How do I determine ‘correct’ weight? Is there such a thing? Ideas?
Unless you’re talking about a really cheap, worthless Christmas train set locomotive, the manufacturer will have made it as heavy as feasible by using cast metal.
so… what you’re saying that plastic diesel locos r less than optimal quality?
everybody talks about how good BB athearn, altas, athearn rtr or genesis, broadway limited are and yet you say these are comparible to set locos?
I have BB’s, atlas, bachmann and lifelike and also I own 2 bowser metal locos…
So our best bet are metal locomotives for pulling power, but only certain companies make them.
I’m not trying to pick a fight here or start one [angel] but i do believe that if you know how to modify your locomotives they can pull more[:D] such as remotoring, adding wieght etc.
Ididn’tsee that being said at all. All my plastic body locomotives have cast metal frames and chassis. Most can pull well and a few can’t pull hardly anything.
By ‘cheap train set locomotive’ it was meant to refer to something like one of the cheap Life-Like offerings that’s gauranteed for one year or ten feet, whichever comes first. The Bachmann 4-6-0 Hall Class is another good example. It can’t pull three freight cars unless they weigh almost nothing and it’s all cast metal under the body with no room to spare. I know this because I have one. It’s a piece of crap. I also have a lot of Athearn BB locomotives that run very well. I also have an Athearn Genesis 4-6-2 that never learned how to do anything but break down. Many of the BAchmann diesels that were offered during the 80’s and 90’s are light weights as well. Most of mine hit the trash can.
The only engines that I’ve had to add weight to were the new LL Proto 1000 RS-11’s. Out of the box, they weren’t very good pullers on grades - this was even mentioned in MR’s review. It was a simple matter of opening it up and cramming the open spaces with lead bar. They will now pull as well as anything else I have.
Mark.
So I shouldn’t worry much about my Athearn BB/RTR -9s and AC4400s?
As for weighting cars, I have the formula (initial weight + additional weight/inches of the car) and wonder what works ‘best’ or is an easy weight to use. Would RC airplane weights (adhesive backed on one side and .5 oz/per ‘chunk’) be ‘acceptable’?
Any kind of weight will work. Some of my older boxcars and tank cars have steel nuts in them. On Athearn locos, the only ones of mine that I had to add some serious weight too is a GP60 and an AC4400. They were pretty light out of the box.
Yes there is such a thing as an ideal weight. If you are adding weight, the amount to add is dependent on a few things. First is that the axles and axle bearings can handle it. This is usually not an issue but some model’s wheel’s turning friction increases dramatically with excess weight. The only way I know to measure this is by trial and error. Does the locomotive really pull more with the extra weight or not? The second thing is the wheel slip. The amount of weight added should always allow the wheels to slip even if the locomotive is not moving forward. If the wheels stop turning (and hence the motor stops turning) there is too much weight. Third is the elecrical current. When the locomotive is not moving forward and the wheels are slipping the current draw should be no more than the “constant load” rating of the motor or the “constant load” rating of any electronic controller (like a DCC decoder or Railcommand reciever). Usually there will not be enough space to put as much weight as a locomotive could have. Most locomotives (especially those with sound) are under their ideal weight. Locomotives like Es, Fs, PAs, and c-liners obviously can carry a whole lot more weight than the narrow hooded S, RS, GP, u-boats etc.
The most important thing is that the wheels will slip readily when the loco can no longer move forward. Current draw will increase until the wheels slip, when it will drop dramatically. If the wheels don’t slip and the train is not moving forward, current draw will continue to climb until the magic smoke appears. Most decent quality locomotives, including Athearn and any with similar-type motors can handle more weight than it is possible to place inside the shell. When I was testing my Athearn Mik
For weight I use the stick on tire weights from the local tire store. They toss out the used ones and I get them from the bin they toss them in. Set the used weights in lacquer thinner for about ten minutes to remove the old tape and wipe them clean with a rag. The weights are in 1/4 ounce square pieces and can be attached with Walthers Goo or contact cement inside the car or locomotive. I use a modified form of the NMRA weight standard. I have a 3.5 ounce minimum for cars under 35 scale feet and use one ounce per ten scale feet of car length. A 50 foot car would weigh 5 ounces. The maximim is 7.5 ounces for cars over 70 scale feet.
The tire weights fit very well in most locomotives I’ve used them in Athearn and P2K locomotives to add some extra weight. When adding weight just remember not to get things too overweight or motor damage could occur.
Adding weight to locomotives is a old school trick that is almost obsolete with today’s locomotives.
However…Athearn locomotives still seem to be in the light weight class(except for the Super power BB F7).Here’s what I do to my BB kit and BB RTR locomotives I attach 4-6 pieces of stick on weight to the inside top of the shell…This gives the engine extra weight for better pulling.
For the newer Athearn RTR l.ocomotives I am hesitant in adding weight due to the added light board and DCC plug
Making space for sound, the speaker needs a lot, I try to remove no weight. There’re almost always some spots where I can add some moldable lead.
Wolfgang