Why Add Weight

[brubakes]

Why do you add weight to locos and rolling stock? What are the benefits?

 

[Rico]

Make yourseld up a long train with your lightest cars in the front and heaviest cars in the back and you'll soon see why equal weight is benificial on the first sharp curve.
Weight in locos (but not too much) improves traction, like when your "locie" spins out and you put your finger on it... same idea.
BTW: If you run light or MT cars in front of big heavy cars you are now required by law to model the CNR.

 

[brubakes]

Okay thats what I figured. I've played the tight turn light car game before.

 

[Selector]

That works in reverse, too. Shoving heavier end-cars with ones too light between them and the loco makes for a very angry Wreck Master.

 

[CanuckMark]

Too much weight in the engine can be bad as well, as it can overload the engine. Too little weight and, of course, the wheels will spin.

Mark

 

[mikeingeorgia]

I used to add weight to all my engines. Then I realized that what was even better, if I wanted to run a long heavy train, was just to add another engine! What better excuse to head down to the hobby shop. "Yes dear, I need another engine. We can't maintain the schedule with what we have right now"

 

[CBCNSfan]

BTW: If you run light or MT cars in front of big heavy cars you are now required by law to model the CNR.

Good one
Cheers Willis

 

[HaggisKennedy]

There's been some discussion off and on elsewhere regarding sticking religiously to the NMRA recommended weight for HO cars. There's a segment out there that's of the mind that it's not as much the weight the NMRA states, as it is that all the cars weigh about the same. Consistency is the key for those folks; some of them have cars that are an ounce or two below what the NMRA states.

But, if you run at the club, or have friends who contribute cars to your sessions, then having everybody adhering to a standard helps keep things running smoothly. If you're a lone wolf, then you could save a penny or three by not filling your cars with weight.

Kennedy