Running trains

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.

1:24 Dbr

1:24 De, Dsg, Dh

1:24 Wab

1:24 Wab revisted

The 1:24 Wab finally gets some attention, the chassis is a bachman $50 job, with everything but the siderod,wheels gears & motor thrown away least I be tempted into something plain and ordinary.

Since the picture alot of sanding & filling of the cracks in the lamination occured.

The front weight was eliminated via a hacksaw, as well as the number plate extrusion, which I think I had the idea of applying a decal and all would be good which in nz120 worked but in 1:24 not so much. also added were the cab floor, rear bogie at correct length, rear frame & driving gear. Still to add the lifting arms.

1:24 Wab, bachman chassis with an early test of the running gear, lifting link etc still to do. A bit sloppy at this point. I will be re-printing a slightly longer main rod to correct the crosshead position. The real crime is the placement of the crosshead guide 3mm offcentre to allow the thicker driving wheels & siderod to clear the crosshead guide when in motion.

1:24 Wab 799

NZR DC's

Todays post shows more progress on the DC's

Largely complete with the exception of lights & coupler's 

DC 4496 is the brass etch era kit

DC 4749 is the first 3d printed version

DC 4087 is the third & final 3d printed version

And a pic for the steam fans.

H Class

The H Class is now almost ready for a test print in NZ120. Very close to doing the entire underframe & detailing so that it can be a static display piece until i can somehow power the thing. 

Finally some movies of the steam locomotives actual running, The ab & wab were painted by Russ @ Trackgangproducts. The J on the other hand was painted by myself, but know where i went wrong. I have 2 variants of the J incoming so might focus on doing them properly!

I setup 2 loops on a flat table & even went to the effort of  cutting a nice polystyrene bed for the track & quickly had 2 trains running.

I found an old video shot Feb 2012 & shows 2 partially scratch built locos, streamlined J & WAB both now building dust somewhere. Their value dropped the second the 3d prints arrived I reakon. But here's the video shot now a year ago!

NZ120 February Update of Current Projects

Showing off current projects for Feb, even went so far as too setup a we photo booth with a mirror to gain another perspective.

Showing off DA, DG, eeDF, AB, JA & J

EEdf, earlier test print, already outdated with the current model before it was even painted.

Trackgang DG, just having had received a Lifelike PA1 Chassis, fuel tank not quite correct yet.

Etch era Kit DA Class, just having had received a Lifelike Chassis & Trackgang fueltanks. 

Early test print of a DC Class, rough paint job as newer version has taken priority.

Early test print of DAR 517 awaiting decals.

AB, printed in Frosted Ultra Detail. Painted by Russell of Trackgang

WAB, printed in Frosted Ultra Detail. Painted by Russell of Trackgang

Streamlined J, still the greatest of them all!

JA, printed in Strong & Flexible.

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.