About car weight

[RobertInOntario]

I don't want to go off topic, but I usually run 1930s-'60s, short, 4-wheel, freight cars on my British 00 layout. I find that these cars are more sensitive (especially if they're really light) & prone to derail than their North American equivalents. Trouble-shooting these cars can be quite different from fixing the 2-truck/8-wheel kind. Rob

I think the main reason that your 4 wheel cars are more sensitive is because of the wheel base. On American prototype you have two short wheelbase 4 wheel trucks at each end on a pivot. On the British prototype, you have an axle at each end of the car, and I don't think either of the axles will pivot. That means that the wheel base of that one truck on the British car is much longer than either of the two on the American prototype.

Hi Russ,

Yes, I think you're right. Also, when you factor in that many of these British freight car models are fairly light to begin with, and you can see how they will easily derail. This often happens when I'm reversing a long freight train through some turnouts or tight curves. Overall, these British freight cars work well but they're nowhere near as stable or reliable as coaching stock.

Rob