Walthers Ore Car Trucks

Walthes offers part 920-2013, a set of 12 rigid sideframes for HO ore car trucks, without wheels. These are five foot wheelbase, rather than the normal five foot-six inch used for 70 ton trucks on standard freight cars. HO models prior to the recnt Walthers releases used the standard wheelbase trucks, but the difference is visible. This applies to both the smooth side and ribbed style Lake Superior 24 foot ore cars, as well as the longer Bessemer & Lake Erie cars.

The Walthers part makes it possible to replace trucks on older Roundhouse and Roco-AHM cars inexpensively. I got two sets, which should be enough to re-do most of my older ore cars. Here is a pair of AHM type cars that I relettered for C&NW cars they acquired from the B&LE. I used Circus City decals for the lettering. Some of the C&NW cars were completely repainted, while others were patched and retained the Bessemer herald.

CNW 121175 on the left still has the older style five foot-six inch wheelbase AAR standard trucks. CNW 121193 on the right has the new Walthers truck sideframes and Kadee 33 inch wheels. If you redo AHM ore cars to improve the trucks and couplers, the new Walthers trucks are useful, since you have to toss the original trucks anyhow.

I think the difference is visible and an improvement.