Doug had already done some preliminary work on the underframe and provided documentation to Phil.  The current plan is for Phil to produce an assembled underframe - much like his freight car kits, to insure for squareness and accuracy of fit.

Using the Azalea as a sample, there is about 23 feet of free space between the trucks.

Below are shown two drawings.  The first is a framing diagram and the second shows the placement of underbody appliances.

The steel underframe clearly is not complete as I have omitted the bolsters and the end sill detail especially around the vestibules and steps.

The underbody shows main components only. The brake rigging is not shown as we do not plan to model to that level of detail. We’ll certainly include the brake cylinder, and there will be space if we change our minds.

Also not on the drawing:

• the valve controlling the brake sysstem and linking the tanks
• the brake air plumbing
• the air pressure fresh water plumbing other than the tanks
• train air line and steam line which would normally have been run either against the center beam or between the two cetre I beams
• there may have been a control box for the generator but the pics I had were conflicting ... nonetheless the generator was bolted to the frame with a belt arrangement to the trucks - the control box diverted the power source to batteries when the train slowed or stopped ... plus acted as the charger for the batteries when it was in motion - it may also have been integrated with the battery box.