Miner introduces high-performance side bearing

Miner Enterprises has introduced its newest railcar component, a long travel CCSB (constant-contact side bearing) with a wide range of applications. The bolt-on bearing, designated TCC-45 LTLP-C, features a low profile and simple design, allowing for easy installation and maintenance, Miner says.

Ideally suited for use on tank cars, the LTLP-C side bearing can also be used to reduce wheel and truck wear on a variety of other railcars. The three-piece bearing provides 4,500 pounds of preload and 5/8 inch of travel above its low-profile 2-inch housing. At the bearing’s core is Miner’s heavy-duty TecsPak®, an advanced pad that helps control truck hunting, or instability, under a wide range of operating conditions and speeds. Like all of Miner’s bearings, the company says the LTLP-C features tight tolerances that extend the bearing’s service life and help reduce maintenance costs.

“We take pride in developing products that improve railcar performance and reduce our customers’ operating costs,” said Miner Executive Director of Global Sales Bill O’Donnell,  “The LTLP-C represents the latest technology in side bearings that deliver superior stability combined with excellent performance on curves.”

Described as “a leader in railcar component design and manufacturing for more than 120 years,” Miner Enterprises developed the industry’s first long-travel CCSBs in 1991. Long-travel bearings help improve railcar stability at high speeds and reduce wear on wheels and trucks, and also help lower the risk of derailments due to carbody roll, Miner says. These improvements in safety and stability led the Association of American Railroads to mandate the use of long-travel CCSBs on all tank cars in 2005, Miner adds.