I have a number of RTR tank cars in my fleet of varying quality. A number of the lower end ones are badly underweighted but I don’t see a simple way of adding weight. The tanks are glued in place so opening them up and putting weight inside is problematic. With boxcars and reefers I add as many 1/4 ounce weights as needed to bring them up to proper weight, but there is not good place to add these to underweighted tanks. Today in my LHS I saw they had lead sheets and I bought a pack of them and am going to see if I can add some weight inconspiculously with them. I’m wondering what solutions others have used to add weight to tank cars. I have the same problem with flatcars and gondolas running as empties. Where do you add the weight?
I bought these on ebay, which is probably the same as you have.
MIKE
Got any spare mercury laying around? [A]
I add weight to difficult cars by winding lead wire around the axles. Painted black it is barely visible. Lead wire is available from sporting goods stores where they sell fly-tying materials.
I haven’t had to do it on a tank car, but I have drilled holes in the bottom of covered hoppers and added lead bird shot and glue, then plugged the holes. Not being to worried about underbelly detail of gondolas, I’ve also crammed lead weight into the available gaps. While I’ve always stuck with the NMRA recommended weights , I don’t sweat it so much now, as long as the cars run reliabily in a consist.
Cheers, the Bear.
It’s a tank car, so you have to fill the tank with something…
Several decades back, I bought a bag of lead bird shot, used for reloading shotgun shells. Nowadays, you may have to sttle for steel shot. Still heavy. Anyway, drill a hole in an inconspicuous location underneath, put in right amount of shot and plug hole. Be careful not to over do it, as a full tank is way too heavy.
There are a few tank car models that have weights concealed insider the tank. Gonna be hard to drill through them, though, so this may not work with all applications. YMMV. Not responsible for damaged rolling stock, missing limbs, or you wearing your eye protection.[:o)]
I have many tank car’s, cause I like em’. I found the easiest way to add weight, is to fill them with, play sand, with a funnel. If I can, I fill from the top and hide the hole with a hatch cover. The ones I can’t fill from the top, I do from the bottom. One third, to one half, works for me. If you have a derail and it fall’s on it’s side, pick it up and give it a little shake sideways and it will settle. Been doing that for 35yrs now and it works for me. [:)]
Frank
Frank has a good alternative idea using sand- but remember, all sand is not alike, as it may have impurities which can eventually give rise to mold and other issues. I find that the coarse black sand that I purchase at Michael’s Crafts (in the floral supplies area- center of store (?)) which I also use for coal loads, is a good weight material for tank cars which are already sealed or of one uniform molding. It is industrially processed and dry, as well as “clean”- one other advantage is the random coarseness of the material, which helps to keep it from shifting. Adding a dilute mixture of white glue or and full mixture of any craft glue will readily stabilize the material (and add a bit more weight). Do not use garden sand or paving sand, as it still contains a great deal of moisture (and don’t try “baking it” in a microwave- use the wife’s oven or let it air dry naturally for a few days). Also, fish tank granules, used for decorative bases in a fish tank, may be made from plastic- and of no significant help in adding weight.
Some older tank cars are made with upper and lower 1/2 shells, where metal weights can be glued in place in the lower half, then re-glued, or have a cap on top that can be carefully removed, sand infilled, then reattached.
Cedarwoodron