Adding weight to rolling stock

[hattrick]

In track planning, is the direction of travel (clockwise or counterclockwise) a factor to consider? In an A to B plan, how do you turn the train around at the end of the line without a loop or Y?

[saronaterry]

I got 3 coffee cans of used wheel weights from a buddy that work great. You'll need a scale.

Terry in NW Wisconsin

[rrinker]

 I use pennies. Cheapest item per pound. I put the car on my scale and add pennies until I have the nearest even number of pennies that takes it clsoest to NMRA recommended weight. You cna do multiples of 3 just as well, evn even 4s if the car is particualrly light and needs lots of pennies. I then glue them together in two equal stacks (CA works well) and when that's dry, glue each stack centered over the trucks. Cheap weight and easyu to keep balanced so the car doesn;t tilt.

                       --Randy

 

[Lehigh Valley 2089]

I find zinc weights to be effective when it comes to rolling stock in which you can pull the body off of the frame of the car.

[EM-1]

Kind of depends on the type of car.  Things like box cars are fairly easy to add weight  to.  I've used several different things for weight, like bits of molded lead, melted into cavities in a bar of soap  or plaster.  Then, I've used the flat weights used for hanging draperies, either salvaged from old drapes, or purchased from discount stores.  Some hobby shops have tip weights for balancing model planes, flat lead weights available in a few sub-ounce sizes.  BBs can be glued in place.  Or you can get shotgun shot from a local gun store or shooter's supply.  Or disc type fishing sinkers.

Some cars are a little more difficult.  Have some European rolling stock that needed weight, but had a construction that made adding weight a bit difficult, for which I used things like solder wrapped around axles, small chunks of solder glued into hard to see places, like between the sides of center sills.  Hardest one to bring to a decent weight was an old Ambroid 1 in 5000 Pulpwood car.  All open structure, all bass stripwood.  Used a set of cast metal trucks, Kadee couplers, cast pot metal ABS brake system, still came out just a bit over 1 ounce finished and painted.Extremely underweight for a (79') car.  Adding some lead -filled putty from A-line (See Walther's catalog) got me up to almost 1.5 ounces.  I bought a couple boxes of wood matches, and am building up a load of pulpwood from them, cutting off and disposing of the heads.  First two attempts were wated, used model cement on one, Aliphatic resin glue on the second, both warped to unuseable hapes as the glues dried.  Building a third using thick CA, so far, no warping.  I expect that will get the finished car to near 5.5 ounceas with load.

There are some cast metal dummy loads available for gondolas and flats.  Dummy coal, gravel, or ore loads can also cover weights in the bottom of gondolas and hoppers.  Just try to keeep added weight centered in the car to avoid leaning.

I have melted my own lead for weights, but there is some risk of inhaling lead vapors if done in a closed room.  Boss in a garage I worked at got a heavy fine because an OHSA inspector paid a visit while we were melting down tire weights.  We all had to get tests for heavy metal, too.  Stopped doing that.

Micro-Mark also sells low temperature meltable metal chunks for casting that work for making custom weights.  Sometimes it just takes a little imagination.

I did use

[cowman]

[Texas Zepher]

hattrick

I need to add weight to some of my freight cars. Suggestions???

It depends on the type of car.   One can stick almost anything inside a box car.   I really like the self adhesive weights they use to balance automobile wheels.   I used to by lead ones by the box (about 30 lbs worth) from NAPA for about $119.  I don't think they can sell lead ones anymore.   I picked up some of those new alloy ones in much lower quantities on sale at Harbor Freight the other day.  Then finally I found some tungsen Pine Wood Derby weights on clearance at Hobby Lobby.    

[BroadwayLion]

Printer's Slugs.

 

[cowman]

Let's try this again.

Too add weight to an already sealed tank car, drill a hole in the bottom of the tank, large enough to put a BB through.  Weigh the car and add enough BBs to bring it up to weight.  Put the BBs in the tank and add some  white glue, shake to insure that all the BBs have glue on them.  A plug of wood or plastic can be used to seal the hole.  Turn the car upright and shake gently to distribute the weight evenly over the length of the car.

EDIT:  Don't know how it happened, but compatability got shut off'  You're guess is as good as mine, probably better as I have little knowledge of how this thing really works.

Good luck,

Richard

[hon30critter]

I added weight to some Tichy flat cars by cutting .040" lead sheet into a matching profile for the center beams and inserting it between the beams. I could get 3 layers of lead between the plastic beams but it wasn't nearly enough to bring the car up to NMRA standards. Then I made loads for the cars out of lead sheet by simply cutting the sheet to approximately the same size as the flat car bed. I used styrene strips .020 X .060 to separate the layers. It required two layers of lead to bring the car up to NMRA standards. The problem with the lead sheets (in addition to them being rather unhealthy to work with) is that it is very difficult to get them perfectly flat so they would look reasonably prototypical. 

