Swing Link Pony Truck:- Advice

[Stewart HartParticipant @stewarthart90345]

Hi

I have a friend who is planning to build of a 71/4" gauge Crab and he wants to know if any one has any experience of building a model of this gauge with a swing link pony truck, if so was it successful especially regarding negotiating curves.

Cheers

Stew

[Stewart HartParticipant @stewarthart90345]

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

I have a friend who has a 7 1/4 narrow gauge loco with a four wheel truck he sits on but dont know if its a pony truck, could you explain for me please.

Martin P

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

A pony truck is a supporting axle with its pivot some way behind the axle, unlike a bogie that has two axles with a pivot in between. My understanding is pony trucks can cope with tighter turns, but need more careful design to stop them jumping off the track.

Neil

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

bit like a single axle trolley that model traction engine drivers sometimes use then!

Martin P

[Bob YouldonParticipant @bobyouldon45599]

Hello Stewart,

A number of LMS Crabs have been built in 5" gauge to the Don Young drawings, all of which would appear to have been relatively successful, there may be issues with limited track curvature; whilst not a simple item to design and construct the finished swing link pony truck will, if designed and built correctly not only carry part of the locomotive weight but control the locomotives progression into and around track curvature, through points and crossings etc very effectively. The swing link pony truck method of side control was popular with a number of locomotive designers in the first half of the last century before the advent of the more common sprung side control arrangement.

Regards,

Bob Youldon

[Stewart HartParticipant @stewarthart90345]

Thanks for your replies I'll pass it on.

Stew

[roy entwistleParticipant @royentwistle24699]

Please note A pony truck is not for riding on it's part of the locomotive ie a 4-4-2 would be 4 on bogey 4 drivers 2 on pony

Roy

[julian atkinsParticipant @julianatkins58923]

hi stewart,

it may be worth noting that the Gresley type swing link pony truck as fitted to especially the V2s all had them replaced after WW2 following a series of derailments, the swing link type being generally very unforgiving of poor quality track.

cheers,

julian

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