Rich,
Guess I got in on this discussion a little late, but I've been working the past few days, and on vacation otherwise.
All of the above drawings and advice should help. Make sure to include the inner coil spring, inside the four coil springs. And the inner and outer coil springs are supposed to turn in opposite directions.
The spring planks on old-style wood trucks hang from the truck frame on four pieces, one at each corner, called a springplank hanger. The hanger has a hole on top for the pin that attaches it to the frame. The bottom has a hole that slips over the springplank axle. There are two axles, one on each end of the spring plank (Right below the leaf springs). These are attached to the bottom of the spring plank with two bolts, through the pocket casting that also holds the bottom of the leaf spring pack.
The bolster rides on top of the two leaf spring packs, over the bands that hold the springs together. There can also be shims that go between the leaf springs and bolster leaf spring pocket. This is handy if the wheels are small, and you want to have the car couplers to ride higher. Also, many cars have weight unevenly distributed (like private cars and concession cars), and so different height shims can help balance out the car as well.
If you want to get really detailed, then don't forget the cotter pins/keys that go in EACH pin, on the brake rigging and spring plank hangers, etc. Remember, try to keep the pins facing down, with the cotters on the bottom. This lets gravity hold the pins in place, should a carman forget to install the cotter pin.
Also, don't forget the bottom rod that goes beneath the spring plank, and wheel axles, to hold the two brake beams together. And the live lever that attaches the truck to the car brake rigging. And the slew chains, one on each corner, used to hold the truck to the car body in case of derailment.
In addition, close observation will reveal that many trucks, as do most of ours, aren't symetrical on both ends of the frame, right above the brake beams. You have a drop-down design on both ends of your frame. This is only needed on the outside of the car, to clear the draft gear (Janney coupler, block and spring on old-time D&RGW coaches). The inside frame member oftentimes goes straight across. When you're building the truck, why make it more difficult than necessary?
Actually, many of our outside-hung passenger trucks are composites of wood and steel -- Just like the rio grande did. Others are made of steel, but with the same basic design.
Let me know if I can help.
Best Wishes,
Sean Jackson
D&SNG Lead Carman
