# Weighting tank cars...



## AmericanRailfan (Feb 16, 2013)

In my discussions about modeling a hump yard, I have been advised to have weight uniformity with all of the rolling stock. (Also, metal trucks have been a main point of advice.) I have a lot of tank cars and was wondering how I would weight those: would I try and pry them open and maybe squirt some silicone in there? Would I put some sand or some other kind of solid in there?


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

They need metal wheels not necessarily metal trucks.

Just about any method would work for adding weight. Some use some kind of shot like BB's. That way you can drill a small hole and add them as needed then just add a little white glue in the hole to keep them from rattling around.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

You want to try to keep the weight uniform across the car, so keep that in mind. If you use glue, try to shake them around while wet to get them evenly distributed from end to end. Of course, you want them as low in the tank as possible for low CG.


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## feldon30 (Dec 30, 2012)

Just went to a little clinic about this.

Peel-and-stick lead weights are very handy for this. Make sure they are centered left-to-right in the car and if you can, cluster them right over the truck/axles. If you have the ability to cut scrap metal, you can cut rectangles of aluminium to the shape of the car. You may need to file the edges to have a slight bevel so that your metal piece slides down into the tank car and stays put. Then you can add a load on top and affix it with 50-50 white glue-water after first dabbing some 93% alcohol to make the glue penetrate.

Might want to look at NMRA's guidelines on rolling stock weight. Grab a calculator and a kitchen scale and you can find out how many ounces each car is supposed to weigh based on length, and then you just have to add that much weight to each car.
http://nmra.org/standards/sandrp/rp-20_1.html


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I use the peel and stick weights for boxcars, flatcars, or gondolas. For many tank cars, there's no place to put them where they won't show. Even for ones with a frame, it's typically constructed in such a way that you'd have to slice-n-dice any weight to distribute it in the frame. It's much easier to put the weight inside the tanks.

For example.


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## feldon30 (Dec 30, 2012)

Tank cars are tricky, as are flat cars unless they have some nice recessed areas on the bottom.

As for tank cars, I guess you could drill a small hole in the top and add sand or some other small item and then seal the hole. Hmm!


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I drill the hole in the bottom if there isn't a hole already in the top. For the one pictured, I believe you can pull that cap off and there's a hole that you could drop something like lead shot into it for weight, followed by some glue.

I have some flatcars that I've used small weights inside the beam structure, and the same for tankcars like the one below.


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## AmericanRailfan (Feb 16, 2013)

NIMT said:


> They need metal wheels not necessarily metal trucks.
> 
> Just about any method would work for adding weight. Some use some kind of shot like BB's. That way you can drill a small hole and add them as needed then just add a little white glue in the hole to keep them from rattling around.




You're right, I think I misquoted. I was going to alter them to both metal trucks AND wheels, thinking that that alone might help with some trace amount of weight. Since this is going to be for N scale, could I possibly just put some glue in there and skip the heavier solids? (I am not against putting BB's or shot or other solids in there; I am just wondering if perhaps being that since this is a smaller scale, putting shot or BB's might be overkill.)


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## AmericanRailfan (Feb 16, 2013)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> I use the peel and stick weights for boxcars, flatcars, or gondolas. For many tank cars, there's no place to put them where they won't show. Even for ones with a frame, it's typically constructed in such a way that you'd have to slice-n-dice any weight to distribute it in the frame. It's much easier to put the weight inside the tanks.
> 
> For example.



I use BB's and peel and stick weights for boxcars, flatcars, gondolas, and open-top hoppers as well. What I am thinking, though, is that since this is going to be for a smaller scale layout (N scale) perhaps those heaveir weights might be overkill(?) On the other hand, I know there is really small shot for shot guns, almost as small as grains of sand.


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## AmericanRailfan (Feb 16, 2013)

feldon30 said:


> Just went to a little clinic about this.
> 
> Peel-and-stick lead weights are very handy for this. Make sure they are centered left-to-right in the car and if you can, cluster them right over the truck/axles. If you have the ability to cut scrap metal, you can cut rectangles of aluminium to the shape of the car. You may need to file the edges to have a slight bevel so that your metal piece slides down into the tank car and stays put. Then you can add a load on top and affix it with 50-50 white glue-water after first dabbing some 93% alcohol to make the glue penetrate.
> 
> ...



Thank you, very much for the link. That helps me out a lot.


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## AmericanRailfan (Feb 16, 2013)

Also, while we are on the subject, are there metal couplers for N scale that anyone knows about? That's something that I have been trying to track down.


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## Carl (Feb 19, 2012)

A Tootsie Roll Tank Car...........outstanding!

N Scale has metal or plastic wheels and plastic trucks available. I have not seen any metal trucks available.


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## AmericanRailfan (Feb 16, 2013)

That's interesting. I had thought I'd seen metal truck replacements available for N scale rolling stock. I would love it if that were the case, as well as for metal couplers.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

N-scale is a whole different picture, I'd probably consider some solder tucked in under the frame for many of those, you'll probably never get to the point you need much added weight.


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## daveh219 (Sep 16, 2012)

Just got done 'weighting' my N scale cars and used the NMRA RP to guide me. Took a little to understand what they were saying but finally got it done. Used "stickem" weights and wondering how much +/- factor there should be. Is 1 oz over OK???


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

It's always better to be heavier than light!


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

YIKES! 1oz is like WAY over for the typical N-scale car!

1/2 oz + .15 for each inch is the standard. For a four inch car, that's 1.1 oz, an extra ounce makes it twice the weight!


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## rrgrassi (May 3, 2012)

When I modeled N scale, I used the 1/4 oz stick on weights. I used rail cutters to cut them in half. It worked well.

I also used modeling clay for weight as well. It worked in recessed areas under the cars.


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## daveh219 (Sep 16, 2012)

Gunner...as soon as I posted I realized it should have been *.1 oz*. The entire car is around 1 oz total. Sorry for the slip-up...


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

OK, .1 oz I'll buy.


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## Carl (Feb 19, 2012)

It would be interesting, if someone who has the skill set, to do a study of add weight versus electric motor damage. We talk about, and see the advantages of making the sure the cars are of the correct weight. If we increase the weight of each car in a long consist would it increase the wear on the engine. Don't forget, we also add weight to the engines to increase traction so we can pull more cars......do we increase wear on the electric motor?


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Well, if you don't weight them, you'll have difficulty having a long consist anyway, because you'll have constant derailing.


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