Trucks VS. European single wheel set per end freight cars?

[NP2626]

Does anyone have any input into why here in North America railroads use a set of two, two wheeled trucks per car end VS. the single wheel sets used on each end of a car in Europe and other locations? The two wheeled trucks would seem the better choice to me as the trucks align themselves with the track. However, obviously in Europe and other locations where they use a single set of wheels on each end of a car, this method is successful, also. Just wondering, again! Looking over photos of European Freight Cars, I have seen that single wheel sets are not the only way that they build fright cars, some also have trucks.

 

[Genetk44]

I'm pretty sure it stems from loading gauge and weight. Being more densly populated the railroads in Europe in their early days were constrained during construction in where they could lay track and how long,wide and high they could build...so smaller freight cars hence less weight so no need for trucks. Probably also due to the actual materials they had to build with.

 

[MikeOwnby]

A fixed axle is also cheaper and has fewer moving parts. If you'll look back at the beginnings of US railroads, those cars also just had single axles. With the more condensed distances in Europe, I doubt there was ever any real need to make the change, for the most part. You also won't see trains in Europe anywhere near the length of the big US freights. The truck, just like dual or triple axles on a semi truck, does reduce axle loads and allows more weight and larger cars. In the US where demand was high and distances ever greater, it did make sense in the long run to make and maintain the more expensive cars.

 

[NP2626]

Those opinions/thoughts sound very reasonable to me.

 

[tootnkumin]

Modern Euro freight wagons are now generally longer, so the appearance of 2 axle trucks (bogies in UK parlance) are more common as loads have increased. Like in most things industrial, the US has always been at the forefront, except in the development of high speed passenger rail. That of course benefits from a much denser population concentration.