Bissel bogie

A Bissel bogie ("Bisselgestell") is a very simple and commonly-used way of designing a carrying axle on a steam locomotive to enable it to negotiate curves more easily. The design uses a single-axled bogie, usually known in English as a pony truck, whose pivot is towards the centre of the locomotive. As a result, the Bissel axle ("Bisselachse") is not only able to turn about its vertical axis, but also to swing radially to the side, something which is necessary on steam locomotives because their position on the track is dictated by the driving or coupled wheels.

Examples

Examples of steam engines fitted with Bissel bogies include the German DRG Class 64 and Class 99.73-76 locomotives.

Even some older electric locomotives have Bissel bogies, if the driving axles are located in the main frame rather than the usual bogies.

UK usage

In the UK this arrangement is called a "Bissell truck". An example was the London and North Western Railway 0-4-2 tank locomotive which was known as a "Bissell tank" or "Bissell truck tank" [http://www.lnwrs.org.uk/GoodsLocos/Loco08.php] .

References

External links

* [http://www.dlok.de/27.htm German article on Bissel bogie with diagrams]