Fooling Around with Kiwi Trains: Adventures in 3D Modeling & Featuring 1:120 - 1:2 Scale : N, HO, O, G, 5inch, 7.25inch & 15inch Gauges! No Ads, Just Some Nutty Tales from Peter Bryant @ Portland Railroad, Northland NZ
Over the last few months I've been lucky enough to run a few of the 1:24 prints on a wonderful outdoor railway built by Michael Hilliar in Manurewa.
For most of the stuff I've built its never had the opportunity to fully be run in, and of course a few tweaks were required to enable the larger loco's to run around some tight bends.
Today the NZ120 Dh Class gets an update, now including bogie sideframes & a removable fuel tank borrowing from the recent NZ24 Dh build. Model found here NZ120 NZR DH (General Electric U10b) Updated.
I've also allowed Frosted Extreme Detail:
a Matte translucent plastic that showcases incredibly fine and intricate details.
1:24 3D Printed GE U10b Dh class. Pre-shunters refuge and painted as she came out new. Unsure of her number yet, will have to find out which Dh resided in Whangarei in the 80/90's. For the chassis i'm using a 4 axle power truck, Aristocraft I think.
Prototype - Photo by R.Bryant, Early 1996 Whangarei Loco - DH2816, DF6127 & 6058, DFT7158
Prototype -Photo by R.Bryant, 1997 Whangarei Yard, DH2816 Shunting.
1:24 3D Printed GE U10b Dh class
Printer - UP PLUS 2
Quality - Fast
Internal honeycomb structure - second smallest size
1 024.5g 01hr 31min Res0.2
2 123.4g 07hr 23min Res0.2
3 136.9g 08hr 06min Res0.2
4 170.5g 10hr 06min Res0.2
5 201.1g 11hr 35min Res0.2
6 024.6g 01hr 31min Res0.2
7 048.8g 02hr 52min Res0.2
Total Print Time 43hr 04min
Material Cost 729.8g (less bogies)
3d printed body glued together n painted in "Satin Granite"
3d printed body glued together n painted in "Satin Granite"
After a lick of red and yellow. I've been using cans purchased from Wynn Fraser paints (Don't tell em your painting trains at night time - really bad idea I found..). The brand is "RUST-OLEUM" paint & primer in one, worth $13 a can normally. For the NZR fruit salad scheme i'm using Satin Granite(grey), Gloss Apple Red & Gloss sun yellow. For the modern Kiwirail colours i'm using Lemon Yellow, & Gloss Dark Grey. I still haven't found a match for Kiwirail red, which is quite orange in certain light.
I'm quite keen to do a Da next, in the original scheme. Would look great on the head of a silverstar set!
Printing a Dh in 9mm (1:33.9 scale) for a customer (Centre image), after gluing sections, bogging, sanding & covering with Satin Granite primer/paint it came out quite well. Tempted to print it in 1:64 just to see how the detail might survive..
After adding trucks/bogies, one powered, one dummy.
A wee video of the 1:24 Dh test run, using a similar power block as the dsg, they make a good pair.
Going some what off tangent in terms of scale, some New Zealand Locomotive Shells for HO were requested. The DC, DH, DI, DB, eeDF, DL, DXR & Ja converted to 1:87 scale so far. The intent is to print a shell & utilise chassis from donor locos or preferably buy a custom diesel chassis from North Yard Model Railway Parts (www.northyard.co.nz) at a reasonable price. The price for a shell will range from $60 - 200 & a chassis should set one back at least $150.
Currently the 1:87 market for NZR is catered for by the Frateschi Range, which from memory is limited to DA/DC/DX/DH in terms of Diesels
The models in 1:87 scale are only available in the Detail Plastics.
(Frosted Detail & Frosted Ultra Detail).
HO American dynamic brake details, grills , air hoses, couplers, handrails etc to finish off
2 Weeks later & new designs emerge from the cooker. The first being the EL 60 Ton Breakdown Crane, as inspired by the recent Steam Crane project.
The crane will need to be assembled and additional parts sourced. For instance this crane will need 10 wheels! Or 8 if you cheat & leave the center wheel out on the 2 x 6 wheel trucks. The coupling clips for the relieving bogies are included but 2 couplers will be needed too.
The main hook will be available separately, so brass will be the preferred material.
A test print was ordered, but had to be done in 4 separate files..
Note that the outriggers are extended (Red), The coupling clips (black) & two relieving bogies at either end (grey)
Travelling mode.
All the pieces involved.
To make the counter weights travel stiff wire will need to be installed (red)
Designed on the DH as it originally came in service. Bogie side frames are intended.
Update, I've decided to make a portion of the reference material available, to hopefully give more background to the EL crane. The photos were excellent reference material!
