adding weight to a C&O 2-8-4

[jettrainfan]

Hello, I'm shipping a loco out for a friend to decal it for me, sense im not very good yet. When it comes back, I plan on buying a sound decoder. That is all planned as of right now. What I need help with is making this fine loco heavier. I mean, I put it on the club layout I go to and it pulled not even 15 atlas trainman hoppers up the helix. I want it to match my ATSF 4-8-4 at least (it pulls the 19 i currently own, and usually can pull a total of 20 cars on a good day) Anyone know where i can add weight and how for this loco? First time doing this, so I figured I'd ask, get the materials while the loco is away and get it running by February.

Any help would be great!

[K487]

jettrainfan:

Check out this thread on this site about adding weight to your loco  -

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,14563.msg117672/topicseen.html#msg117672

I didn't re-read all the thread, but you can get 2 ounces of weight into the smokebox (at least I did) by bending any headlight wires straight up on the inside of the smoke box front (makes more room), and using very small shotgun lead or steel shot (cleaned of any residue) in a small part of a plastic sandwich bag.  Clean shot goes in, mix with a little caulking so the shot isn't loose, seal bag closed with a small wire, stuff in.  [Use loose shot to get the right volume in the bag before doing the final procedure just listed.]

You can add other weight also (like in the steam and sand domes; be ingenious) but try to get it all in the front half of the loco - it's weight as-is is rather heavily biased toward the back end.

As info I don't use BFS but my main 2-8-4 Berk (1 of 4) will walk off with a 60 car train.

K487

[Doneldon]

jtf-

You can't just jam weight anywhere it will fit. Keep in mind the necessity of maintaining the loco's balance. If you add
all of the weight on one end (like in the cab area or an empty smokebox) you can screw up the balance and actually
wind up with a loco with less pulling power and possibly a tendency to derail. The best plan is to either add weight
only between the drivers or add similar weights front and rear. Sometimes you can get extra weight inside the steam
dome and sandbox.
                                -- D

[jonathan]

jtf,

I, and a couple others, have added weight to the 2-8-4.  In my case, I nearly doubled the pulling power.

As Doneldon mentioned, balance is key.  As is, the 2-8-4 balance is between the 3rd and 4th driver sets.  I changed the balance to between the 2nd and 3rd set of drivers. 

Can't recall the exact amount, but I added around an ounce to the smokebox area.  There is some dead space there.  Also, I was able to add a little weight in the domes, perhaps a 1/4 ounce in each.  Finally, there is a little dead space in the area in the boiler, just in front of the cab.  I believe I added around 1/2 ounce in that area.

By adding most of the weight forward of the drivers, I was able to change the center of gravity, which made as much a difference as adding the weight itself.  This loco is relatively easy to work on, i.e. shell removal and the like.

I used various sizes of fishing weights, shaped to fit with a pair of small pliers, and secured with 5-minute epoxy.

Regards,

Jonathan

[MilwaukeeRoadfan261]

I have worked on my C&O 2-8-4 (just the regular oiling and greasing) and can confirm that the 2-8-4 is VERY easy to work on. Just three screws on the underside of the locomotive then just lift the body shell away. It is the same with the GS-4 (one screw at the front just behind the smokebox and two at the rear beneath the firebox) and lift the body shell away.