Gaining Weight

Work on the IHC Mehano 2-6-0 cylinder issue has opened up a new possibility, pun intended.  While searching for reference photos of other locos with the same issue (and perhaps someone who has solved it), I came across a model that someone had customized, including little bits of weight crammed in all sorts of places.  I had already concealed some on this engine by filling out the air tank detail as seen in this image from a couple years ago:

John Allen once said he'd rather have a lighter but well balanced locomotive with the weight over the drivers than a heavy engine with the weight at one end.  This engine has a whacking great slug in the boiler down near the front and originally had more weight in the cab and behind the motor, both of which I've had to reduce in order to accommodate wiring and a crew in the cab.  So any weight I can return to the locomotive, especially toward the rear, is important for good tractive effort.

Here's the latest addition:

Doesn't look like much, but it's lead and it's down low where it counts. (It is the little gray bits on the foam next to the engine, and will go into the frame near the axles.)  I may try to squeeze in a bit more under the cab while I've got this gal in the shop.  By the way, the cylinders are now level, at least as level as they're going to be.  The critical point was where the steam pipes from the cylinders met the side flange on the smokebox - it has never lined up and for some reason I guess I just figured it would correct itself over time, or maybe I was ignoring the problem.  I couldn't any longer.  This seems to be a design flaw on some of these 2-6-0s, but not others.  The frame is also slightly warped at the pilot deck which causes that coupler to sit low.  However, I'm not going to try and correct that, only make sure that the coupler is set at the correct height.

Also, without much fanfare, this is my 100th post on the blog.  Hopefully it won't take me so long to make the next 100.  Thank you to all the readers and commenters. 

Surpise Inside

You never know what you're going to find when you purchase used rolling stock.  I bought this car for parts.  

Last night I was giving it a closer inspection when I noticed a distinct thunk coming from inside.  Old dried glue popped loose easily to reveal the source of the sound:

For my Comet cars I've used old tire weights for the additional weight and have tried Loctite "STIK'N SEAL" Indoor Adhesive.  It is "Solvent free, Non-toxic, Low odor, Water clean-up" and transparent, though that last one matters not for my purposes.  It is the sort of adhesive you apply to both parts, allow to go tacky, then press together.  It fully cures in 24 hours.  I wasn't sure it would stick when I first applied it as it comes out of the tube a little runny.  But boy howdy it sticks and has given me confidence to close up these cars.  Hopefully I won't be hearing thunks from within someday in the future - I seriously doubt it.

As for this Oscar Meyer car, I won't be reusing the sides as they are and the rest of the car will be re-kitted.  I was really after the fishbelly center sill as they can be pricey and this was a good deal.  The weight will be reused, held down firmly with a better adhesive.  But that's a project for another day.