S Scale is the perfect scale again: The scaling ratio is the cube of 64, a scale cubic inch is 1/64 * 1/64 * 1/64 = 1 / 262,144. Weight is directly related to cubic inches of steel.
Now for the magic, 100 ton capacity cars all weight 263,000 pounds loaded (car + load, add up the LT WT and CAPY numbers on the side of the car). So a loaded scale car should weigh 263,000/262,144 = 1.003265 pounds = 16.05 oz. That's the magic of S Scale. Easy to remember a pond for a loaded car. Kinda heavy for model operation, but ya gotta respect the work a real locomotive does. Empty cars weigh 30,000 lbs (Aluminum hopper) to 90,000 lbs (auto rack). Usual empty car weighs 60,000 lbs, which is 60,000 / 262,144 = .2288 lbs = 3.66 oz. A little light for reliable operation. Have found the easiest way to weight cars, per Nolton's clinic at the 2000 NMRA Convention, is to put one 1/2" washer over each truck. That's a washer for a 1/2" bolt, just fits inside the walls of a box car. The other perfect number in S Scale is rail weight. In our scale prototype rail weight (pounds / yard) is very close to the scle rail code. Code 100 is very close to 100 pound rail height. KC Reiter --- In [email protected], "lne1957" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > While I was idling around today I wondered if there was a formula for > figuring the weight for prototype to scale. If you use 1/64, you would > have one ton model for a proto car of 40 ton capacity -- that don't > make!! Then I decided if you could figure volume by using the 64 > cubed that perhaps it might work for weight -- nope the car would > weigh less then one half ounce that ain't it either. > > WHAT IS THE FORMULA?? > > Jim S > LNE in Tennessee > Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
