Folks, we're looking for a diagram or diagrams, of two axle Commonwealth tender trucks. We are beginning to prep 470's tender trucks for disassembly, and we'd prefer to go in with a road map, so to speak.

If you have such diagrams, please contact us at newenglandsteamcorp@gmail.com .

Thanks for your continued good will and support!

Dick

Hi Richard
I found this in my 1930 locomotive cyclopedia, the truck diagram is the tender trucks used on the Central RR of New Jersey Tenders of their Pacifics.
The trucks are COMMONWEALTH TYPE.
I hope this helps, Pat WLS.

S.P. 2472's current tender (12,000 gallons water, 4,000 gallons fuel oil, weight when full 247,000 lb) was delivered with 4-8-2 S.P. 4326 (Alco, 1924). It has Commonwealth 6-wheel trucks. We took them completely apart, using a portable A-frame we built from surplus 6" boiler tubing. We equipped the A-frame with manually operated chain hoists. We sandblasted everything to white metal. The cast-steel main truck frames clearly were not easy to cast with the technology of the early 1920s. We could see where the cores had shifted a little during casting. We checked suspicious areas for cracks by grinding smooth and using dye penetrant. We found a couple of cracks near the center plate. Cracks were fixed by carbon-arcing out the affected area, then welded by a certified pressure vessel welder.

- Doug Debs

That illustration is for the Top equalized trucks - shown in Fig. 1900 on the next page. 470 has the Drop equalized type, as in 1930's Fig. 1899. I checked the 1922, 1919 and 1912 editions and there are no Commonwealth drop drawings in any of them. I don't have the '25 or '27 editions and don't find them readily online, there may be something in those.

Pat: I am unable to enlarge the drawing which came through in your message. It appears we're looking at a different style of truck. Thanks everybody who responded. Still looking for the correct model.

Hi Richard
Please check your PM messages, Pat

Dick -

Strasburg 475 and OR&N197 both have Commonwealth drop equalized trucks like 470's. I'd contact Strasburg or the folks in Portland. 475 is in for it's 1472, so Kelly and his crew might have drawings out on the table already.

Have you searched the N&WHS website? I'm not certain of exactly what you might be looking for, but it may well be there, seeing that 475 has the truck.

Ken Miller

Good suggestion!