PlaymoFriends
General => Trains! => Topic started by: Marco_4124 on July 14, 2017, 09:55:16
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Ballast weight, yes or no?
Underneath every Playmobil wagon there is a holder for a plate weight (30255462) with a metal ballast weight (30812580). Recently I have removed the ballast weight because it is making the wagon very heavy. For optical reasons I have kept the holder in place. The wagons are still running very well after I have removed the ballast weight, although I am running my trains on a temporary layout in the garden. Above that, my locomotive needs less power to move the wagons, thus saving me battery power. I am very curious, what is your experience?
(https://s13.postimg.org/8k567c21j/Rijdag_2017_07_14_Ballastgewicht_DSCN0498.jpg)
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I think the ballast weight serves three purposes, more "definite" running through the spring loaded points (especially with the LGB track) more stable running om uneven track and better balance with the taller rolling stock such as the coaches and goods vans.
I usually keep the ballast weight in place, a possible exception being the low sided wagon and the variations on this such as the pipe truck. These all have a low centre of gravity and so the ballast weight is less important for stability, although still important when going through points..
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Wie schon in der KW gesagt / as already stated in KW: Auf einer sauber verlegten Strecke sollte es auch ohne Gewicht gehen. Oft reicht ja auch eine ordentliche Beladung, um den Waggon etwas zu beschweren. Problematisch sind allerdings Handweichen, die aufgefahren werden (die also z.B. auf 'gerade' stehen, während ein Zug aus dem Abzweig einfährt). Die Feder im Stellkasten zieht die Zunge zurück, und das läßt zu leichte Waggons entgleisen.
Aber davon abgesehen - sofern es ohne Gewicht keine sichtbaren Probleme gibt, kannst du's weglassen.
No weight should be needed while running on properly laid tracks, and quite often simple goods or enough passengers also provide sufficient weight. Save hand operated sets of points will cause trouble when entered from the wrong track as their return spring usually renders too light coaches or trucks derail.
jj:
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Wie schon in der KW gesagt / as already stated in KW: Auf einer sauber verlegten Strecke sollte es auch ohne Gewicht gehen. Oft reicht ja auch eine ordentliche Beladung, um den Waggon etwas zu beschweren. Problematisch sind allerdings Handweichen, die aufgefahren werden (die also z.B. auf 'gerade' stehen, während ein Zug aus dem Abzweig einfährt). Die Feder im Stellkasten zieht die Zunge zurück, und das läßt zu leichte Waggons entgleisen.
Aber davon abgesehen - sofern es ohne Gewicht keine sichtbaren Probleme gibt, kannst du's weglassen.
No weight should be needed while running on properly laid tracks, and quite often simple goods or enough passengers also provide sufficient weight. Save hand operated sets of points will cause trouble when entered from the wrong track as their return spring usually causes too light coaches or trucks to derail.
jj:
Just a little editing, Stefan.
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Cheers!
jj:
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Most of the time, it is diesel locomotive 4085 that derails on a switch when driving from the wrong side.
But in general, I am used to set the switches correct before I am driving with a train.
Meanwhile I found out that wagons with plastic wheels with no ballast weight are too light, but wagons with metal wheels (I am using Liliput L999300) give no problems. Probably due to the fact that the metal wheels are quite heavy themselves.
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Most of the time, it is diesel locomotive 4085 that derails on a switch when driving from the wrong side.
But in general, I am used to set the switches correct before I am driving with a train.
Meanwhile I found out that wagons with plastic wheels with no ballast weight are too light, but wagons with metal wheels (I am using Liliput L999300) give no problems. Probably due to the fact that the metal wheels are quite heavy themselves.
That's correct.