Scale Test Car???
- Thread starter beezerv
- Start date
A scale test car is used to test and calibrate track scales. Railroads weigh cars to determine how much load is being carried so that they can charge for it and to see that the car isn't overloaded. The test car has a fixed weight, and I think there are removable weights so that a range of the scale can be checked.
The car probably has no brakes so that they don't wear down or wear the wheels down. The car is moved in a train just ahead of the caboose.
We talked about scales in another thread -- a pair of rails are laid on the scale just beside the running rails. A set of points switches the car to be weighed onto the scale rails. The regular rails are used for the locomotive and any cars not to be weighrd.
The car probably has no brakes so that they don't wear down or wear the wheels down. The car is moved in a train just ahead of the caboose.
We talked about scales in another thread -- a pair of rails are laid on the scale just beside the running rails. A set of points switches the car to be weighed onto the scale rails. The regular rails are used for the locomotive and any cars not to be weighrd.
I have more about this specific model in the January UMTRR. See the archive edition now on the website (link below).
While that paint scheme is unusual, having both B&O reporting marks and a CSX logo, it is legitimate and prototype photos do exist.
BTW I have been told that the car is sold out at Micro-Trains, although that usually means that it's not completely unavailable at train stores.
That car, by the way, is SMALL! It's not much larger than an N Scale truck (the one that goes under freight cars).
While that paint scheme is unusual, having both B&O reporting marks and a CSX logo, it is legitimate and prototype photos do exist.
BTW I have been told that the car is sold out at Micro-Trains, although that usually means that it's not completely unavailable at train stores.
That car, by the way, is SMALL! It's not much larger than an N Scale truck (the one that goes under freight cars).
I guess it must have been repainted in the brief time in the 1980s when the CSX name but not reporting mark was in use.
A majority of prototype scale test cars are rebuilt stuff now, besides some specialy built ones, I doubt you'd see something that tiny anymore.
The scale test car that Micro-Trains is offering is a standard design-- at least relatively speaking. There are a number of roads for which the model should be good.
beezerv said:
I was thinking that they were to be at the rear just in front the caboose, and there was a 30mph speed restriction on the train that had them. I am not sure all roads did this. Others on here might be able to correct me on this.
That's generally true... the idea is not to subject the car to stresses and strains to the extent possible.
I'm sure that there are exceptions to this and there's a photo out there somewhere...
I'm sure that there are exceptions to this and there's a photo out there somewhere...
BTW I heard from one of my subscribers today that despite the car's small size, it tracks with no issues in a train behind and just in front of the caboose, where it would normally be run in a train as we've been discussing here.