If anyone has any hints about how to weight flat cars, other then the obvious method of adding weighted loads, please share them.

Thanks as always

Dave

["JaBear"]

Gidday Dave, while not familiar with Tichy flat cars it sounds like you've done anything possible to add weight without adding weighted loads and while I'm a big fan of the NMRA weight standards unless those flat cars cause trouble while running in a consist I wouldn't sweat it. After all even if you could replace the lead with something heavier, once you put a load on the car you'd be (shock, horror!!) over weight.

Cheers, The Bear.

[gondola1988]

I get my wheel weights from my buddys garage, I use a melting pot for making fishing weights. I use balsa wood on a old piece of plywood using track nails to make my form. Measure the gons and pour it in the molds, it usually fits fairly well and if it needs to be trued up a small hammer will do the trick and some slight trimming might be needed or just tap it again with the hammer to get the shape you want. I also pour some about 10 inches long and 1/8 thick in another form to use in other rolling stock. A little paint will hide it in the gons or just make it look like steel plates being shipped, just my way of loads and weights. Jim.

[piercedan]

I just install metal wheels, USA Trains has solid wheel sets, LGB has rims and are much lighter.

 

Of course that is for large scale users!!!

[doctorwayne]

There are lots of easy ways to add weight to house cars (boxcars, reefers, etc.).  For open cars, I usually cast my own weights from lead.  I got  20 or 30lbs. of used wheel balancing weights from a nearby garage just for the asking.  Using a plumber's torch and a stainless steel "camper's" cup, the weights are melted, allowing the steel clips and dirt to float to the surface.  These can be easily lifted out using the tip of an old screwdriver or other suitable tool.  The molten lead is then poured into homemade moulds.  I initially used scraps of aluminum siding (painted side out) to make the moulds, but later got a supply of .015" thick plain aluminum sheets. 
Lay out the mould using a straightedge and a utility knife - lightly scored, the aluminum is easy to bend fairly sharply.  Heavier scoring allows you to bend and break cleanly along the line, and I use tin snips to cut for the tabs which fold-over to prevent leakage.  Once the lead has cooled, you can usually spread one side of the mould slightly to allow the weight to drop out.  With care, the same mould can be used several times before the metal fatigues and breaks-off.

Lead melts at approximately 620°F, and vapourises at about 3165°F.  At approximately 1000°F, the molten lead will begin to emit vapours, the amount increasing as the temperature rises.  Using the equipment mentioned, you're unlikely to hit the 1000°F mark, but if this concerns you, wear a two stage respirator.  Lead vapours have a distinctly "sweet" odour, not noticeable at these lower temperature ranges.  When you're working with lead, do not eat, drink, smoke, or pick your nose unless you have washed your hands well, and do not leave lead or the associated tools where children might touch them.  Lead is very toxic to small children and handling lead and then placing the fingers or hands in the mouth is very dangerous.

Here's a selection of moulds, along with a couple of cast weights and some sheet lead.  The latter should be available from a plumbing supply store, and is available in several thicknesses:

...and some open cars, showing the weights in use.  This is a Walthers GSC flatcar, with a total weight of about 5oz.

This bulkhead flat is from Athearn, with the ends left-over from the GSC kit.  It rides nice and low because the underframe and floor have been removed.  The floor was replaced by a flush deck made from .060" sheet styrene, with individual boards held in place with contact cement.

The one-piece weight is secured by two pieces of strip styrene, cemented to the side sills.  Total empty car weight is about 6oz.

This low-riding 50' bulkhead gondola was created by cutting an Athearn 40' pulpwood car in two, then splicing-in an extra 10' of floor.  The sides were created from sheet and strip styrene:

Underneath, instead of the underframe, two weights are secured with silicone caulk:

This welded gondola is a modified Con-Cor car.  It originally had a cast metal underframe and was a decent weight.  Unfortunately, the weight caused the car to ride too high.  I removed the underframe to get a more prototypical ride height...

...then added a one piece weight, secured with silicone.  Total empty car weight is 6.6oz.

With a load of loose scrap, the car weighs just over 10oz.:

Of course, if your open cars don't have deep side sills, it's a little harder to hide the weights.  This Intermountain gondola is a wood and plastic car and comes with no weight supplied.  It probably weighs an ounce, at most. 

I managed to get it up to about 3.5oz. by sandwiching sheet lead between the car's floor and its underframe.  This leaves the brake gear intact, and still visible when viewed from the side:

Use a straightedge and utility knife to cut the sheet lead to-size.

For cars with no place to hide extra weight, you can always add a load, and, if necessary, hide extra weight within the load.  (this method also helps to keep your stripwood budget manageable)

There are other cars that can be too light and difficult to conceal extra weight in, even though they're closed cars.  A good example is this modified Rivarossi Pullman.  These cars may or may not come with interiors (mine didn't) but none of them come with weights included.  The stock cars weigh under 3oz....

