck Guru). In a somewhat related vein, I find it personally frustrating to try to figure out the right trucks for a specific class of rolling stock. It's a tedious process: it took me some time to figure out that the information is often on car diagrams (I'm nothing if not a slow learner). At any rate, a summary of which Frisco car classes for which these new Kadee trucks are appropriate might be helpful for others (or for truck-dolts like myself). Best Regards,
Terry - No, I would not rush out and replace your Kato ASF's or your Branchline Barber's with these new Kadee trucks. The Kato A-3 is a beautiful truck - I think it is the best rolling truck ever. The truck casting is excellent - it just screams ASF A-3 to me. But, I do not like the look of the wheels - the Kadee's are better looking to me. The Branchline Barber is also fine - I'm not sure what the difference is between a S2-A and a S2-B is, but I'm guessing it is minor. I would not buy any more of the old Kadee series, however. Yes, they are still available. These new Kadee's are much better. The only truck type missing, so far, in the new series is the Andrews. Check the Kadee web site. I notice that Kadee is starting to use the new truck on new releases of their RTR cars, so that is good. Chris - Yep, I'm a truck nut, always have been, but I took it to a new level by listening to my friends Pat Wider and Richard Hendrickson, who are truly in the "truck czar" category(*). It's just another little detail to get right on a car model, though I have many that do not always have the correct truck under them. On a special model - I try for the correct truck. On the others, as long as it is close, I'm OK. Accurail is a good example - their basic truck is a generic "Bettendorf" (it is close to a Barber), but it is very good looking and rolls very well with Kadee or P2K wheel sets, so I don't worry about it. Accurail also makes a very nice Andrews truck. You can indeed, usually, find the correct truck to use on a Frisco car by looking at the details on the car diagram. They greatly favored the ASF A-3 with the Barber S-2 as a close second, and usually noted "ASF", "Barber", or "A-3" or "S-2", etc, somewhere in the data section on the diagram. If they didn't note the truck type, usually on a rebuild, anything goes. Another reason to get a pic of a specific car to model. Ken (*) Perhaps the next "Czar" appointment by our President will be "Railroad Truck Czar". We have one for about everything else. One of these two guys should get the job!
Just sort of wondering why Athearn never made it into the HO truck market? Their O Scale Delrin trucks were very smooth running. The O Scale club that I belonged to in Albuquerque wouldn't let a car on the tracks that was not so equipped. We ran 50-60 car consists with no problems. I still have a few pair.
Sherrel - The basic Athearn "Bettendorf" truck they have been putting under Blue Box cars for many years is a rather poorly done ASF A-3. Athearn certainly has the skill to do a super job on trucks if they choose to. Their current B-B Blomberg diesel truck, which has been out for several years, is still the best HO Blomberg per many diesel modelers opinion, including mine. Ken
Ken or Anyone, On Page 85, of the "Color Guild to Freight Equipment Frisco/MKT" There is a Frisco drop-deck 6 axle flat. You know where a guy can get a set of those trucks? They look the same as what is used under DODX flats too. Thanks Tom H
Tom - I've looked through my catalogs and can't find any truck that is exactly like the GSC truck on that Frisco drop center flat. I thought Kemtron might have something but no go. Short of anything else, the truck reminds me of a heavyweight coach/Pullman three-wheel truck. It's sorta close. Ken
