Blake2One other question, Can someone kindly recommend a weight scale?
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I have a digital scale by SunBeam I bought at WalMart for less than 10 dollars. It measures in 1/4 ounce incerments up to 32 ounces. It was in the kitchen section.
I weight my cars very strictly.
40 feet or less: 4 ounces
50 feet or more: 5 ounces
Passenenger cars: 8 ounces
This has proven very reliably for operation. I can't remember the NMRA RP for weight, but this system seems to be a good one.
Only three cars are not weighted properly, three pulpwood flats. This is because the Chooch loads are a bit too heavy, even when hollowed out.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Blake2What about weight on smaller switching layouts where you are only pulling/shoving a few car(s) at a time. Would it be beneficial to add more weight than the NMRA reccomends?
Here's my ISL list that I've been using since the 60s.
1. Smooth track work.
2.Smooth operating KD couplers Every coupler is inspected for smooth operation this will include the filing of the coupler face if needed to remove any burrs.
3.Weight I add three pieces of weight on the floor above each truck. I don't bother adding any extra weight to today's cars since they are already weigh around RP20.1.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Blake2 One other question, Can someone kindly recommend a weight scale? Kind Regards Blake
One other question, Can someone kindly recommend a weight scale?
Kind Regards
Blake
Blake,
At first blush, I note that Wal-Mart sells an Accuteck A-PT50 for $16.99. Designed to handle your HO cars between a quarter ounce and 50 pounds. The upper range is there in case you're modelling the shipping of solar core materials.
John
Thanks everyone for the input. I would suppose that as long as you did not exceed the overall draw bar pull of the switcher that everything should work well.
Now for the math to figure the maximum number of cars being pulled or shoved by the switcher at any given time. I will also rotate my switchers so that has to be considered too.
I know that MRR tests the drawbar pull of all powered units reveiwed so I also have some research to do.
HO-VeloIMO overweighted cars really shine during slow switching moves. Smoother operation with little to no jerkiness and improved coupling. The slow starts and the picking up of coupler slack required of heavier cars makes switching seem more prototypical.
Peter, yes it does, my cars are not heavily overweighted, but, closer to, and maybe a little over, the NMRA weight, they handle nice in slow speed switching moves. More prototypical, creeping over switches.
Mike.
My You Tube
Blake2weight on smaller switching layouts
IMO overweighted cars really shine during slow switching moves. Smoother operation with little to no jerkiness and improved coupling. The slow starts and the picking up of coupler slack required of heavier cars makes switching seem more prototypical.
Following web info. (specifically Mike Confalone) I've been bringing my 50' cars up to 10oz, which is an ounce over double the NMRA standard. Adding that amount of extra weight can be difficult with some cars, especially when gaining access to the inside risks damage.
Henry's suggestion of experimenting with temporarily weighted cars is a good idea.
Regards, Peter
Somebody posted recently that they add a huge amount of weight, 2 or 3 ounces over the recommended. I don't remember whom or which thread.
You could experiment with a gondola before gluing anything. I believe very light cars have more unrealistic twitches that are eliminated by bringing them to the recommended weight. I have not tried the heavyweight theory.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Quick Question, What about weight on smaller switching layouts where you are only pulling/shoving a few car(s) at a time. Would it be beneficial to add more weight than the NMRA reccomends? If so, by what percent?
Bulkhead flatcar - lowered Athearn Blue Box, with ends from Walthers GSC flatcars and new deck from leftover stripwood...
...custom-cast lead weight, giving an unloaded weight of 5.75oz. ...
Walthers GSC flatcar...
...with custom-cast lead weights, giving an unloaded weight of 4.75oz. ...
Bulkhead gondola (kitbash of Athearn Blue Box pulpwood car, lengthened and with scratchbuilt sides...
More custom weights, this car, empty, is 4.5oz., but could be heavier with a full-width weight similar to that in the previous car...
Modified Con-Cor welded gondola...
...with custom weight. Empty car weighs 6.5oz. ....
There's a thread HERE which shows how to make your own weights.
Wayne
Recently set up a series of MDC bulkhead flats. Cutting away plastic panels in the underframe allows adding sheet lead to get the car up to 4.75 ounces. Makes a big difference in tracking and coupler performance.
Many RTR and kit HO cars are light relative to the recommended weight. This may or may not create much of a problem. There are worst cases where a very light car(s) in mid train may tend more to stringline if the rest of the train is at recommended and/or a long train means a lot of "pull" (from front and back) putting lots of force on that car's couplers, exacerbated by a severe curve. And of course a heavier car will track better across imperfect trackage.
I tend to weight my (light) freight car kits toward the recommended weight, per above formula, but I don't worry about getting to 100%. Cheating a bit means more cars per loco up the grade. And I like to add loads to cars that tend to be light, including flats and gondolas, another consideration.
It's handy to have a digital postal scale available for the right range. Not real expensive, and even handy re: postage. For enclosed cars, pennies (about 9 per ounce) are probably cheaper than nuts or washers (Home Depot has no shame). A dollar bill (or fiver) is the worst solution.
For flat cars, without the aid of a load, one needs to innovate more. Several folks on the Forum have shown various ways to deal with that.
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
As Henry says the NMRA RP for HO scale car weight reads; initial weight 1oz plus 1/2oz per inch of car body length.
I really like the way overweighted rolling stock behaves on my ISL, overweight being in the 8 to 12oz range.
No idea what the average weight might be, but there are NRMA standards, which manufactures may or may not adhere to.
The formula is a 3" car should weigh 2.5 oz, for each inch add 1/2 ounce.
Can you tell me what is the average weight for rolling stock in HO i have noticed some cars and passenger cars feel lite to me.
Thank You
George