Ore jimmy truck

I understand that the Cape Line trucks were originally made by Red Ball. Bethlehem Car Works now offers most of the Red Ball trucks in their "KitBits" line. See:

Unfortunately, I don't see the old Red Ball / Cape Line T-77 ore jimmy truck listed. However, it was an extremely simple truck - a top wood beam mounting two bolt-on journal pedestals having additional support from a bottom trapezoid shaped iron strap. I think you could come awfully close by obtaining a more modern passenger truck that models separate pedestals, such as the KitBits 95A, 122A, 1260, or 1265, or maybe the metal trucks Walthers used to make for the Sierra cars, or the plastic trucks MDC made for the Overton, Overland, or Harriman cars. It would then be an easy ask to use a sprue cutter to clip off the equalizer beam between the pedestals, and the spring assembly under the top beam. You could then add a bit of small strip stock to model the strap, or leave it off as the strap does not show in all old engravings of this type of car. Another alternative might be to find a used model of an early British 4-wheel 8 to 12 ton freight wagon, and use its truck. Geezer

British four-wheeled waggons had largish dia. wheels, and this may be more so considering their larger OO scale, 1:76, so the wheels might be too big for an ore jenny. Regards, Bill.

I found out I had one BC Models ore jimmy I never assembled. I can use the metal parts, sides, ends, side frames and cast my own parts to reproduce a few jimmies for my road using a Alumilite Super Casting Kit. I have joined a couple of groups who discuss the various methods for casting parts like these parts I have. I have used resins and rtv over the years so this should not be too difficult. The wheel sets are available from Kadee. If some of you have a need for a part that is not available anymore, you can usually cast it.

Cheers

g