Running Trains

A quick video showing highlights from an afternoon running trains at Michaels place in Auckland.

First scene is a very "prototypical" 5 loco lashup of Dxr, Db, Db, Dbr & Dft hauling a mix train

NZ120 DF

The NZ120 & 1:87 DF Class has now been drawn up, and can be found here

https://www.shapeways.com/ NZ120 DF

https://www.shapeways.com/ 1:87 DF

I've been having a play with 3d builder to edit the .stl file I send to shapeways to add a bit of colour, imagine one day being able to print in colour with a material like FUD. One day soon!

NZ120 DF Class, 3d render 

NZ120 DF Class, 3d render 

Not quite NZ120 but related, a larger version currently printing away

Df & second Db in early stages of fruit salad

DF with almost complete bogies, handrails all finished, this time 0.9mm brass

NZR DFT

I've finally drawn up the DFT class for 3d printing, obviously I want it for 1:24, but initially drawn up for 1:120 & Ho


The NZ120 & 1:87 DFT version

https://www.shapeways.com NZ120 DFT

https://www.shapeways.com 1:87 DFT

Last body section on the printer overnight, which is going to take 25 hours

DF detailing begins, need to think about sourcing motor chassis

OK, so as it stands, if i'd paid any attention would be i'm printing a DFT. at least on the long hood. So the plan is to remove the front central pillar, square the window off and add a chute to the left hand side

1:24 Dft, progressing but still alot of detail work to do. Fuel tank, battery box & bogies finished. I started printing to early so wil have to redo this project from scratch, as more detail behind the cab roof in terms of profile & height have been since corrected, as well as a few panels including the exhaust added. 

Shelving.

Didn't 2017 come & go like a train in the night, Given time slips by faster the older we get I now get this sense I should be scrambling to hold on to something!
The next rather urgent project, to build some transportable shelves to replace the current setup of "boxes, mismatched not quite strong enough wood planks & fluorescent light covers", setup when moving into the place. The cardboard boxes soon gave way under the weight as can see in pic
This time around I'm going for a design with outside supports, so can display a coupled rake on every shelf.

Being in a rental, I figure cheap shelves from bunnings @ $20 each will do and odd bits of wood 

I've purchased more shelving & have settled on a more space efficient method of storing the trains

1:24 DB Class

Whilst in a productive mood, I converted & sliced up the Db class for 1:24 scale & started off printing the main sections.

Cab & front printed, Starting to look like a Db

Sections coming along nicely

Sections attached using spacers. Putty & sanding continues

After quite a bit of sanding later, almost ready for its first coat of ultra fine primer

After a decent paintjob the Db steps closer to detailing, I haven't found a decent solution for the grills yet..

Decals & handrails Added..

Headlights added, second Db class mainly complete.

1:24 Dq Class

Now the printer's up & running I've decided I'd print out the DQ in 1:24 scale why not.

Most of the long hood printed.

The main sections finished

Most of the body printed, undergoing putty & sanding

Most of the body printed, undergoing putty & sanding

Dq after a paint job, dunno why but the masking was a bit of a miss, lots of tidying up to do. The cab needs another going over with the sand paper, eventually we'll get there.

Chassis fitted & wired up ready for a run in

Midway through detailing the 1:24 DQ Class, handrails are the thinnest my printer can handle. Nice straight lines, still much to do.

NZR USL class

Over the past week I had been drawing up & printing out a Usl Log wagon, after the first few failed attempts at printing the flat sections I changed the print orientation to vertical & found better results. 

Since I'm going to want a few of them I've managed to get the print time down to 3 nights for the main body.

Bogies are standard bachman freight trucks.

Drawn up in Tinkercad

Main body & cradles & minor detailing printed, cradles sitting in position with a friction grip.

 

Decalling finished although the cradles still unattached, still to paint the body & bogies red oxide colour.

3 Wagons completed, 48 individual decals for the cradles alone.

With a relatively smaller load but still looking the part