Bearing adapter and adapter pad for railway trucks

In a railway car truck assembly including a wheel set, a pair of axles, a pair of side frames, and a truck bolster, each side frame having a pedestal opening at each end thereof, a pair of opposing thrust lugs located on side walls which define each said pedestal opening in positions proximate a top of said pedestal opening, and a bearing assembly on each end of each said axle positioned in a corresponding side frame pedestal opening for mounting each end of said side frames on the end of a corresponding axle, the improvement comprising, in combination, an adapter mounted in said pedestal opening on top of each said bearing assembly, said adapter having an opening at each longitudinal end thereof, each said opening being defined by a laterally extending adapter end wall and a pair of longitudinally extending laterally spaced adapter shoulders, said adapter shoulders being spaced greater than the lateral width of a corresponding thrust lug, a non-metallic adapter pad mounted on top of said adapter, each said adapter pad having a top which extends the longitudinal length of a top of said adapter and has longitudinal end portions which depend down into respective ones of said openings, said non-metallic adapter pad having a thrust lug opening at each longitudinal end thereof, said thrust lug opening being defined by a laterally extending adapter pad end wall and a pair of longitudinally extending laterally spaced adapter pad shoulders, said adapter pad shoulders being spaced approximately an amount equal to the lateral width of a corresponding thrust lug to prevent significant relative lateral movement between said side frame and said adapter pad, said non-metallic adapter pad having a top portion, a pair of opposed generally vertical end walls at its longitudinally opposite ends, and four longitudinally projecting leg members, one at each corner, the inside surfaces of each laterally spaced pair of said leg members defining a respective one of said thrust lug openings, said non-metallic adapter pad being made of a polyurethane material having a hardness in the range of 70A to 75D durometer.