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 Posted - December 28 2014 : 9:15:14 PM
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I noticed my Mantua 2-6-2 has a very heavy tender. I know some weight is needed for good electrical pick up. I also hear if too heavy, it'll hender overall tractive effort at the coupler. I wanna take some weight off the floor where it's raised at. Not flush, just enough. I feel as if the tender weighs almost the same as the engine. Will this be an issue to remove some weight? I want a little heft.
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
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Posted - December 28 2014 : 10:01:17 PM
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I am thinking somebody added some weight. Most trains out of the box are too lightweight.
NMRA has standards for rolling stock weight. Not sure if it applies to tenders. Can you weigh your tender accurately with a scale?
Unspoken expectations are premeditated failures.
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Posted - December 28 2014 : 10:08:19 PM
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I lack a scale. Stock Mantua tender chassis. Less than 35 feet.
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
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Posted - December 28 2014 : 10:27:08 PM
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Tenders should be a bit heavier than the NMRA standard car weight because the weight improves electrical pickup. Also, there's a sideways pull to the drawbar when the engine goes through a curve and its overhang past the rear driver hangs out to the side. Extra weight holds the front truck down making it harder for that pull to derail the tender's front truck.
On the other hand, your decision need not be final. You could run the engine with the full-weight tender and see if it pulls all that you want to pull. If not, you could remove the weight then.
Or, you could remove the weight now and if the tender is prone to derailment or bad electrical contact with the rail, you could add the weight back on. Either way, you'd know by experience what works for you.
Carpe Manana!
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Posted - December 28 2014 : 11:11:21 PM
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Thanks for the tip scsshaggy. Some lessons are learned the hard way. Don't wanna learn the hard way on this.
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
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