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HO Car Weight
Archie has a question for other hobbyists and asks:
“I received an email where it mentioned something about car weight. My question is, do ho train cars need to be weighed down any? How can you add weight to a tank car? I’m sure that in a box car you can take it apart and put weight inside but tank cars and flat cars?”
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Flat cars are difficult to add weight to other than what the manufacture makes which is a flat bar placed between the frame and the bottom of the deck. Any additional weight can actually be the load. Special weights are made for tank cars and are easy to install. I have found that if you stay a little below the recommended weights from the NMRA and use free-rolling trucks on EVERY car, you will not have any problems with cars being pulled off the tracks and be able to run long trains in any scale.
Away to add weight to flat cars and tank cars is to use heavy solder wire. You wrap a strand of the solder around the axes of the car’s trucks. Make sure that the solder does not come in contact with metal wheels by using a dollop of hot glue on the ends, and make sure that nothing hangs down, so as not get caught on anything that lays between the rails.
Another way to add weight to a tank car is to carefully remove one end of the tank, so that it can be re-attached later. Secure your favorite type of weight material to the bottom of the inside. Then re-attach the end of the tank that you removed earlier. Be sure to allow plenty of time for the cement to dry completely before using the tank car.
You can add weight to flat and tank cars by…. buying lead shot… # 8’s usually sold in 1 to 3# bags…and turn the car over and fill the slots/cavities with shot…when you get the weight where you want add white glue to secure…
Weight is added to prevent railroad cars from jumping about unrealistically. A heavier car sways more slowly, so appears more realistic.
It’s best to measure out the weight of lead shot (sometimes called “Liquid Lead”) you want first, and to apply the glue _before_ adding the shot.
There are recommended weights per length of car. Can anyone give a link for this ?
Weight cars thusly: 1oz. plus 1/2 oz. per inch of length. Some tank cars (Athearn) are held together by a long screw. This may allow you to take the car apart if the parts have not been glued together. Self stick automotive wheel weights are lead and easily bent to fit the tank bottom. You may be able to remove the dome lid, pour in wood glue (not plastic glue!) and pour in BBs or buck shot. Also, metal wheels will add a bit of weight. Auto weights can be trimmed and stuck under ftat cars, sometimes lateral crossmembers can be removed (they won’t be seen anyway).
NMRA has all the info you’ll need for this and other standards related questions
http://www.nmra.org/standards/sandrp/consist.html