How Much Do Fox Valley Models N Scale Metal Wheelsets Weigh?

[cv_acr]

Wow, the only thing I have 50 of are hopper cars, and even those are spread over two eras...   

I've got about 70 of the HO scale Walthers 'Ortner' aggregate hoppers for my road...

All identical (or at least they will be when I finish repainting most of them) except for individual numbers.

[Kisatchie]

Undrifting this thread, I weighed four FVM wheelsets on my Ohaus Triple Beam Balance gram scale and they weigh exactly 2.8 grams (.0987671 oz).

For comparisons sake, I also weighed four MTL lo-profile plastic wheelsets, and they weigh exactly .4 grams (.0141096 oz.)

Thanks, Bob. I'm thinking it isn't worth more than $120 to do all 52 cars with metal wheels. Looks more and more like I'll mostly run the cars with logs.


Hmm... lawdy, Kiz! How
will you get the cars
back to the forest for
more loads...?

[robert3985]

Thanks, Bob. I'm thinking it isn't worth more than $120 to do all 52 cars with metal wheels. Looks more and more like I'll mostly run the cars with logs.


Hmm... lawdy, Kiz! How
will you get the cars
back to the forest for
more loads...?

As far as improving their performance, it probably isn't worth it.  However, improving their appearance?  Let's just say that I'm slowly converting all of my rolling stock to FVM metal wheelsets...

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[Kisatchie]

As far as improving their performance, it probably isn't worth it.  However, improving their appearance?...

That's a good point. With the open underframes that allow the trucks and wheelsets to be easily seen, these cars would definitely benefit from the FVM wheelsets.


Hmm... Kiz has blown his
railroad modeling budget
through the end of the
year...

[mmagliaro]

The cars weigh 1/12 of an oz.    That's 28.3/12 =  2.3 grams.

According to Bob's measurements, adding 4 FVM wheelsets would add 2.8 - .4 = 2.4 grams.

So it might not seem like much, but it would about double the weight of the car up to 4.7g
Don't be so sure this won't help.  You could experiment by running some  strings of the cars with a little weight
just plunked on top to test out their performance.  They you don't have to invest anything to find out
if an extra 2 or 3 grams helps.

Slivers of thin sheet lead, or tungsten powder poured into that little channel, will also be well worth it.
You're never going to get up to the nominal 24g Microtrains 40' boxcar weight, but when a car only weighs
2.3 grams, every gram is a lot.

[Kisatchie]

The cars weigh 1/12 of an oz.    That's 28.3/12 =  2.3 grams.

According to Bob's measurements, adding 4 FVM wheelsets would add 2.8 - .4 = 2.4 grams.

So it might not seem like much, but it would about double the weight of the car up to 4.7g
Don't be so sure this won't help...
Slivers of thin sheet lead, or tungsten powder poured into that little channel, will also be well worth it.
You're never going to get up to the nominal 24g Microtrains 40' boxcar weight, but when a car only weighs
2.3 grams, every gram is a lot.

I think you're right. I'll order the FVM wheels first thing this January, when I can afford them. The way things are now, I have Dee sitting on a street corner with a tin cup trying to collect money.


Hmm... one nice man
gave me a banana...