Weight
- Thread starter J. Steffen
- Start date
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Depends... what kind of rolling stock?
Most Athearn, Accurail, or other "simpler" kits can be dissassembled enought to get the weight inside, if there is room. Box cars, reefers, some covered hoppers, and some tankers are easy enough.
For open cars like gondolas or hoppers, the easy answer is to add a load of some sort. Scrap, pipe, wheels, coiled steel, etc in gons, coal or aggregates in hoppers. Flat cars are a challenge, although covered (tarped) machinery, lumber, or crates offer opportunities to hide weight.
The hardest car to weight properly is probably the empty flat. You can adda false deck, or a cast metal deck, but that may add noticable "thickness". If the underside is noot overly detailed, you may add weights there, or fill in between the centre "spine" if there is one. Changing to metal wheels and couplers adds a few grams...!
Hope that helps.
Andrew
Most Athearn, Accurail, or other "simpler" kits can be dissassembled enought to get the weight inside, if there is room. Box cars, reefers, some covered hoppers, and some tankers are easy enough.
For open cars like gondolas or hoppers, the easy answer is to add a load of some sort. Scrap, pipe, wheels, coiled steel, etc in gons, coal or aggregates in hoppers. Flat cars are a challenge, although covered (tarped) machinery, lumber, or crates offer opportunities to hide weight.
The hardest car to weight properly is probably the empty flat. You can adda false deck, or a cast metal deck, but that may add noticable "thickness". If the underside is noot overly detailed, you may add weights there, or fill in between the centre "spine" if there is one. Changing to metal wheels and couplers adds a few grams...!
Hope that helps.
Andrew
I use Temp-Lo, a wonderful pruduct sold by Walther's. It's a metal that melts in hot water (158-190 F) and is a great way to add weight, as you just pour it in where it's needed (Ex: to fill in the areas in a flat cars frame).
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/949-525
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/949-525
I've had good luck using lead bird shot that I pour epoxy over. It works well in most applications, except as noted before on flats. I've also had good luck with the moldable lead in spine cars. I've used the bird shot on loco's (in the fuel tank, or under side of the shell) in hoppers (just poured in the bottom) and others. The epoxy not only binds the shot together, but adheres it to the shell at the same time.
As was said before most "simpler" kits are easily opened.....
If its a box car and you can open the door you can get weight in quite easily.
Metal wheels go a long way too if you dont have them allready!
If its a box car and you can open the door you can get weight in quite easily.
Metal wheels go a long way too if you dont have them allready!
If its a box car and you can open the door you can get weight in quite easily.
Depending on the kit, not all boxcar doors open... much to the frustration of the LPBs!
Accurail for example - but the whole shell will come off the underframe quite easily. :thumb:
Andrew