December already!! What happened to November?

First up we have the dxr receiving correct bogie side-frames, available from Trackgangproducts http://trackgangproducts.co.nz/product/item/1114

Showing the bare bits

Last month saw the completion of both the AB and WAB Classes, I found filling was needed on both the chassis and the body in various small areas which took about 2 minutes of my day. The sideframes on the WAB's rear truck look a bit fat but considering its a first I'm more than happy with em.

WAB Class available here Kiwitrains WAB

AB Class available here Kiwitrains AB

Showing the good ol fat rear bogie

Standing alone, shes a beaut alright.

The next locomotive to be completed is the long awaited DA, the paint job was a bit rushed admittedly. Pictured in front of a rather smart looking Etch eta DC brass locomotive. 

DA Class available here Kiwitrains DA

Thanks to Jolon & Jerry I've now secured a chassis for the planned DJ, definitely going to do the side-frames with this one as well. 

The chassis once ready will hopefully progress my enthusiasm towards the DSG, complete with sideframes.

DSG Class available here Kiwitrains DSG

The DF (1954) is now finished, 1 test print so far is a success but still in transit.

DF available here Kiwitrains DF (1954)

Finally to end the post we have a group shot!

Layout Update, I'm not sure how much more track I can fit in a small space but definitely worth points for trying! Kato Unitrack is in no way prototypical, but simple enough to adjust at a spur of the moment.
(No ma'am, I don't want to buy the whole cow, just a glass of milk thanks)

AB / WAB / DSC

More steam locos ordered and inbound! Both examples I have personally scratch built already so out with the old and in with the new.. Now the chassis I have already is the microace 4-6-2 one, currently also looking at buying a minitrix one. Once the shell arrives I will put up pictures of it sitting on the chassis!

AB Class 

Should have a movable rear bogie right from the printer with any luck! Wont know until it arrives.

 WAB Class

The rear truck side frames are included, the idea being to simply stick the side frames to the existing chassis rear truck.

DSC Class

While no substantial progress has been made, the weekend earlier while sitting down showed some progress with correct bogie spacing in terms of chassis's. No stock standard chassis has been chosen to work, although no one said kit bashing "wouldn't" work.

NZR WB

The Wb in Frosted Ultra Detail, I will be personally buying everything in FUD, with the exception of certain wagon types like the ZM where the cost is cheap enough and while still providing the "look".

The finished detail, whilst still in a relatively un-detailed form is quite amazing to say the least! My scratch built locomotives don't even come close to curves and perfect lines in all the required places. A scary after thought of designing a K/KA would certainly be the immediate devaluation of my scratch built K shell. But then modernization has had a history of doing just that.

A Wb locomotive, Photo's Sourced from http://www.rimutaka-incline-railway.org.nz, Check em out!

November 6th Update on Recent New Models

So recently I was asked by a chap in Germany to convert my DA into a G12

His message included the info on the loco
"A Bo'Bo'-EMD/GM G12 would be one of the models of choice. One purpose-built demonstrator went around Denmark, Sweden and Norway in the early Fifties, and was bought by the swedish SJ in 1956, numbered as T42 205, serving in northern Sweden. In the mid-1950s also the Sydvaranger iron ore mine railway in northernmost Norway introduced another two G12. The GM-demonstrator, later SJ T42, became the forefather of some very successful NoHAB designs as the GM-engined T43."
Availalbe here ;

 http://www.shapeways.com/model/760630/b1c8a8256dd2cb3f4738a2107d3bffb7?li=

Secondly we have the DA Class in its last phase 3 version.

Available & able to be purchased without any issues.

http://www.shapeways.com/model/761987/28e43db66c7d63fdeb9f69d4e0991d8f?li=

Thirdly, the AK & AKC Top shells are finalized & available, measurements correct & an personal order placed :P

The bottom chassis, bogies, and seat design is finished, just awaiting seat & table placement. A big thanks to all that have been emailing me photos of the internal carriages, this will end up a very detailed carriage inside and out!

AKC

http://www.shapeways.com/model/761208/7b5edaf808943552a9b42e364afcfabe?li=

AK

http://www.shapeways.com/model/761209/e4a76a33aa0eac380033e27116e7f6cc?li=

Lastly, the JA is undergoing a detail overhaul

NZ120 Locomotive fleet as of Nov 2012

A time for reflection! How does one come to the conclusion "Do I have enough locomotives yet?" The answer is relatively simple, when one has every class of locomotive in ones collection is it truly complete! And no i'm not crazy, my mother had me tested :P

I should also mention the very first locomotive I purchased was around April / May 2011, and it was the clockwork orange DX from Trackgangproducts Website!

I will look at this post far into the future and think to myself, how did I get by with such a modest collection back in the old days!

Admittedly the DG with the yellow stripe & the EO I did not personally build, but that's OK too. Also I should note the DFT & DXB is missing from the picture as they were towing the overlander around the layout.

Update on the DA, Its been striped, cleaned and ensured to be printable. With any luck shapeways will come online any day now!

Showing an awesome picture of old and new!

End of the month Info

End of October Update on progress;

NZ120 - JA CLASS

Fits like a dream onto a Spectrum USRA 4-8-2 Light Mountain Union Pacific's Chassis

For a first steam engine loco shell I have to admit this went very very well, and to see her in the flesh is most satisfying to the eyes. Even without any real detail... yet.

This will naturally be adapted to the streamline version.

NZ120 - ZM Box Wagon

I've always wanted a NZ box wagon but never really wanted to scratch build all them ribbings. It turned out better than expected considering the material used, however the one major advantage over any other kit is the weight, weights just enough to stick to the track and no more. I plan on getting quite a few of these to string behind whatever loco I have and know it will pull it without any issues.

I used trackgangproducts.co.nz 's bogies & couplers, which added the right amount of weight to the bottom.

NZR EF30 CLASS

The angles on this model makes it a nightmare to scratch build, even though it looks like it would be simple to build. Without much detail in its current form it still looks pretty darn good in my merrily bodging outer sibling opinion! In this picture the chassis I found the best is a British DMU Chassis, Fits right on, grips the body in what could best be described as a vice like grip.

KIWIRAIL AK Carriage Set

If ever goal posts keep moving, none would be a better example than this.

Originally was just going to do the one main carriage, now i've been talked into doing the cafe carriage. Which when I think about it is another half an hours work moving windows around and its done.

The undercarriage will include the bogies, seats etc. The top will sit right on the undercarriage.

Then how the windows were going to be able to happen, there's no way anyone would want to cut little square individual windows and fit them. So the picture below will show a 1mm thick window panel can be cut and attached in the slot. And if you cut it right you probably wouldn't even need to glue em in.

Paint the inside of the window boxing black and it will look just like the real thing.

Not so far in the distance will see a shell for a 1954 DF Class now I have acquired the correct chassis.

The last weekend Jolon brought his scratch built DF and for the greater part of the weekend spent its time pulling various consists around the layout. Which is more than enough to get me wanting one.

Check out the video, quite something!

 

NZ120 New Designs

 KIWIRAIL CET1 CLASS

The first of a series of modern coal wagons, very basic design. But able to be printed in most materials with no issues.

 NZR DSC CLASS

Original Form, No shunter refuge & with single center head light. A modern version will be simple to implement using the dsg base model.

NZR EF CLASS

I am planning on a movable pantograph system eventually, although with the rate of progress at the moment by the time your reading this its no doubt already done!