This summer’s project for me is the Illinois Central 121-125, the Green Diamond trainset. I like to start from the ground up on my projects, so that means trucks come first. Research revealed that the trucks on Overland brass model were wrong, so the quest was on to find the right ones. After looking around the internet and almost buying the wrong ones, I ended up at the website of D & G Models, http://www.dandgmodels.com/. First off, I would just like to thank Jim for being so helpful. We sent emails back and forth regarding the best truck variant to use and he even offered to inculde the detail parts separately so it would be easier for me to modify the trucks for the Green Diamond. That is why I like these local companies-their customer service can’t be beat. I would also like to thank him for bearing with all my annoying questions. Shipping and Pricing: D & G’s shipping prices are extremely reasonable, not like the $10-15 shipping that all the big box stores charge. I think I paid $3.50 for shipping. The trucks are $14.95 a pair, except for the COLA/COSF truck, which include cast metal details. They are $16.95 a pair. The trucks arrived in one of those Manila/bubble wrap packets, with each pair of trucks in a foam padded jewel case. The picture shows two of the trucks that I modified with a rearranged brake system. For the spring I irst impressions are important, and I was not let down when I opened that packet. Opening the box: The trucks arrived undamaged, as well as the detail parts, which were under the blue foam. (If you order the trucks stock, they will come pre-assembled.) The folded paper card (visible in the picture) has the item number on it, as well as a description and warranty on the bottom. The inside of the card has mounting instructions. The picture below shows the detail parts sprue: the brake system, a bolster anchor bar, and the mounting pad that goes on the sideframe. The Trucks: All the D & G trucks use the same frame, but have different bearing and brake details to show how they were modified over their lifetime or which railroad they were used by. The trucks have fully sprung journals, so there are two different strength springs to order, based on the weight of your car. The wheels come in a choice of 88 or 110 tread. There was some leftover metal shavings from when the wheels were turned, so I used a cotton swab to wipe it off, and the trucks rolled great on a test track I set up. Here is a picture of the truck with no detail parts applied. It also gives a good view of the spring system. This next photo shows what the trucks look like with the stock brake system. It is not glued down, so it will look a little nicer on a properly finished truck. The truck also has two mounting holes, one centered, and one offset for ConCor/Rivarossi/AHM cars. The center hole has to be drilled larger to fit Walthers cars. The underside of the trucks is pretty much what you would expect. The bar that runs under the journal acts as a retainer to keep the truck from falling apart when you pick it up. I believe the bar is connected to the brake shoes on the prototype. You can also see the track where the journal rides. They are on either side of where the axle meets the bearing. The bearings also have nylon inserts for lower friction, since the truck parts are polystyrene instead of Delrin. Overall, I am blown away with the detail on these trucks. The spring action is awesome, and is not something I expected on an HO scale truck. These were just what I was looking for and they saved me a lot of truck scratchbuilding. Be sure to check out the full range of trucks at their website. If you guys have any questions, you can contact D & G Models at the link I put at the beginning, or just ask here. In conclusion, I give them a 10/10. I think they are great models, as well as a great company.
