Hopper brake linkage help

[edgecrusher]

On the CB&Q "whale belly" covered hoppers, how were the brakes actuated?  Did they have the truck mounted air cylinders? None of the pictures I've come across show whats under them very well.  The triple valve, reservoir and hand wheel/bell crank are pretty clear.  I'm just unsure of what the bell crank attaches to and how the rest of the system works.  I finally got my Q Connection car this week and I'm trying to gather some info on these before I attempt to start it.

[edwardsutorik]

If by "bell crank", you are referring to the hand brake system, it only goes to the one truck.

These cars have truck mounted brake cylinders.


For pix of some models:

You can go to Brass Trains and click on the tab "Brass Guide".

Go to "Scale", and click on HO.

Go to "Category", and click on Rolling Stock.

Go to "Importer", and click on Railway Classics.

You'll find LOTS of photos of models of these cars.



Here's a quick link to the BN one:


www.brasstrains.com/BrassGuide/Pdg/Detail/16172/HO-Rolling-Stock-Railway-Classics-BN-LO9-Burlington-Northern-WHALE-BELLY-HOPPER



Ed

[edgecrusher]

Thanks, Ed. Those are some helpful angles to see. I was figuring that the brakes must be air actuated due to the lack of any linkage parts. So this would mean that the trucks on both the brass model and my kit are wrong? I have some old Inter-mountain trucks that I could pull the air cylinders off of. More research it is.

[Christian]

Tangent has truck mounted brake beams. I don't know how well they adapt to the Athearn trucks. If the Intermountain work, then you are ahead of the game.

[edgecrusher]

Thank you, I hadn't thought of them. I believe I even have some. And they look like they would be easier to adapt then the inter-mountain ones.