Adding Weight to Locos and Rolling Stock

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

All this time I’ve been running my locos and rolling stock with no added wieght (although I do have a 50’ auto car that I bought at a train show that has some nuts glued above the axles). I keep wondering, is weight really nescessary? I’d like to add some weight, so my locomotives will actually be doing some work for a change[;)]. Does anyone know the required NMRA standards for weight on locos and rolling stock? I’m sure there’s a website, but I’ve been unable to find it.

Thanks in advance[:)]

Jonathon[8D]

2

Try www.nmra.org but I never heard of weight measurements for locos

3

Hi,
Once you’ve gone to the NMRA sight and have determined what your rolling stock should weigh, I’d suggest using pennies to weight your cars. They are a lot cheaper than those lead weights that come in 1/4 and 1/2 ounce sizes. Even though the lead weights are self-sticking, they tend to loosen and need to be glued anyway. To glue the pennies, use Tacky Glue (available at craft stores and very inexpensive) because it is used to glue dissimilar materials together. Don’t try to use model cement because it doesn’t work on the pennies.
Get yourself a small plastic scale that is used by dieters to weigh foods up to a pound and has markings in ounces. It makes it real easy to bring a car up to the recommended weight.

Hope this helps.
Mondo

4

I’ve never heard of weight guidelines for locos - I know if you add too much weight the motor can burn out as the wheels can’t slip when overloaded, but other than that I’ve not heard of any guidelines. I’ve only added weight to one loco - an Athearn PA which now has extra lead sheet in the body shell (basically I made up something like the cast ballast weight on their “super power” F7s, out of lead sheet). This now weighs more than my Proto 1k Erie-Built, though I think I still need more weight… This loco is something of a serious growler - the frame and shell vibrate at speed, and I heard that adding ballast to the inside of the shell can help with this - have tried everything else!

5

Here’s the link to the NMRA oage for car weighting:

http://www.nmra.org/standards/rp-20_1.html

As far as locomotive weighting, add as much as you can without exceeding the amperage rating on the motor. It’s somewhat of a trial and error.

Question for the electical experts in the group: is it possible to put so much weight in the locomotive that it reduces the pulling power? In other words, can it take so much to turn the motor that it reduces the amout left over to move the train?

Tom

6

Thanks you guys. Those sites were vary helpful. Mondotrains, will Elmers glue work?

7

Out of the box quality models, steam too that weigh 16 oz or better should not need extra weight.

That quality is factored in.

Courtesy of Nigel from this forum. " Approx. 28 grams per ounce. Pre 1982, 3.1 gram.
Post 1982, 2.5 grams".

Two sided tape should secure the pennies in place.

8

I have used white glue such as Elmers in boxcars. I spread the pennies out on the floor and pour some glue over them. The glue when it dries provides a block that is a press fit against the sides and I don’t have to worry about it coming loose in the future. If your car doors are/or can open, then you would need to keep the pennies and glue at the ends.
Enjoy
Paul

9

Great idea with the pennies. Something I will use. I actually was wondering what I was going to use to weight my cars. Unfourtanitly I used coinstar today so I have no pennies.
Andy

10

My 2 cents here. Something that has been mentioned a lot has been overloading the motor when adding weight to locos. This is fine and I don’t mean to downplay that concern, but something I’ve not seen mentioned is axle loading. Those axles and axle bearings can only carry so much weight before premature failure, then also the extra strain but on the drive train in the loco. Along these lines, remember that those three axle or more trucks are not sprung so one axle may be carrying more weight than others in each truck. Just something to think about and also will adding weight void a warrenty? Thanks Ken

11

In comparison I’ve noticed that HO Athearn locomotives are considerably lighter in weight than P2K, P1K, and Atlas units. But I don’t find this at all critical. Since my freight trains won’t be any longer than 25 cars, I’m not overly concerned with locomotive weight as even my Blue Box units can pull anything I throw behind them.

I am repowering several FP45s and U-Boats with Mashima motors. I will be using the kit from Proto Power West which includes a weighted cradle but for different reasons:
A fellow modeler who uses the PPW kits on his Athearn BBs shared with me that

(1) The “weighted cradle” kit helps with “quieter running”.
(2) Momentum and slow speed control improves noticeably.

So in keeping an open mind, I’ll try a kit out on one of my cowls.