44 tonners

[Iain]

Volume--and therefore mass--goes by the cube of the scale. After all, you're reducing by a factor of 360 in all three dimensions, not just one. (We'll leave reduction in the fourth dimension to a future discussion on Fast Time. )

So if a real 44-tonner were perfectly reduced to N scale, its mass would become 44 / (160*160*160) = 0.0000107421875 tons, or 0.34 ounces. That may seem a bit light, until you remember that a real locomotive (like most vehicles) is mostly air.

As for reducing Earth to N scale at the same time, you'd have the same factor of 4096000 reduction in the mass of the planet. However, the surface of the planet would also be 160 times closer to the center of the planet than it is now. Since gravity changes with the square of the distance, this would offset two of the three "160"s in the original equation. Thus, the surface gravity of Earth-N would be 1/160th of the actual Earth.

So, Earth-N would be a ball 49.5 miles in diameter, and it would only take a force of about 0.002 ounces to lift an N scale 44-tonner off its surface.

Just goes to show how wimpy gravity is--it takes an awfully big pile of matter to make it, um, matter.

Of course, if you accelerate something fast enough, then it really doesn't take all that much matter.  Maybe the Lionel guys are on to something here.

[Mark5]

I'm not buying the 0.34 ounce calculations ... :

So, has anyone got one and have you run it at realistic speeds?

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[Chris333]

I got mine fresh off the porch. Haven't ran it yet, but will and will post a video tonight.

[Zox]

I'm not buying the 0.34 ounce calculations ... :

What's to buy?

An N-scale object is 1/160 as long, 1/160 as wide, and 1/160 as tall as its full-size prototype. So it has (1/160) * (1/160) * (1/160) as much volume, or 1/4,096,000 when you multiply it out.

If the N-scale object is made of the same materials, in the same proportion, as the prototype, it will have the same density as the prototype, but only 1/4,096,000 as much total mass.

So if you take 44 tons and divide it by 4,096,000? You get:

    - 0.0000107421875 tons; times 2000 equals
    - 0.021484375 pounds; times 16 equals
    - 0.34375 ounces, or about 9.75 grams.

A stack of four full-size US pennies, to an N-scale person, would be a copper-plated zinc cylinder 10 feet in diameter, over a yard thick, and massing a smidgen over 45 tons. And we commonly use weights larger and denser than four pennies when adding weight to N-scale locomotives.

In other words, in N scale, we put weights heavier than an entire 44-ton locomotive inside our 44-ton locomotives...

[central.vermont]

My head hurts now. :'(

[Chris333]

Stock out of the box mine weighs 1.2oz or 34g.

[up1950s]

I am getting 2 yellow ones , is yellow heavier Zox ? :-\

[Chris333]

If this doesn't work just give it time:

/>The trucks to that funky shift when changing direction like some older models. But overall it runs good. I don't think it ran any better or worse with the circuit board. I don't do DCC so I can't comment on that.

[wcfn100]

Chris, can you measure the wheelbase and truck centers?  Also, what is the width of the mechanism (at the hood)?  It might be a couple weeks 'til I get mine.


Thanks,

Jason

[Zox]

I am getting 2 yellow ones , is yellow heavier Zox ? :-\

No, yellow isn't heavier--and it'll give you some protection against Green Lanterns, so I say go for it.

[up1950s]

I am getting 2 yellow ones , is yellow heavier Zox ? :-\

No, yellow isn't heavier--and it'll give you some protection against Green Lanterns, so I say go for it.

This was a trick question in as much as yellow requires more coats than many other colors . So depending , it might be heavier .

[up1950s]

Boy , at least new , these run perfectly . I am still a bit woried with a gear swiveling on a worm , and it getting looser in mesh .

Are all these so far un painted plastic , just lettered ?

[Chris333]

My ruler and good eye says the WB is 6'9". Drawings say 6'10"
Truck centers look like 18'3" drawings say 18'9"
(B-mann probably needed more coupler room)

The frame is 9mm wide. Well like 9.02/9.03mm

It matches the drawing very well (except for the wide hood) The sideframes look a hair low on the trucks though. The overall length is right, but those couplers... :


I can't tell if my B&O is painted or not, haven't stripped it yet. If it is painted then it is molded is a very close match color.

[wcfn100]

Thx Chris, I've been comparing that drawing to a bunch of electric locos and just wanted to know how the models measures up.  I am bit suprised that the wheelbase is actually undersized for many steeple cabs. So far the best candidate is a FDDM boxcab, which also has it's other advantages.

edit: I think that 6'10" matches up with the brill trolley too which would be really nice for making a Knoxville car.

Jason

[Chris333]

More 44T porn

Look how much room for extra weight.

Yes it took a while to get the railing off.

The coupler mounting situation.

And for old time sake

My old 44T project, that e-bay resin shell, and the Bachmann.
Hint: The one on the left has a scale width hood