Adding weight to older rolling stock

purrquacky

Firstly welcome to NScale.net - glad you found us, and thanks too  for the question.

FWIW, my few cents:

I use the flat weights used to balance automobile tyres to add weight to my wagons.

Being flat and low-profile means that the weights can be glued-in under tank cars and other 'open-frame'-type rolling stock (using CA), without being too conspicuous, while a coat of black paint helps make them even more 'invisible'.

They can, of course, be used for 'normal' wagons as well.

The weights can also be trimmed to fit using either railcutters or side-cutters, with any metal that is exposed being painted black as well (I use ordinary Acrylic colours - the tube-based ones are best).

While it IS possible to buy a packet of these weights new, it's so much better if they are free.  As a result, I would suggest that you visit your local tyre retailer and see if he has any discarded weights to spare.  Usually these 'old' weights are dumped and the retailer is glad to get rid of them - especially  if they know that they are to be used for MR purposes.  For some reason this 'fate' appeals to them (at least it does to my local tyre firms).  

You may have to sort through the discards, to find the ones you want - choose the flat ones, rather than the round - flats are easier to cut and hide.  It is a dirty task certainly, but the weights are free and a bit of dirt can be washed off.

(I usually take a plastic bag with me and fill it with as many weights as I can - the supply you get will tend to last for years!!).

NB:  Be very careful how much weight you do add to any wagon.  While a weighted wagon on its own is manageable for most N-scale locomotives, a rake of them can tend to be to much for the loco motor, and can, at its worst, cause the motor to burn out!

Because of this, I would suggest that you follow the NMRA guidelines for wagon weighting.

Hope this helps, as I said, FWIW.

Again, welcome aboard.

Komata

"TVR - serving the Northern Taranaki . . ."