How much weight for rolling stock?

This is for S scale.

The National Model Railroad Association recommends that for S-scale, cars weigh 2 ounces plus 1/2 ounce per inch of car length (length is over the car body, not including couplers).  Car weight includes trucks and couplers.

Is the weight of rolling stock important to the operational performance?

Basically, American Models, S Helper/MTH and assembled S Scale America cars I leave alone.  For Pacific Rail Shops cars (predecessor to assembled S Scale America cars) which no weight was offered in the kits, I would add one ounce of weight above each bolster.  This is the same whether my cars are equipped as HiRail or Scale.

Never had any significant trouble with tracking or derailing.

*edit*  Whether or not my cars meet the NMRA standard, I don't know, I never bothered to weigh them.  However, the weight is pretty consistent among all my rolling stock.

I've found that in the Scale world, wheel gauge and coupler height and movement more important than weight.

Rusty

@Ukaflyer posted:

Is the weight of rolling stock important to the operational performance?

When I had a layout, the single BEST thing I ever did to improve the operation of my rolling stock was to weight it to NMRA standards. You will not believe the difference it makes!

Yes, weight is important; among other things it equalizes the weight of all the cars in a train meaning less string-a-linging and running at a more constant speed. I roughly follow NMRA standards (5 ounces plus 1 ounce per inch of car weight) by keeping all my cars between 15 and 16 ounces per car. For adding weight I use stick on automotive wheel weights (available at NAPA and other auto parts stores).

I recommend that the weights included in the NASG (NASG.ORG) Engineering standards be used for S scale rolling stock. They are as Bob Bartizek posted above. Those weights are intended for rolling stock with scale profile wheels and free rolling trucks. They are not meant for old Gilbert S gauge cars with blunt end axles in sheet metal trucks.

OK, I can see now that if all rolling stock is of a fairly similar weight I can see a good reason for doing it, as it can stop some of the lighter ones like empty flats being pulled over.

Looking at some of the figures being used to get a weight per car I can see that with say a dozen freights that this can add up to quite a total lump for the engine to pull, is this not putting a lot of additional strain on the motor(s) and drive train?

Actually not. The NASG weight standard for a 40' boxcar calculates to 5.75oz. I weighed two 40' boxcars selected at random from my layout. A recent production American Flyer by Lionel boxcar weighed 7.2oz, an SHS boxcar weighed 6.7oz. I used my wife's precision food scale, keep that to ourselves.

A new production AF by Lionel 3 bay hopper weighs 4.8oz, one ounce light. They run fine, I have pulled as many as 20 around the layout with no issues. A two bay MTH S scale covered hopper weighs 5.9oz, 1/2oz heavy per the NASG standards. I think these cars are within tolerances for use in long consists on layouts with good track.

@Ukaflyer posted:

Looking at some of the figures being used to get a weight per car I can see that with say a dozen freights that this can add up to quite a total lump for the engine to pull, is this not putting a lot of additional strain on the motor(s) and drive train?

Accelerating, decelerating, grades, and curves also put additional strain on trains.  If all your cars and locos are lubricated and as free rolling as you can get them, then the additional strain on the motors and drive gears is still fairly negligible as far as model trains go.  Even when the cars are properly weighted.

Unless you're duplicating the real thing with 100-car freights or 20-car+ passenger consists, of course.  Then you might start worrying about strain.

@Ukaflyer posted:

Is the weight of rolling stock important to the operational performance?

Absolutely. Keeping a box of these at my work bench is one of my essential modelling supplies....

WHEEL WEIGHTS

Thank you much, your answers will help. I will fwd the comments.

I keep some surplus weights around.

Yes friends, those are .45ACP FP lead bullets.  Handy weights, and I didn't like how they performed in their original role, but they make great weights for locomotives and rolling stock.

This HHP-8 got just over an extra pound, and it almost doubled it's pulling power, it was hopelessly underweight!  It had trouble with four 18" passenger cars before, now no sweat with ten Amtrak SuperLiners.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I keep some surplus weights around.

Yes friends, those are .45ACP FP lead bullets.  Handy weights, and I didn't like how they performed in their original role, but they make great weights for locomotives and rolling stock.

This HHP-8 got just over an extra pound, and it almost doubled it's pulling power, it was hopelessly underweight!  It had trouble with four 18" passenger cars before, now no sweat with ten Amtrak SuperLiners.

I hope you have a license for that ammo, John...That engineer may have some explaining to do if he gets pulled over for speeding! LOL

Well, no license required for chunks of lead.  Actually, in this state, there are no ammo restrictions that I know of, but I don't put live rounds in my trains!

In order to be "dangerous", the round has to have a brass case, powder, primer, and of course, the bullet.   I can hurt the guy more with my weights by just throwing the whole engine at him!

John,

Do you scale?  .38ACP for medium locos, .22 for BEEPs? :-)

Nope Ron, I blast them all with the 40# of 45ACP that I have left over!

You honestly didn't really think "Gunrunner" would use automotive weights did you? Silly people.

Personally, I just about covered my computer screen with iced-tea I laughed so hard when I saw the pic.

-Greg

Auto weights... I'd have to buy them.

Left over cast bullets... I have lots of them.

Easy choice.

I have Gilbert track and I have found that no engine can pull more than 21 cars.  It isn't that the engine can't pull more it's just that the weight of the cars causes them to derail on the curves with Gilbert radius.