Question Correct weight for cast resin caboose

Hi Z-Scalers:

I have scratch built some cabooses and cast some resin copies. I am trying to determine a correct weight for them and can't seem to find any sort of standard for Z scale. I checked the weight on some cars but I can't seem to come up with a standard. The cabooses weigh from 4.5 grams to 6.5 grams. I have been making the floors thicker to add some weight. Does anybody know of a weight to length formula? I also need some advise on the ideal wall thickness for the casting. I have tried .01 to .04 inches. The .01 was too thin and the .04 is too thick, so I have been using .03 and .02 depending on the windows needed. I have enclosed some pictures. the first picture shows two varieties of Great Northern shop built cabooses, a slant cupola and a straight side cupola in various paint schemes. The second picture shows from left to right; BN and Milw. Pacific Car and Foundry built wide vision, International Car Company built bay window, Thrall Car Company built bay window and Milwaukee shops built ribside. The last picture shows the basic components of a wide vision, add the trucks and couplers and the weight is 6.5 grams. I think that weight is about right. I am working on a B&O caboose and have a NP and CB&Q on the drawing board. As you can see I like cabooses.
Thanks for any help and advice.

Tom

 

Most don't even know, most don't seem to care as virtually all cars run well. Weight limits what can be pulled up a grade (*far* more common in Z) and initially start a train. Worse by 30% +/- with plastic wheels.

Most use the scaling factors from HO or N to Z. If it's too heavy, that's one thing. If it feels or weighs similar to a Micro-Trains product, you are good to go as 10000 of them roll just fine.
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And these are all Z?? Wow!! Great work!!

 

When I go to weight a car, I usually take a 1/4oz stick on tire weight and cut in half. The best part about it is it if is too heavy it can easily be removed. You can pick these up at any Schucks or Napa. I however, can get them readily available from my work.

 

Wowwwzers!! Those are nice!! I am Q fan number 1 around here 8I do know a couple more) Would you be selling these as kits, or making complete models and selling them?

 

Thanks for the comments on the weight question Jeff and cwwrman. I thought about using the standards for N scale. Thanks for the complement Curt. Are you still modeling the Milwaukee?

Hi BurlingtonRoute, thanks for the complement. I hadn't thought much about selling these. If you are interested in something send me a pm and we can talk. I don't know if they are good enough for others. I have seen some of the work done by the guys on this forum and it is fantastic. I do plan on doing a CB&Q 13560 series caboose later on. I am trying to locate some good drawings rather than draw my own. I like to do cabooses that are a little different from the norm, and I enjoy the challenge of working in Z-Scale. I also like to do a model in the different paint schemes that it may have had over time so that is why I decided to make some resin copies.

Tom

 

Ohh that would be cool. Let me poke around and see if I can find some planes for the NE-12 caboose. Those would actually fit into my time frame as I am doing close to transition era. I think it would be the perfect one to cast. I have some drawings for a nice MOPAC wooden caboose that I could send you too. I will send you a PM in a couple of days with files I can find.

 

Thanks Robert, I thought somwhere around 6 grams was probably about right, but I didn't know if there was some sort of standard. Most of the cabooses that I have made have been around 29 to 31 feet except for the GN slant cupola that is 39 feet long. I can get the weight from casting the floor a little bit thick on most of the styles.

Tom

 

Yep, i'm still modeling the Milwaukee Road! I have one of AZL's bay window cabooses, nice work although not accurate. Just finished up 6 MILW log bunk cars too! Got any extra MILW in Z you don't need, let me know.

 

Kurt :

Glad to hear your still modeling the Milwaukee. How do you make the log cars? The Milwaukee had a lot of log cars, you could be working on those forever. I do have copies left of the cabooses in the pictures. If interested, send me a pm.

Tom