Railway locomotive truck

Abstract

A six-wheel railway motor truck for swivelly supporting a locomotive body is connected to the same for the effective transmission thereto of draft and braking forces at a level at or near that of the rail whereby the vertical moment arm through which traction forces might act to tip the truck frame and thereby cause load transference from axle to axle is minimized, with corresponding minimization of such load transference. The truck comprises a rigid frame resiliently supported on the three axles, a body support bolster comprising longitudinally spaced transversely extending end members and transversely spaced longitudinally extending side members defining an open central portion above the middle axle for providing unobstructed access to the middle axle motor and sufficient vertical clearance therefor while maintaining the bolster and overall truck height relatively low. One of the bolster transverse members is supported through a swivel center plate at its center on the longitudinal center line of the truck and the other bolster transverse member is supported near its ends on the sides of the truck frame to provide a stable three point support for the bolster and the locomotive body is carried on springs mounted respectively on the end portions of the respective bolster transverse members. For transmitting longitudinal forces from the truck to the supported body substantially at rail level, the bolster is connected to the vehicle body at each side by a pair of longitudinally upwardly and outwardly inclined links arranged so that their axial projections intersect at track level.