Proper billing for many commodities requires accurately weighing cars. To accurately weigh both loaded and empty cars, railroads and industries alike use track scales. These scales must be calibrated periodically and to do so, railroads use scale test cars which have a precise and controlled weight. Many of these track scales use small segments. To accurately test them, many of the cars used are equally small. These small cars have to be spotted and re-spotted on each segment by a locomotive. In 1974, Benjamin Barnard and Michael Puareia filed a patent for a new scale test car design. Their concept involved a self-propelled car that could be re-spotted on multiple segments by a single worker. Four legs would descend from the center of the car to lift it off the rails and apply the full known weight to the segment. This saved the time and cost of a full locomotive and crew during the calibration process. The cars were first built by the Maxson Corporation and later by FMC. Similar cars were found on railroads nationwide from the 1970s to today. Controls for the car were all located in a central storage cabinet. The lower ends of the car were filled with weights. Like other test-weight cars before them, these cars did not have fully functioning air brakes or any other unnecessary equipment to help keep their weight as controlled as possible. An air line did pass through the car however to connect with cars on either side and there was a handbrake to secure the car when uncoupled. Consequently, special handling was required in trains, usually being handled withing the last five cars of the consist. Test weight cars were typically under the control of a master scale inspector who often traveled with them to perform calibrations. A master scale was maintained as well and these cars would frequently be sent back to that terminal to make sure their own weight was still correct. On your layout, these cars can be an interesting addition to any train as they travel to their next assignment; or an extra switching job at the scales themselves in yards or industries like elevators, mines and tipples. Modern era modelers can finally add these scale testing operations to their layouts. Lionel's new models feature all new tooling, separately applied detail parts, operating scale metal couplers, metal wheels, plastic trucks with rotating bearing caps and of course, they're weighted! See your dealer to order yours today.