HOW TO ADD WEIGHT TO ASSEMBLED WEAVER TANKERS

Here are the NMRA standars, Al.

http://www.nmra.org/sites/defa...ndrp/pdf/rp-20.1.pdf

I use Winchester number 9 shot to pour into voids and spaces - with a bit of PVA to keep them still.

Chers

As max mentioned. 

I have not done it but have heard of drilling a hole in the underside of the tank where it won't be seen. Squirt a whole bunch of white glue in the hole, add a bunch of BB's. Turn the car right side up, the glue and the BB's fall to the bottom of the tank and when the glue dries the BB's should be 'glued' down.

drill the hole just big enough For the BB's to be inserted. After everything is dry, simply fill the hole with a dab of caulk. Smooth it and use a sharpie to color it when the caulk is dry.

FWIW:

I did that to a couple of Lionel "Tank Train" cars. Takes quite a few BBs ! But you can get it up to NMRA weights. Sealed the hole with small a amount of black silicone. DID NOT USE ANY GLUE ON INSIDE. Sure, you can pick the car up, shake it and hear the BBs. But, on the layout, no rattling or any sounds. That way it can be easily undone should the need arise.

Good post guys, this will come in handy later on!

When I made y Seaboard Whalebelly Hopper using a Weaver 50' tankcar, I noticed immediately it would need some weight, ended up putting 14 ounces of lead inside before I sealed it up.  It's heavy, but rolls very well:

Thank you modelers.I never thought of doing something so simple,it's always got to be complicated with me it seems.

Al Hummel

Good looking car Bob!

Simon

You can get the cars apart -- at least the older ones. You have to carefully move the end rails back, then you can remove the end caps. At that's what I was able to do with the Allied Chemical cars from several years ago. I'm waiting for more weights to arrive as I have six cars that need weight added. You can (read should) glue the car back together and it will track much better.

Bob Delbridge posted:

Good post guys, this will come in handy later on!

When I made y Seaboard Whalebelly Hopper using a Weaver 50' tankcar, I noticed immediately it would need some weight, ended up putting 14 ounces of lead inside before I sealed it up.  It's heavy, but rolls very well:

Very nice car, Bob. I think Ed Reutling did one of those as well. I thought he did an article about it but can't find it.

AGHRMatt posted:

Very nice car, Bob. I think Ed Reutling did one of those as well. I thought he did an article about it but can't find it.

I believe that Ed's effort inspired Bob's.  Ed's is in OST, but I've forgotten which specific issue that was...

Ed was indeed behind this.

He was well into his project when I mentioned I had been wanting one of these cars and Ed talked me into doing it.

I got some good drawings from the ACL/SAL Historical Society and Ed sent off to get decals made.

Ed's car was in OST and mine was in the online S-CL Modeler magazine.  Ed's car was a SCL model while mine was SAL.

l would have never tried this without his prodding me, he knew exactly how to cut down the Weaver 50 foot tank car into this short, pregnant looking model.

Seemed like everything I was dreaming of doing Ed was a step ahead.  He had converted some of his engines to battery power a couple of years before I made the move, his YouTube videos may still be online.

He also sent me a partially completed model of the SAL motorcar 2028, something I need to get busy on.

I miss our conversations, he was very innovative and had a great "BS" filter.

I also remember my conversations with Ed with great fondess.

Not to get away from this topic,but since you gentlemen are talking about SAL, I've become a big fan of the SCL&L&N/Family Lines System 4750 cvd hoppers,as well as other makes of hoppers open&closed,from the 70s on up. These railroads of course finally ended up being part of CSX today.

Since Atlas isn't even doing CSX 4750's,let alone the FLS hoppers,it looks like decorating my own is a future option&a very expensive one.(?) I was wondering how much it would cost to get undecorated models done of a few of these modern hoppers?

Years ago I was told HI Ball Graphics would be the place to start,but it seemed like it was going to cost $300 per car by the time the custom decals,paint etc. was all finished-I hope I'm wrong on the price.

Can someone give me a "refresher" course here?

Many thanks to all for all your help.

That's a FANTASTIC whale belly tanker!! A manufacturer with molds couldn't have done better!!

Al Hummel

Al,

I know it's been made (maybe twice) in HO, plastic and brass.

Ed's article was in OST Vol7 #4, July/August 2008 and mine was in S-CL Modeler Vol2 3rd Qtr 2008.

I had a topic a couple days/wks ago on Weaver hoppers and the conclusion was that Lionel got their molds.  You might want to contact Lionel because quite a few of the Weaver hoppers, open and covered, were types SAL and ACL (hence SCL and FLS) owned.  Of course there's always the strip/repaint and decal method, LBR Enterprises may have the artwork they can scale up to O.

Getting back on topic...when did the safety platform/railing get put around the top of the tank cars?  I have a K-Line car that doesn't have one attached (but it looks like there's holes for it).

I have an Atlas SHPX 8,000 gal. tankcar coming in soon from Petersen Supply, I doubt it'll need any additional weight as all of Atlas' stuff is fairly heavy.

Bob Delbridge posted:

When I made y Seaboard Whalebelly Hopper using a Weaver 50' tankcar, I noticed immediately it would need some weight, ended up putting 14 ounces of lead inside before I sealed it up.  It's heavy, but rolls very well:

Nice job Bob, I like that build.

Thanks John!  Here's the real deal:

A brass model would be a beautiful thing (and lotsa $$$).

Neat looking car, and you did it justice with the model.   All you need now is about twenty more to make a tank train!