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Offline Janne75  
#1 Posted : 11 October 2014 22:33:06(UTC)
Janne75

Finland   
Joined: 23/03/2012(UTC)
Posts: 2,550
Location: Finland
Hi all,

I have been thinking of adding some lead weights to some of my lightweight locomotives and rolling stock to improve their running on the tracks. Mostly to some very lightweight locomotives just weighting under 200 grams. DHG 700 and DB BR 89 Delta. Maybe also DB BR 86. I think switching engines DB V 60's and DB BR 260's could also benefit from some extra weight. All locos mentioned are lightweight and they have sometimes difficulties to have a good ground contact through their wheels. Added weight (with lead weights etc.) will give them better ground contact and increase their pulling power and glimbing performance as it prevents them to spin wheels so easily.

One of my friends added lead weights already to his DHG 700 and it improved a lot. He also adjusted the wheels distance to a little wider to also improve the ground contact through the wheels. I will follow his route. I think if the weight could be increased from just under 200 grams to 300-350 grams it will get better.

Has anyone here on the forum any experience of adding weight to locomotives or rolling stock? Did the running get better with the modifications?

Regards,
Janne
Märklin H0 digital layout. I have analog and digital H0 Collection. Rolling stock mostly from era I, II, III and IV. Märklin 1 gauge beginner.
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Offline seatrains  
#2 Posted : 12 October 2014 20:02:14(UTC)
seatrains

United States   
Joined: 22/11/2006(UTC)
Posts: 669
Location: Shoreline, WA
Janne, the NMRA has recommended weights for different gauges/scales, but I have never added weigh to anything.BigGrin See link:
http://www.nmra.org/beginner/weight
Thom
European Train Enthusiast - Pacific Northwest Chapter
4th Division, Pacific Northwest Region, National Model Railroaders Association
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Offline Webmaster  
#3 Posted : 12 October 2014 20:24:58(UTC)
Webmaster


Joined: 25/07/2001(UTC)
Posts: 11,161
I myself have one loco (a Fleischmann BR 13) that needs to have some weight added to it, since it is mostly plastic in the loco itself while the pushing tender is mostly metal - looks rather stupid to have the lightweight loco wobbling & shaking around in front of the stable tender...
Juhan - "Webmaster", at your service...
He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes. He who does not ask a question remains a fool forever. [Old Chinese Proverb]
Offline Janne75  
#4 Posted : 13 October 2014 08:57:34(UTC)
Janne75

Finland   
Joined: 23/03/2012(UTC)
Posts: 2,550
Location: Finland
Originally Posted by: Webmaster Go to Quoted Post
I myself have one loco (a Fleischmann BR 13) that needs to have some weight added to it, since it is mostly plastic in the loco itself while the pushing tender is mostly metal - looks rather stupid to have the lightweight loco wobbling & shaking around in front of the stable tender...


This is a good candidate for adding some lead weighs then Cool . I think I will buy some 1-2 mm thick lead plates and install them inside some of the locos to get better grounding, traction and pulling power. As lead is a soft metal it can be cut easily. Care must be taken not to touch the lead plates with bare hands as it is toxic.

Janne
Märklin H0 digital layout. I have analog and digital H0 Collection. Rolling stock mostly from era I, II, III and IV. Märklin 1 gauge beginner.
Offline foumaro  
#5 Posted : 13 October 2014 09:36:46(UTC)
foumaro

Greece   
Joined: 08/12/2004(UTC)
Posts: 4,420
Location: Attiki Athens Greece
My locomotives do not need extra weight,they are all very heavy.The only light unit is the 37615 BR 260 but this locomotive carrying the wagons one by one so one wagon is easy for her to carry it.BigGrin
Offline Janne75  
#6 Posted : 14 October 2014 15:02:28(UTC)
Janne75

Finland   
Joined: 23/03/2012(UTC)
Posts: 2,550
Location: Finland
Yes, those US full metal loco models are heavy and don´t have these same problems. I will have soon fifteen full metal auto transport wagons in a train. They weigh all together around 1700 grams (around 115 grams each). As I want to be able to pull these with that tiny DHG 700 C "VW" diesel 3088 it is important to add weight. It weighs now 194 grams and my "goal" is to get it to 300-350 grams (+35-45%). I have tested it with eleven full metal auto transport wagons and it starts to spin it´s wheels when going uphill. I´m sure this tiny locomotive is capable of pulling that fifteen wagon train when it is heavy enough as it´s traction to track will be much better then. For example many full metal DB BR 81 models are very good pullers as they are very heavy for their size. All wheels driven also, but eight wheels when this DHG 700 C has only six wheels. Good thing is that it has still two traction tyres and not one like the newer versions.

Cheers,
Janne
Märklin H0 digital layout. I have analog and digital H0 Collection. Rolling stock mostly from era I, II, III and IV. Märklin 1 gauge beginner.
Offline foumaro  
#7 Posted : 14 October 2014 19:13:57(UTC)
foumaro

Greece   
Joined: 08/12/2004(UTC)
Posts: 4,420
Location: Attiki Athens Greece
I prefer to leave the locomotives the way they are.Maybe you can find an alternative sollution to pull this heavy train.If you decide to put the weights in the loco just be sure that it will possible to remove them in the future.BigGrin
Offline RayF  
#8 Posted : 14 October 2014 21:33:11(UTC)
RayF

Gibraltar   
Joined: 14/03/2005(UTC)
Posts: 15,837
Location: Gibraltar, Europe
I think you should ask yourself whether this kind of load would be within the capabilities of a real shunting locomotive of that type.

The only shunting yards I can think of with inclines are "hump" yards, and I don't think a small shunter like a DHG 500 or 700 would be required to pull 15 wagons up a slope in one of those yards.

