The correct weight...
... is critical for having fun when operating your trains. In other words : Many cars derail because they are too light. This doesn´t show much if you have shorter trains but already a train length of about roughly 4 feet going through a curve can easily derail, especially when going slow.
But before you go ahead now and rip out the track because you think that the curve is too narrow, go the easy way first and weigh your car.
The NMRA (National Model Railroad Association) in USA developed recommendations and standards for the correct car weight which have been thoroughly tested and proved to be reliable.
The NMRA recommends, depending on the scale, a basic weight per car plus a variable weight per inch carlength. The following table shows the dimensions and weight in metric and english units ( 1 ounce = 28.35 grams, 1 inch = 25.4 mm )for the most common gauges:
| H0 - 1:87 | TT - 1:120 | N - 1:160 |
| Basic weight : 31,1 g / 1.097 ounces | Basic weight : 23,33 g / 0.823 ounces | Basic weight : 15,6 g / 0.55 ounces |
| plus 15,6 g - 25,4 mm [0.55 ounces - 1 inch] | plus 4,59 g [0.162 ounce] / cm [0.394 inch] carbody length | plus 1,84 g [0.065 ounce]/ cm [0.394 inch] carbody length |
| 6,13 g [0.216 ounce]/ cm [0.394 inch]carbody length | ||
An example for H0: A car weighs in at 35g [1.2346] ounce and is 13,4 cm [5.28 inches] long (measured carbody length without buffers or couplers). So the basic weight is already more than fulfilled but what about the total weight? (13,4 x 6,13) + 31,1 = 113,242 g (5.28 x 0.216) + 1.097 = 2.237 ounces recommended weight minus 35g [1.2346 ounce] yields 78,242 g [1,0024 ounce]"additional load". | ||
In order not to have to calculate each car manually, I made up a little calculator for this purpose. Fill in the car´s weight in either grams or ounces, the scale, and the measured length. |  |
| The calculator only works for H0, TT, and N-scale. If you want more gauges, I will be happy to program them. | |
If you would like to read this page in German language, just click the language icon to the left of the site logo...
© 2009 by Erhard Baltrusch, Hamburg, Germany