1:24 Ja Update

1:24 Ja 1275 fitted with metal wheels & motor, replaced the main frame, side rods & motion. Runs very smooth with front truck & driving wheels all picking up power. Slowly getting additional detail printed & added.

NZ120 Ja resting on the running board of the 1:24 Ja

NZ120 Oil Burning JA

Today sees the arrival of a Ja class (Oil Burner). Printed by Shapeways in Frosted eXreme Detail. The material is a good step up from Frosted Ultra Detail, allowing a smooth finish. Incidentally, the tender was printed 2 months earlier in Frosted Ultra Detail, before FXD was available.

The handrails will need to be added, the top plate on the tender is brass as are the Brass etched handrails on the tender. I purchased these from Trackgangproducts, but are a MarksModelWorks product.
Brass handrail, couplers & wheels here http://trackgangproducts.co.nz/

The chassis is a 4-8-2 Light Mountain (Currently $50USD+Freight)

Available here Bachmann Parts Website

NZR Locomotive Shells for HO 1:87

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

A new shop section for 1:87

1:87 (HO) Scale New Zealand DC

1:87 Dh General Electric - Pre Shunters Refuge

1:87 Di Class

1:87 Dxr Original Cab

1:87 NZR DB Class

1:87 DL Class

1:87 Df 1954

1:87 Scale DSG

1:87 Ja Body

1:87 Ja Tender And Bogie Sideframes Oil

NZ120 Ja (Oil Burner)

This weekend sees some work on creating an oil burning ja, This time around i'm not printing any handrails. The model has a huge number of polygons, every curve is as smooth as possible.

Designed to be printed in Frosted Ultra Detail, and all piping & handrails will need to be made in fine brass wire. Holes along the boiler will act as guides for the main handrail.

The steps will need to be from a brass etch, perhaps the trackgangproducts Cb ladder etch would work? 3 ladders either side so 6 total.

Everything unsightly that once seemed a good idea to print removed..

NZ120 NZR Couplers

Firstly, The W wagons are slowly receiving couplers, I'm trialing scale nzr nz120 scale couplers. To make these work prototypically is certainly a challenge given the size.

NZ 10 cent coin helps illustrate size! 

As you can tell by the pics, my idea of prototypical nzr running with wagons needing to be facing a certain direction is not a big issue, 2 minutes of work if your keen will see them couplers changed. Or an excuse to include a triangle on the layout.
These things are tiny, The example first received from shapeways are printed in FUD, and are surprisingly strong enough for the job. However 2 more sets in brass will soon be arriving following the successful trial period.

Tiny screws are required... from a local jeweller.

Coupler movement is quite free..

Good ol Trackgangs couplers, very reliable and robust!

Ja with posing with W Box wagons

Zh, F

Showing off the F Class with a bit more paint, in the background a south island Ja hauling a small freight & an lighted guards van. 

 

The Zh with fitted brass bogies from woodsworks. The bodie was printed in "Strong & Flexible" & needs sanding to create a smooth finish.

Showing the underside. It should be noted that the bogies need filing down on the sides to allow it to go around the somewhat tight curves. But apart from that the concept worked out.

Another view with the K patiently waiting with a rake of zm's

Painted white, fitted with trackgangproducts couplers & rolling around the layout.

A shot of the Ja.

The old man suggested moving the driving wheels forward on the Ba to create a talked about S Shunter class, making it perfect for shunting dutys as the entire weight of the boiler is more centered. 

NZ120 DCC J (MAY 2013) With Ja Sounds.

Further work has been done to install dcc chips into the steamers, it appears you have to have pickup on main drivers & all 8 tender wheels for smooth running.

A movie with some correct sounds :P

KATO ; Double Track Plate Girder Bridge, Gray.

With the recent purchase of  4x 186mm (7 5/16") Double Track Plate Girder Bridge, Gray. I find myself painting it in red brown followed by dry brushing with lighter colours. The effect worked really well although it needs a bit more work yet.

A rather smart looking NZ120 Trackgang Products WM DG kit. Also worth mentioning are the new florescent lights you can just see, imported about 60 of em from thailand so selling em on trademe should pay  themselves & more!

A rather shy DG on what appears to be a lazy train makeup..

Another view of the bridge.

DG at speed (it does happen..)

Showing off what appears to be a tunnel portal into another dimension, I really need to finish the hill...

Moving the camera on HDR gives a rather messy effect. Oddly enough the loco came out ok.

Its been a rather busy week with old friends turning up from overseas, so nothing new to mention except the K test print is almost on its way.

For the steam lovers,

And a wee video...

Or two, eeDF & JA

NZ120 DG Class

JA & DXR Painted

Showing off JA & DXR Pictures of them after a paint job. The JA is based on an Auckland JA with the white stripes. The DXR paint scheme is based on how it first looked, in the NZR Corporate colour scheme.

The stream underneath has built up a thick surface on top, like custard after its cooled. I think in the next couple of days it will be ready for water effects to be applied.

The JA tender is sitting on a donor tender chassis (Quite happy to murder a perfectly good n gauge loco for chassis) so it appears to sit a bit higher than it should, once wheels are fitted on the 3d bogies it will look good.

And yes.. I will be 3d printing a more suitable NZ steel girder bridge....

As mentioned on a motorised dandruff blog, lipstick on a pig... I do have the "New Zealand Railways" logo to go on the long hood with the logo, but as usual it seems, if you need it you wont ever find it with the organized decals tray...

Shes got a sexy mid section..

The actual prototype.. (Image credit's to Wikipedia - Original Link)