# Aster Berkshire Traction Weight



## Steve S. (Jan 2, 2008)

*I was just re watching some of the videos from last week when Chuck and Jeff were in town with their amazing Berkshire's. The thing that I admire the most is their practical knowledge of these engines. Jeff realized that by adding weight (3.5 pounds) to the front of the engine it would distribute the weight more evenly over the 2nd and 3rd drivers instead of the way they come from the factory over the 4th and trailing truck. With Chuck's CNC machining skills he makes a slide in weight ( http://www.asterhobbyusa.com look under accessories) perfectly machined to slide right into the smoke box clearing the smoke stack, exhaust pipe and blast pipe. So easy to take in or out that even I can do it. And I am the guy that has trouble with E clips. *


*What does this do:*


*Adds 3.5 pounds over the front of engine. Makes starts slow and engine can crawl the tracks with a heavy load (40+ cars) with little or no slippage even on my oily track. If you like to run fast, it improves handling through switches as engine now negotiates the track more evenly. *


*All in all..........................A great idea.*


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

On a similar topic, seen at The National Summer Steamup were drips of molten lead around the whole length of one track. 
It was assumed by all, that someone must have added lead weight to a very hot place on a locomotive. 
We were never able to find out who, or which loco. 
So, when you add weight, make sure that it can't melt, or if it can, put it where it won't get too hot!!! 
All the best, 
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## Steve S. (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By David Leech on 26 Jul 2011 09:42 AM 
On a similar topic, seen at The National Summer Steamup were drips of molten lead around the whole length of one track. 
It was assumed by all, that someone must have added lead weight to a very hot place on a locomotive. 
We were never able to find out who, or which loco. 
So, when you add weight, make sure that it can't melt, or if it can, put it where it won't get too hot!!! 
All the best, 
David Leech, Delta, Canada 




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*
*Hello David. I do not know what the properties of the metal used are but I can assure you that it is not lead. I have held one of these weights in my hands after a long, long extended run. Chuck and Jeff actually have extra alcohol tanks and change them out on the fly as to not interfere with their running. After a session like this nothing has gotten soft or melted.
*


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## JEFF RUNGE (Jan 2, 2008)

Chuck can tell you specifically what kind, I know it is steel but not stainless steel.


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Posted By Steve S. on 26 Jul 2011 01:35 PM 
*----------------------------------------------------------------------------*
*Hello David. I do not know what the properties of the metal used are but I can assure you that it is not lead. I have held one of these weights in my hands after a long, long extended run. Chuck and Jeff actually have extra alcohol tanks and change them out on the fly as to not interfere with their running. After a session like this nothing has gotten soft or melted.
* 
Hi Steve,
Oh I can see from the photo that it is nicely machined piece of Steel, or Densinium, or Osmium, or Tungsten!
That's why I said "on a similar topic"! 
I just wanted to point out the problems if you did use a low melting point material and stick it somewhere where it will get too hot. 
All the best,
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## cmorton (Jun 11, 2008)

the weight is made from a slug of 3" round x 4" long 1018 cold roll (steel that is). for david leech's benifit the melting point of that material is 2970 deg F. i think we have some room temperature wise.


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## Steve S. (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Steve S. on 26 Jul 2011 01:35 PM 
Posted By David Leech on 26 Jul 2011 09:42 AM 
On a similar topic, seen at The National Summer Steamup were drips of molten lead around the whole length of one track. 
It was assumed by all, that someone must have added lead weight to a very hot place on a locomotive. 

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Best to leave lead for fishing weights and sinkers.  David, I bet it was no fun scraping it off the track either. 
 
After seeing what adding this weight has done for the Berks it makes me realize how much thought had to go into getting the weight distribution correct on the real prototypes.  Lots of brains went into making those beast's, and all without the aid of computers.


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

What? There are brains inside those steam locomotives sitting inside the museum at Strasbourg?


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## Shay Gear Head (Jan 3, 2008)

Jerimah,

I also believe that the Mikado suffers from a similar imbalance found in the Berk.


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## JEFF RUNGE (Jan 2, 2008)

Bruce, No the Mikado does not. What makes you think that?


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## Shay Gear Head (Jan 3, 2008)

I've seen several that seem to lean or are sloped down to the trailing truck.


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## JEFF RUNGE (Jan 2, 2008)

Bruce, The Berkshire sits level, It uses an equalized suspension system, but carries too much weight on the trailing truck. The truck itself is not sprung, but rather slides side to side on a pair of rigid pads. On the full size engines they ran a booster engine on the rear truck so the tractive effort was not lost. Our models have no booster engine so it is beneficial to move the C of G forward so most of the weight is carried by the drivers. Adding the weight to the smoke box moves the C of G forward to a spot between the 2nd and 3rd drivers, it also adds 3 1/2 pounds of weight, which is carried on the drivers. 


The mikados have sprung drivers with out equalization. The engine gets excellent traction, pound for pound one of the best pulling rod engines I know of, because of the soft springs. It carries almost no weight on the lead or trailing trucks. It is common to replace the springs on the rear axle with a little stiffer springs. This change, makes the engine sit a bit more level, and reduces the "body roll" that a soft suspension gives. It keeps almost all the weight on the drivers where was with the softer springs.


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

I used a bit stiffer springs for the 4th axles. Not much stiffer, but more so than the softer springs supplied with the kit. I just timed my Mikado for forward running. It isn't as spot on for reverse, but the valves seem to do what the instructions say they should be doing during the wheel revolutions. Now I have to do an air test.


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## JEFF RUNGE (Jan 2, 2008)

Jeremiah, take your time here. make sure this is set correctly. If you need to take it to someone who can show you how. It is much easier to do now then after the engine is finished.


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## RP3 (Jan 5, 2008)

Jeff, the NKP Berk did not have a booster on the trailing truck. But some roads like the C&O with their Kanawha did. Since I have a solid pewter sand dome on my C&O conversion, I haven't had any problems with slippage, but I have to admit, this is a great upgrade -- one that I should consider for ose long freight drags up Hans' grade! 

Ross


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

Ross 

Hans has grades on his track? I thought he told me it was flat. Oh yeah, I forgot... flat and level are not the same thing. LOL! 

Sorry for the diversion.


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## JEFF RUNGE (Jan 2, 2008)

Ross, went back and checked my reference material, it verifies what you said. It looks like engines that did have them gained about 10000 pounds of tractive effort. But the S-3 NKP Berkshires did not run them.


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## Shay Gear Head (Jan 3, 2008)

So this begs the question - when is Aster going to offer powered/booster trailing trucks?


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## JEFF RUNGE (Jan 2, 2008)

I forgot Bruce, How many Asters do you already have?


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## Shay Gear Head (Jan 3, 2008)

Jeff,

I have one and all trucks are powered.


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## Jim Overland (Jan 3, 2008)

The Aster Hudson also benefited from adding weight in the smoke box 

jim


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## JEFF RUNGE (Jan 2, 2008)

Bruce is it the B class shay ? or one of the early ones? 

Jim, I got my idea on the Berkshire from Paul Quirk, about 11 or 12 years ago he machined a piece of black pipe to slide in the front of a Hudson.


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