Dalman One-level Trucks: Part One

 

May 29, 1937, Kingston, Rhode Island, Bob's Photo

A preliminary note: this post covers only Dalman One-level trucks without Barber Lateral Motion Devices. There will be a "Part Two" that delves into that group. There is a table of known (to me) prototype users of this design at the end of this post.

Dalman one-level truck under MILW 595000-series automobile car

The Dalman Two-level truck had a lesser known and lesser adopted sibling, the Dalman One-level. While not as distinctive as its sibling, the One-level was nevertheless unusual in appearance.

MILW 595775 had its Hutchins Dry Lading roof raised by seven inches and rides on Dalman One-level trucks, too! Jay Williams/Big Four Graphics

Why the post about this truck? Well, we are now fortunate to have a beautiful HO scale version of this truck, just in time to pair with my forthcoming Milwaukee 50' single sheathed auto cars. Plate C has released yet another fine rendition of a truck missing from the HO scale modelers lineup. 

Plate C's HO scale Dalman One-level truck

February 27, 1948, PRR Eastbound Yards at Radnor Street, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Bob Charles Collection, Kalmbach Memorial Library

I am certain this list is not exhaustive. If you know of any omissions or errors, please leave a comment below and I will update the table. Thank you!

Road	Series Begin	Series End	Type	Notes
Erie	39000	39799	Hopper	ARA 70-ton
MILW	271500	271999	Automobile	50'; single sheathed
MILW	360000	361999	Gondola	70-ton; composite;renumbered to 70000-series
MILW	595000	596147	Automobile	40'; single sheathed; renumbered to 597000-series (qty. unknown)
MILW	650150	650749	Flat	trucks Dalman by Bettendorf
MILW*	716500	716999	Box	40'; single sheathed
MKT	40001	40050	Hopper	ARA 70-ton
MP	55000	55499	Hopper	ARA 70-ton; 1937/1942 conv. to LO in series 1700-1724 and 1770-1981
MP	89070	89169	Automobile	50'; single sheathed; may be other similar MP Lines w/Dalman one-level
MP	93000	95249	Box	40'; single sheathed
NH	50000	50014	Gondola	GS
NH**	60500	60649	Gondola	Class GA-4
NH	81000		Hopper	ARA 70-ton; secondhand from ?
NH	115000	115545	Hopper	Class HM-2; some sold to NH Trap Rock
PM	18400	18649	Gondola	70-ton

*There were several groups of MILW cars, including from the 714000-series of virtually identical single sheathed cars, that rode on a Symington truck that can best be described as a hybrid of the Dalman one- and two-level designs, without Barber lateral motion devices. It is not the same as Dalman design trucks

**There are photographic examples of Dalman one-level trucks in use on NH 58000- and 60000-series gondolas. Those are likely replacements or swaps made in the company shops