Illinois Railway Museum Blog

Work continues on this exciting project, with the hope of having TM 972 back on its trucks and operating at IRM this season.

Truck Work

Norm Krentel and Jeff Brady are working on one of the trucks from beneath this car while the wheel and axle sets are out at a shop.  This is a golden opportunity to do what amounts to a substantial rebuild of the truck, while the wheels and motors are out for work.  The frame is inside our shop, so winter weather is not an issue.

Unlike a model railroad truck consisting of three molded pieces, there are literally over one hundred parts and pieces.  Over time, some of those become worn.  They may still work for a while yet, but the clock is ticking with every additional service mile logged.  So the prudent decision is to the repair or replacement of items showing substantial wear and which are badly out of spec.

Current efforts involve still more dismantling of the many pieces, but right now we are focusing on "pins and bushings".  The brake rigging in particular involves several levers, rods, and assemblies which must pivot and move when the brakes are applied.  Each of those joints usually is held together by a hardened steel pin which rides inside a hardened steel bushing.  The bushing is a press fit into the respective casting it resides in.

All of that work is well along the way.  Remember this an active project, and as with any project, unforeseen work may become apparent along the way.  In this case we have made the decision to replace many of the pins and bushings, assuring decades of relatively trouble free operation.  But that also means purchasing many of those parts, those we do not have as spares in inventory.  And this is the first truck, the other awaits the same treatment.  So we are not at the final cost and donations are still appreciated.  The restricted fund is  RTMS  and your generous donation and support guarantees you are PARTICIPATING in this progress.