Kato early cement hoppers

[Cajonpassfan]

Over the years I've acquired a good number of the early cement hoppers for my ATSF/UP cement traffic from LA to Southwest Portland Cement Co. located at Victorville and Oro Grande. Other than the goofy couplers and odd wheels, both of which need replacing, they are very nice and prototypically correct models for my circa '49 era. But they are ridiculously light, about 10 grams or .3 ounces per car...about a third of recommended weight for their size. Running them in a real train on the hill is hopeless; they derail.

My question is, how the hell do you take them apart to add weight?? Kato fans assure me that Kato models have no glue, just an engineered fit, but I can't find a nondestructive way to get these cars open. What am I missing?
Advice appreciated.
Otto K.

[thomasjmdavis]

Otto,

It's easier than it looks.  Start from the bottom. It's not unlike taking the shell off an F7- although do be careful of the bracing and other delicate parts. 

From the bottom, pull the sides gently apart and insert a toothpick on each side.

Wiggle the underframe-bolster-truck assembly until it pops loose and remove it.

Then wiggle the hoppers-floor assembly gently, and it should come loose from the roof-frame assembly.

Mine has a couple of 1/4 oz weights inside- I'm not sure if they came factory installed or if I put them in there, but turns out they need some maintenance, as one is no longer where it belongs.

I'm on the way to the dentist, but I'll snap a couple photos when I get back.

[thomasjmdavis]

Quickie photos with my phone.  With the 2 1/4 oz weights, mine weigh in at 25 grams, between .8 and .9 ounce, according to our kitchen scale. I must have installed them- they were held in with mirror tape. Note that there are tabs and slots in the various parts- so they only go together one way to keep the brake details properly aligned.  When reassembling, if something isn't going together easily, something is probably the wrong way round.  Also note that there are some tabs on the underframe over the inside wheels- these hold it into the body- mine came loose with no problem with the toothpick method, but might need some prying loose if paint or glue or something got in there by accident.

[Cajonpassfan]

Thanks a lot Tom! Appreciate your effort!
Funny thing though (or maybe sad when I think about it😬) is that when I started opening them up I "discovered" that I had already added 1/2 oz. of weight to some of them. I must have done it when I first bought them when Kato first released them. I even renumbered some of the duplicates. Completely forgot. So obviously I knew then how to open them up....

I opened up eight of the unweighted ones this morning and added two 1/4 oz. weights to each. That brings the weight to .8 oz. or 23 grams... respectable for 34' cars. The only difference is that the new steel weights are a bit larger than the lead weights were some 20 plus years ago but they still fit, though snuggly, see pic. I didn't trust the sticky backing so I also used glue...ACC and when I ran out, wood glue to keep the weights from shifting around.
These cars were in local cement service and really need to be weathered appropriately...another project.
Again thanks for your help, Tom!
Otto

[nkalanaga]

As of last year you could still buy the lead weights from O'Reilly Auto Parts, through a store or online.  I ordered a box, which will probably last the rest of my life.  The mail carrier probably wasn't happy!  We're on a rural route, and the mail has to placed in our box from inside the carriers car.  That box is heavy!

[thomasjmdavis]

You're welcome, Otto.  My recollection is that just after these cars came out, there was an article published in one of the magazines on all of the available N scale 2 bay covered hoppers, which had the info on how to open these cars, and what weights to use- and I just followed those instructions. 

Appears, from shaking the boxes, that I probably need to open up all of mine to re-glue the weights.

As of last year you could still buy the lead weights from O'Reilly Auto Parts, through a store or online.  I ordered a box, which will probably last the rest of my life.  The mail carrier probably wasn't happy!  We're on a rural route, and the mail has to placed in our box from inside the carriers car.  That box is heavy!

I am also on a rural route....but my wife works across the street from the local O'Reilly's, so I can save the mail carrier's stress and strain.

[eja]

Why buy lead wheel alignment weights?

Stop by a tyre dealership.  When they align wheels, they strip old balancing weights off and throw them away or into a box. Ask politely, and you can usually get all you could want for free.


$$$

[nkalanaga]

Because these are rectangular, and clean.  Most used tire weights I've seen are filthy, and not shaped to fit in an N scale freight car.  Or IN anything else, for that matter.

Yes, years ago, I did use some old tire weights.  A lot of hammering and they were more-or-less rectangular, but still a pain to get to fit neatly in anything.