Metal Cars.

Hi gang!
I have an idea for a new car. If I can talk to some of the design experts out there I think it would be something nice and unusual. Trouble is it would be so very very small and lightweight, it would have to be made out of metal.

If it is made of metal it would either be white metal, brass or perhaps stainless steel made with Shapeways. My concern is, what happens if it derails on a DCC line? I don't know if paint alone would be enough to insulate the car. Anyone ever have problems with metal cars shorting anything(not wheel sets or engines, just cars?
Thanks!!

An all-metal car should not be a concern. As it is, many existing cars have metal underframes, not to mention many all-metal locomotives, and there are no reports I'm aware of that caution against their use on a DCC-based system. If a metal car should derail, fall over and touch the tracks, the DCC supply will be interrupted, since it's protected against short-circuits. That's the worst that could happen.

Kelley wrote:

Hi gang!
I have an idea for a new car. If I can talk to some of the design experts out there I think it would be something nice and unusual. Trouble is it would be so very very small and lightweight, it would have to be made out of metal.

If it is made of metal it would either be white metal, brass or perhaps stainless steel made with Shapeways. My concern is, what happens if it derails on a DCC line? I don't know if paint alone would be enough to insulate the car. Anyone ever have problems with metal cars shorting anything(not wheel sets or engines, just cars?
Thanks!!

I've had good results using a layer of paper secured with CA as insulation. I usually use cigarette rolling papers (known as Rizla's here in UK)

I was thinking plastic wheels.But then again the wheels would be insulated. My other thought is it would snap on a truck, but there is a 7 food distance between wheels so that would not do, unless, perhaps someone used Maerklin wheelsets. Well those boxcars are ugly aren't they?
Perhaps no trucks at all, just snap the wheels in.