Having said that it never hurts to add a bit of weight to a light loco. I wouldn't over-do it though!
Ray
Mostly Marklin.Selection of different eras and European railways
Small C track layout, control by MS2, 100+ trains but run 4-5 at a time.
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Offline perz  
#9 Posted : 15 October 2014 22:38:36(UTC)
perz

Sweden   
Joined: 12/01/2002(UTC)
Posts: 2,578
Location: Sweden
On our "company layout" we ran a Märklin T44 for a while. It had some problems with traction, so we added weight to it. It definitely improved.
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Offline Janne75  
#10 Posted : 15 October 2014 23:00:18(UTC)
Janne75

Finland   
Joined: 23/03/2012(UTC)
Posts: 2,550
Location: Finland
Hi all,

Today I ordered eight 1 mm thick lead plates of 100x150 mm size. They weigh each 170 grams so 1360 grams all together. They cost 4 euro each. I think there will be soon enough of lead for additional weights for many locomotives or other rolling stock RollEyes . I try to install these extra weights so that I can remove them later if wanted. But if/when there is not much room for these and the locomotive(s) are cheap I will maybe just glue those extra weights in that case.

I will write here if these two lightweight locos running and pulling power improve when they have been modified.

Regards,
Janne
Märklin H0 digital layout. I have analog and digital H0 Collection. Rolling stock mostly from era I, II, III and IV. Märklin 1 gauge beginner.
thanks 3 users liked this useful post by Janne75
Offline Janne75  
#11 Posted : 16 October 2014 23:05:02(UTC)
Janne75

Finland   
Joined: 23/03/2012(UTC)
Posts: 2,550
Location: Finland
Hi all,

Today I installed lead weights to DHG 700 C and DB BR 89 006 locos. Both have Delta decoders. It was practically impossible to get their weight to 300-350 grams, but I managed to increase both locos weight enough:

DHG 700 C std weight 191 grams, added weight +83 grams = 274 grams

DB BR 89 006 std weight 175 grams, added weight +103 grams = 278 grams

Now both locos run well as they have a good ground contact through wheels to track because they weigh more now. They also pull very well many heavy wagons and climb well uphill ThumpUp . I'm very happy for these results and I will continue to add weight to some other locos like BR 85 and BR 86 for example Smile .

Cheers,
Janne
Märklin H0 digital layout. I have analog and digital H0 Collection. Rolling stock mostly from era I, II, III and IV. Märklin 1 gauge beginner.
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Offline Janne75  
#12 Posted : 17 October 2014 22:53:42(UTC)
Janne75

Finland   
Joined: 23/03/2012(UTC)
Posts: 2,550
Location: Finland
I just finished to add weight in my DRG BR 85 006 (33081 Delta). It's weight was originally 339 grams and I added 149 grams lead so now it is 488 grams. It feels now heavy enough ThumpUp . 339 grams was very low weight vs. how many axles this loco has. Very low axle weight as standard and now much better. It pulls like a "real" train now! Smile

Cheers,
Janne
Märklin H0 digital layout. I have analog and digital H0 Collection. Rolling stock mostly from era I, II, III and IV. Märklin 1 gauge beginner.
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Offline Drongo  
#13 Posted : 21 October 2014 11:02:26(UTC)
Drongo

Australia   
Joined: 03/06/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,221
Location: Sydney, NSW
IMHO I think that all the plastic bodied trains need extra weight in them. I have the ICE 3 with the motor section in the centre carriage and the sliders are in the front and rear carriages. Consequently there is very little weight to keep the front slider from bouncing off the tracks - it only takes a slight bounce and there's a derailment. I also had the Thaylis which I eventually returned to Marklin (4 times) and told them to keep it - that's another story. Inside this train, Marklin had poorly glued some steel blocks in the front and rear carriages to add some weight, but it just wasn't enough. I've even added weight to some wagons that kept derailing - that worked well.

So, in my opinion, if you think it needs weight, then add it.

Regards
Greg
Take it easy . . . . or any other way you can get it !!!!
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Offline Janne75  
#14 Posted : 21 October 2014 11:40:29(UTC)
Janne75

Finland   
Joined: 23/03/2012(UTC)
Posts: 2,550
Location: Finland
Hi Greg,

Yes, I agree. But there is however some plastic body locos with good pulling power and they don´t have derailment problems either. Märklin DB V160, DB BR 216 (3074, 3075 and so on) and DB BR 218 are this kind of locos. They have heavy frame and weight is located where it should be = lower part of the loco. Also Swedish electric loco SJ 3043 and Austrian electric loco ÖBB 3041 etc. are good pullers and have the weight they have low in their quite heavy frame.

All three of my locos which are fitted with extra lead weights so far (DHG 700 C, DB BR 89 and DRG BR 85) are much better runners and pullers now than before. I should add more weight by lead plates to my very lightweight Roco freight cars as those derail easily especially on the turnouts.

Regards,
Janne
Märklin H0 digital layout. I have analog and digital H0 Collection. Rolling stock mostly from era I, II, III and IV. Märklin 1 gauge beginner.
Offline Deborail  
#15 Posted : 22 October 2014 12:46:42(UTC)
Deborail

United Arab Emirates   
Joined: 06/10/2009(UTC)
Posts: 819
Location: RAK
Some locos may need lead weights, but the problem is that they have limited space to add the weight. Moreover most locos that have traction tyres do not need weight added, because they benefit from the traction tyres. My preference is to avoid plastic body locos in any case, even though I have quite few Athearn Genesis plastic body locos, but they are heavy too due to their metal chassis.
George

Given enough time, tasks manage themselves.
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