Need front truck spring clamp for 4-8-2 Heavy Mountain loco

[OlddManWithHO]

Mr. Bach Mann,

     Cant seem to find a part in your parts locker.  Looking for part # H114X-MTB44.  It is a spring clamp that keeps the front truck of loco down on the track.  That part number is off of my part catalog that came with the loco.  Spectrum item # 82501, 4-8-2 Heavy mountain unlettered steam loco.

     Ordered this loco off of Ebay and I believe the clip must have been lost by previous owner as I don't remember taking the front truck off and its nowhere to be seen.  Loco has a tendency to derail at two locations on my layout due to poor track work I guess.  Any info on this would be greatly appreciated!

Roger
Kentucky

[rogertra]

Mr. Bach Mann,

    Cant seem to find a part in your parts locker.  Looking for part # H114X-MTB44.  It is a spring clamp that keeps the front truck of loco down on the track.  That part number is off of my part catalog that came with the loco.  Spectrum item # 82501, 4-8-2 Heavy mountain unlettered steam loco.

    Ordered this loco off of Ebay and I believe the clip must have been lost by previous owner as I don't remember taking the front truck off and its nowhere to be seen.  Loco has a tendency to derail at two locations on my layout due to poor track work I guess.  Any info on this would be greatly appreciated!

Roger
Kentucky

The "pressure spring" for the front truck is NOT required.  None of my steam locos has the spring, I removed the springs from all trucks.

It's all down to Newton's Third Law: - For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Which means if the spring is pushing down, it is also pushing up.  Thus, when it's pushing up it's taking weight from the driving wheels, thus reducing tractive effort.  In many cases, locos without the truck spring will be able to pull two or so more freight cars than with the spring.  Some people say removing the spring makes the truck derail easier.  Well mine don't derail.  I put that down to careful track laying and that I do not use "set track". If you find the truck does derail, then glue a small lead weight to the top of the truck, a much better idea than the spring anyway.

Simple physics.

Cheers

Roger T.

[OlddManWithHO]

Thanks Roger.  I've just received some REAL lead weights yesterday and I'll just cut one down to size and hope there is enough headroom area for the top of the front lead axle.

Roger #2