Boulder Creek Engineering track scales

[oldline1]

Has anyone purchased or used the track scales from Boulder Creek Engineering? http://www.bouldercreekengineering.com/weighstation.php They sound very interesting and could really be a great addition to a model railroad. I was just wondering what you think of them in operation. Any preferences between the digital readout vs the gauge? Thanks, Roger Huber

[Geared Steam]

oldline1

Has anyone purchased or used the track scales from Boulder Creek Engineering? http://www.bouldercreekengineering.com/weighstation.php They sound very interesting and could really be a great addition to a model railroad. I was just wondering what you think of them in operation. Any preferences between the digital readout vs the gauge? Thanks, Roger Huber

Looks like a neat product. Clickable link :

http://www.bouldercreekengineering.com/weighstation.php

[ChadLRyan]

Interesting!
I am also interested on what they used  or how they made the Gantlet switches!

Anyone have info on those?

[locoi1sa]

  At $90 it is one expensive gimmick. I would need 2 for my layout. I also model before the weigh in motion. When I switch my scales it is single car on the scale uncoupled.

  The gantlet tracks are nothing but a set of switch points. The ones they show look to have a 2 1/2 to 3 foot separation. I made mine with only a 1 foot separation according to my prototypes track plans. The straight through should be the dead rails furthest from the scale house. Locomotives were forbidden on the live scale rails. Most times while switching the scale they would use an Idler car to keep the locomotive away from the live rails. Before the weigh in motion each car was uncoupled on the scale, weighed and then shoved ahead past the scale and the next car spotted and uncoupled. The weigh master would weigh each car and a clerk would calculate the load and record it on the billing sheets. This is why the data stenciled on the car side is so important. Without the empty weight clearly marked the railroad will not be able to calculate the load. Setting up a re-weigh station is something seldom modeled. Cars were/ are required to be re- weighed and re-stenciled every time after major repairs and every so often.

        Pete

 

 

[ChadLRyan]

Thanks,

After watching the video a few more times, I did see how I could cut a switch beteween the points & & nearest to the frog to accomplish this. Someday that would make a good point scratch building project for me, rather than cuting up a good turnout.

Also, thanks for the info on how the prototype does it, interesting to know.. 

[oldline1]

If you go throught the Boulder Creek website they have a lot of information on installing and using the scales. They used a Walthers Cornerstone scale track set on the one they show. It has the capability to weigh one car at a time or weigh in motion. It DOES NOT actually weigh the car but simulates car weights. It is almost $90 but when you think about the operational opportunities posed it isn't out of reach. I model the Western Maryland Thomas Subdivision and it is going to be an instrumental part of coal train operations for me. I was just curious if anyone out there has operated using the scales and what they thought of the digital readout vs the gauge. P.S.: I'm sorry my sentences/paragraphs all run together now but for some reason this new laptop is doing that. It also is not allowing me to go back in the previously typed text and change things as well as not allowing posts to be sent! Go figure. I've talked to MR about it but they haven't been much help. Roger Huber

[locoi1sa]

Roger.

 Some browsers have difficulty with this forum software for some reason. IE8 is one of them. I use a Fire Fox browser and it will not allow me to post pictures directly. Since MR had the last upgrade there have been many issues.You are not alone.

    Pete