Mack 45 ton switcher

[Kentuckian]

Very cool! Most impressive. A neat, clean build.

[mmagliaro]

Beautifully made, Chris.  Such neat, crisp, precise work.  I'm really enjoying watching this.  No surprise at all that it runs so well.
DEFINITELY tungsten for the weight.  You can pack that puppy full of cubes.  Or even use pieces of thick plate that you can shape a little with a Dremel and a diamond disk.

[Chris333]

I made a little 3D inner cup to put tungsten cubes into. I filled it up to the bottom of the windows and it is heavier than a stock Bachmann 44T.


Not sure if I will fill it all the way up and block the windows. Will give it a few test laps first.

[davefoxx]

They’re cubes, so you can stack them around the windows to keep the glass clear.

DFF

[Chris333]

Any way I stack them would get in the way. The end windows come right to the edge.

[mmagliaro]

How many grams does it weigh?   My experimental minimum good contact weight came out to 8 grams per wheel when I was building that 0-6-0 (the point at which there is enough weight on each wheel to avoid stalling).   I cannot remember, but some other fine builder on here came to about that same number.  (Correction: It was narrowminded)
So if you are way over 48g, you probably don't have to block your windows (unless you really want it to be a pulling beast, ha ha)
--
That weight cradle is terrific.  Good idea.

[davefoxx]

So if you are way over 48g, you probably don't have to block your windows (unless you really want it to be a pulling beast, ha ha)

Son of Cotton Brute.

[narrowminded]

How many grams does it weigh?   My experimental minimum good contact weight came out to 8 grams per wheel when I was building that 0-6-0 (the point at which there is enough weight on each wheel to avoid stalling).   I cannot remember, but some other fine builder on here came to about that same number.  (Tom Knapp maybe?)
So if you are way over 48g, you probably don't have to block your windows (unless you really want it to be a pulling beast, ha ha)
--
That weight cradle is terrific.  Good idea.

On that weight mention I remembered this:    https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=39602.msg484777#msg484777

From tests, if the Kato wheels are nickel silver that seems to be an improvement over brass wheels, too.  It all helps.   With the axle pickups and the tungsten weight, even a little less than you get with a full fill, that should be a real good runner.

[Chris333]

So a stock Bachmann 44 tonner is 35.2 grams. My "super" 44 tonner with custom cut tungsten slugs is 65.1 grams.

The Mack as is in the photos is 36.7 grams. If I stuff all I can into it I get a max of 57.9 grams.

For some odd reason the 44T comes with a big plastic block in the cab so you can't see thru it. 

I'm going to cram if full, but leave a nook for an engineer on one side.

[Chris333]

OK final answer. I filled it up, but left a cubby hole on one side for an engineer. I even tossed 2 couplers and 2 #90 screws on the scale.

55.5 grams.

[mmagliaro]

narrowminded...  Sorry I didn't remember it was you who did the weight experiments!  I have corrected my other post.
So yes, 5g minimum per wheel, 7.5g "optimal" (meaning any more is nice but not necessary).
Chris, you are way over that, so you've built a beast!

[peteski]

So a stock Bachmann 44 tonner is 35.2 grams. My "super" 44 tonner with custom cut tungsten slugs is 65.1 grams.

For some odd reason the 44T comes with a big plastic block in the cab so you can't see thru it. 

I'm going to cram if full, but leave a nook for an engineer on one side.

Not sure if it is a odd reason, but that plastic piece is simply there to hide the solid-state circuit breaker (yellow disk).  On my DCC installs I moved that circuit breaker to one of the hoods, and I filled the sides and top of the cab with tantalum caps.

[garethashenden]

Where do you get the tiny tungsten cubes?

[mmagliaro]

Where do you get the tiny tungsten cubes?

Lots of online shops for Pinewood Derby shops sell them (and Tungsten plates, disks, spheres, and cylinders).
Here's one:  https://www.maximum-velocity.com/product/tungsten-cubes-3-16-inch/

But getting them in smaller sizes than 3/16" is the trick, at least for me.  In the past, I've made some lucky scores of
surplus batches of 1/8" (or 3mm) from online metal companies (just by doing web searches).
This place has  2mm, 3mm, and some other sizes, but you have to be willing to spend
about $170 for a whole pound.
https://www.usatungsten.com/store/c2/TUNGSTEN_ALLOY_CUBES.html

[Chris333]

LOL Hey remember this? 

I painted it and added decals.