Hi all,
I'm new and starting on the 009 adventure....
I am building a loco with a 3d print body and a 109 chassis.
What extra weight should I put in?
I know, not too much so the motor can cope. But what is reasonable so the chassis pulling power is OK.
I plan a layout with 230mm minimum curve radius, trains abt 4 to 5 wagons. some slight inclines.
Help appreciated!
Gert
Gert, good morning, I will be adding 50grams of lead roofing sheet to my new Tram. Then see how it performs on the New Kato chassis
All the Best Chris
Quote from: Gert Visser on April 23, 2023, 19:22
Hi all,
I'm new and starting on the 009 adventure....
I am building a loco with a 3d print body and a 109 chassis.
What extra weight should I put in?
I know, not too much so the motor can cope. But what is reasonable so the chassis pulling power is OK.
I plan a layout with 230mm minimum curve radius, trains abt 4 to 5 wagons. some slight inclines.
Help appreciated!
Gert
Hello Gert - and welcome!
I think you have identified the critical amount "not too much ..."
My short answer is I do not know but I can make some observations.
I would be guided by what the manufacturer intended. With some small Japanese 'Electric Mice' chassis the manufacturer supplies small blocks of metal for the user to fit when they are used to convert unpowered plastic model kits (which is the purpose of many of these chassis). The Kato chassis are designed primarily for their Pocket Line models so I think it unlikely that they are intended to pull long heavy trains, though possibly pulling small trains up quite severe gradients was anticipated.
To that end I imagine Kato chassis are already weighted appropriately for fitting into Pocket line models and any more weight should be added with caution. I can't remember if there was additional weight in the bodies of things like the Kato trams. The older version had a metal 'chassis pan' beneath the functional plastic chassis and the new versions have a metal block more or less surrounding the motor.
Adding weight will improve the haulage capability, improve electrical pick up and in turn keep the wheels cleaner for longer.
However, as you say with the modern Kato chassis, unlike the old version, if you add too much weight the motor starts to slow.
How much to add on your layout will be down to experimentation. Basically with a train that is far heavier than you would usually run, you need to ensure that the loco wheels start to slip before the motor starts to slow down.
Maybe look to pack out the insides with some blu-tack or something and keep building until you hit the optimal amount. Granted blu-tack is quite light and you may not have a lot of room, but I guess my suggestion is, find a way of being able to add / remove weight easily to test. Then affix weight more permanently. Maybe brass would be a good choice as it is dense.
Hi all, thanks for the tips. Sorry for not respoding earlier; due to illness in the family.