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How heavy is my loco?

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Tony Martyr15/11/2011 12:14:26
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Having just filled my 31/2" William tank engine with water, as a final check for pipe leaks before firing it up, I realised it was getting too heavy to lift comfortably in certain cramped situations.
Since it is going to be put in the back of cars and on tables outside my workshop I probably should know what it weighs.
Lacking bathroom scales I have no means of weighing it in running trim, so my question is: How heavy is a 31/2" tank engine likely to be when full of water?
JasonB15/11/2011 12:47:40
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Have a look through the Archive on Station Road Steam's site they usually give the weights of most engines.
 
J
Gray6215/11/2011 16:07:51
1058 forum posts
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if you have the empty weight of the engine, and know the volume of water in the boiler and tanks, you can add 1Kg (2.2lbs) per litre of water to the empty weight of the engine giving you the all up weight of a fully laden engine.
 
G
Tony Martyr15/11/2011 17:19:40
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I don't have the empty weight of the loco and assumed such information would be common knowledge to those who loaded their's into the back of cars.
JasonB15/11/2011 17:30:15
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Just been looking at Station Road and they actually don't give weights on teh Locos, I'm more used to looking at the traction engines that do have the weight listed.
 
Anyway looked in the only Loco book I have and it gives an average weight for a 3 1/2g loco as 100lbs.
 
J
NJH15/11/2011 19:36:07
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Tony
 
Why not just buy some bathroom scales - then you can also worry about your weight and work out things to cut down on like (some of) the rest of us!
 
 
Regards
 
Norman
Tony Martyr15/11/2011 20:27:45
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I spent a lot of money having my Caterham track car suspension adjusted for my 80kg weight and was too mean to put on, or take off, weight; even now I've sold the car (it got faster than me) I stay at that weight with an empty bladder (re: Coalburner's comment) without the help of my own bathroom scales - medical centre facilities a short walk away but I'm not about to hump the loco down there!
I thought this was a question to which every experienced loco owner would have an answer since the legislation under which organisations, like clubs with railway tracks, operate will surely require such data to be known when structures are constructed and trains lifted by club members.
I think I'll withdraw the question and work on my estimation, derived from a primitive seesaw device, that William is marginally lighter than his maker =< 80kg.
6196215/11/2011 23:38:10
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Tony,
 
It appears that some of regular posters in this forum think they are comedians. Certainly not very helpful on what to you is a serious query.
 
Your William will weigh around 80lbs. Track designers don't need to consider the weight of 3 1/2" gauge locos, or even 5" gauge because the weight of loaded passenger cars far exceeds that of these sizes of loco.
 
Hope that helps
 
Eddie
NJH16/11/2011 12:21:25
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2314 forum posts
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Hi Tony
 
Well I've just taken my bathroom scales out to the workshop and weighed my part completed William. This is the rolling chassis (inc cylinder and all motion work) , completed boiler, smokebox, chimney, dome, pump, buffers - In fact to complete it needs tanks, cleading , backhead, pipework and small fairly light items - valves etc . This lot so far weighs in at 22 Kg . I guess the brass for the tanks etc. will be fairly heavy but I supppose you know how much of that you bought so can calculate its weight and also the weight of water you added.
You are right that handling these weights in and out of cars can be difficult and care is needed. ( with the lifting and twisting action especially.) Some folk make up a cradle in which to secure the loco. Maybe a scissor lift to raise to the correct height? Better still buy a small trailer.
I would be very interested to know just how William performs on the track - I do think it is a very attractive little loco.
 
Eddie I'm sorry if you found my feeble humour offensive - I'd much rather make folk smile than frown.
 
Regards
 
Norman
 
mgj16/11/2011 22:17:05
1017 forum posts
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Tony - you really want the weight on each axle, and to balance it if possible. You get better traction that way. EIM had an article on it, but if you can't weigh each station individually, you can weigh one then the otehr and if you know hte mass of the whole machine you can take moments and derive the detail for each axle, and the CG location, and how much lead to add where, without having to go back to the scales
 
As owners of Caterhams and other proper machinery with engines in the back will know, for optimum performance you cannot just tweak the spring pans/preloads and level the machine. That levels the machine but it doen't alter the weight balance or load on any axle, and if one is metaphoricaly rumbling about with one leg in the air, it doesn't do a great deal for adhesion.

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