....while this one tips the scales at about 9.25oz.  In addition to the weights concealed in the washroom, the banquette seating in the solarium is also lead.

Because this converted Rivarossi combine, in addition to being a self-propelled diesel-electric, is sometime required to pull trailers, weight is even more necessary, as only the front truck is powered.

With a partially-modelled interior...

...and the motor and drive train, the best place to distribute the weight evenly was to place it on the underside of the clerestory.

Total weight is just under 18oz., giving good electrical pick-up and lots of tractive effort.

Unless you run your trains at rocket sled speeds, mounting the weight on the underside of the roof has no adverse affect on operation.

Wayne

 

 

 

 

[hornblower]

Unless you can salvage materials for free or nearly free, virtually every material purchased to add weight to your rolling stock is significantly more expensive per ounce than pennies.  Thus, I use pennies.

[thinkstorm]

I'm an newbie - in what circumstances does one add weight to cars? I can understand with trains to gain better traction... is it to stop derailment of too-light cars?

[Mayhem]

From what I have read and witnessed, it is to keep derailment down. I'm not sure how the NMRA came up with there figures, but I'm sure somebody has done some math to say what each car should weight in scale. 

[doctorwayne]

thinkstorm

I'm an newbie - in what circumstances does one add weight to cars? I can understand with trains to gain better traction... is it to stop derailment of too-light cars?

You're right in guessing that too-light cars can derail more easily than heavier ones, but often there are factors other than just weight coming into play.  If your trackwork, including turnouts, is smooth and in-gauge, and your wheelsets are also in-gauge, coupler height properly adjusted and you're running the trains at reasonable speeds and still having regular derailments, then car weight could be the problem.  While you may be able to run a train of extremely light cars without incident, adding a much heavier car or two may cause problems.  Added to the front of the train, they may perform well, but added to the rear, could cause stringlining of the lighter cars on curves.  Likewise, a light car or two near the front of a train of heavier cars may cause trouble on curves. 
The NMRA publishes a set of recommended practices for car weights, which, for HO, is one ounce per car, plus an additional one half ounce for each inch of car length.  Therefore, a car 6" long should weigh about 4oz.  Note that this is merely a recommendation.  I've found that a train of similarly-weighted cars within, for instance, a range of 3 to 6 or 7oz. will operate quite satisfactorily.  If you need to move much lighter cars in the same train, place them to the rear and likewise, if you have overly heavy cars, put them right behind the locos.
I usually run "live" loads in my open cars, so an Athearn hopper, which weighs just over 2oz. when empty, tips the scales at 8oz. when loaded.  A 12 car train of coal loads, plus the caboose, weighs 100 ounces, and it requires two locos to move it over the line.  When the same train returns empty, there's only about 30oz. of trailing weight, yet it moves just as smoothly as the heavier train and can be easily pulled by one loco.

Adding weight to locos is a whole different subject, but yes, the main purpose is to increase the pulling capability.

Wayne

 

[modelmaker51]

The main thing is consistency. If all your cars weigh 3-4 oz, then you shouldn't have an issue, but if you have some heavier cars in the train then problem could crop up. Most issues are with cars the are less than 3 oz.  It's usually not much of a problem running 10-15 cars, but when you get above that, stringlining and derailments do become an issue. On my layout and at our club we often run 40,60 and 80 car trains and it definitely is an issue. All the other recommendations Wayne made are equally important.

[delray1967]

I have some 1/8" (maybe .100") lead 'rod'; i cut it into about .250" lengths and glued them onto the bottom of the trucks of my Tichy flat car. I fit quite a bit between the sideframes, not visible unless you look at the bottom.  This lead was also pounded thinner and added to the factory weight in between the center sill.

Another way to add 'invisible' weight is to drill a hole somewhere kind of hidden, then fill that hole with lead/solder/etc.  I guess it could be pretty visible; when the weight is there, it can be painted,scribed, whatever, to hide the weight...just be sure to add it evenly so the car doesn't lean.

I found that slightly lighter than the NMRA recommended  weight; not by much, just a few tenths of an ounce or so.  Cars still track nicely but trains can be longer without tuning wheels and trucks.  Not to mention the extra weight on cars is transmitted directly to the needle points of the axle, possibly wearing out the trucks over time and scale miles.

I used to work in a carbide grinding shop, carbide is heavy and I got to keep some scraps for modeling...intended for rolling stock weights, some pieces look like scale (large) electric motors.    The fines created while grinding is just as heavy, but very messy; I thought it would be good as it can fit just about anywhere but it's very messy and I think it's as toxic as lead (tungsten and cobalt are bad for ya).

Pennies work great, I think they are about .1 oz each. Cheap, clean and readily available.