Talking About Trains...

[Captain Caveman]

Thanks for the likes.

 

[Captain Caveman]

 

[Angular Chap]

Thanks for the likes.

Thanks for the pictures!

 

[Captain Caveman]

 

[Captain Caveman]

Track on my partly built layout.

 

[Glennwood Road Ent 21]

As a young Christian man who diagnosed with Autism living in Latin America and The Caribbean Region, in USA, rode Miami International Airport people Mover and from the airport to Rental Car Center in Miami many times since 2012, in December 2016, rode the orange airport mover train in ATL and the White Train at Detroit International Airport respectively (first time visiting Georgia and Michigan states respectively before I went to Erie, Pennsylvania for my sister's graduation and I spotted freight trains in the snowy weather.

And in September 2024 for my 10th year anniversary of being ordinated as a Transit Fan by now defunct Hanks Truck Pictures website in The Commonwealth of The Bahamas by God in Junior High School in 2014, I've went international to Canada for the first time and I Spotted many Antique Trains around Toronto Roundhouse Park Near CN Tower, rode the Toronto Pearson International Airport Trains from one terminal to another before I Boarded Government of Ontario UP Express Train from the Airport straight to Union Station in Downtown Toronto.

In September 2025, I'm going to Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay Area, California respectively to check out the train museum etc. This year for 11th anniversary of being a Transit fan and I'm on the Autism Spectrum. I just got my driver's license and I'm hoping to rent a car in California for the trip.

Stay tuned for more updates to come guys. GOODNIGHT
10-4 AND OVER AND OUT.

 

[Gerontius]

Track on my partly built layout.

Your tracklaying skills are an inspiration. Handlaid track? Even if you can get tracks cheaply at a model shop it just looks so much better for a narrow-gauge line to lay one's own tracks. What are the sleepers made of again?

Already mentioned the small stash of vintage American Flyer here but it's annoying how little S Scale gear is out there for cheap--but --

Anyway--Found an online group that is 3d-printing chassis and such for S gauge trains! While it won't work for fixing these steam locomotives they DO HAVE the plans & files to build diesel-electric locomotives, and I suppose one could use the files for the motor bogies to build some electric freight motors, some trolleys or interurban cars, or anything nice like that.

The S Gauge stuff is sold by "Dragon Railroad" which -- here's the files. I do not have a 3d printer yet, nor do I have $56 for plastic train directions, but I'm really curious about making some of these little guys and detailing them. You can probably get the American Flyer trucks from Lionel now that have rotating bearing caps, and of course detailing parts are available from a lot of places, so that'll be interesting to see just how good they could look.

Dragon Railway V2 - Complete set

 

[Judge]

Me with my classic Aurora Postage Stamp Trains and tracks, 1968. I sooooo loved N-Gauge.

Such nostalgia!

 

[Captain Caveman]

Used to have a Maplin store in the town I was living near, and they sold these sheets of printed circuit board (PCB). I then cut off strips from the board and used them as sleepers. The track is experimental and I have learned a lot now of what works and what to avoid. Not sure where to buy PCB today but I have one or two small sheets spare that I bought before Maplin closed.
I used code 100 rail that is what 00 and H0 trainsets use. Is the type of rail height that allows me to run deeper flanged wheels if I want to. The gauge is the same as H0 as it is easier to make or buy chassis.
I love what 3D printers can do. Once set up and one has a nice program with enough resin to complete the work, it is exciting to watch ones model parts form!
But I much prefer the hands on approach to making things myself, so I have not gone down the 3D printed route.
I do actually have two 3D printed loco body kits, one of which I have started to convert it to look the way I want it to look, but I have to say that working on 3D printed resin in this way feels a struggle as the material feels dead and tries to work against you rather than for you. Try manual resin casting (Or buy a resin cast kit cast the manual way), and the material works with you and is a pleasure to work! [Yes, I have heard that there are now other resins for 3D printers to use so hopefully things have improved!]
3D printing really comes into its own when one can take a program that other talented modellers have made, download it and set ones printer to print, and one has oneself a lovely 3D printed model (All going to plan), and this is honestly amazing that one can do this!
But for me, to go back to CAD CAM again that I did in the 1980's just feels "Yuck", as I am a "Hands on" guy!
So when I make a waggon or something else, I have thought about the idea, and how to make it, and what materials I will use. I normally experiment a bit before I am happy, and then I use the successful designs and make more.
Now I REALLY ENJOY the process. I can spend a year or two thinking up designs and testing them in my head.
Somehow, downloading a program and printing it feels like buying and owning an electric car. It does everything one wants it to do. But somehow, for those who love piston engines, it does not feel the same! One feels like one will hang on to ones lovely old piston engined car for years after everyone else has changed just because it feels like an old friend one will never want to part with, and watching an old car be taken away for scrap is really heartbreaking. Electric cars one does not feel like this.

Is how best I can describe the closeness I have to the things I make using the tools and skills I have gained. (And I am no where near as talented as others, but I really appreciate that I can make things).

What I have learned though, is that often we over-complicate our designs which is why things sometimes don't work.

Your tracklaying skills are an inspiration. Handlaid track? Even if you can get tracks cheaply at a model shop it just looks so much better for a narrow-gauge line to lay one's own tracks. What are the sleepers made of again?

Already mentioned the small stash of vintage American Flyer here but it's annoying how little S Scale gear is out there for cheap--but --

Anyway--Found an online group that is 3d-printing chassis and such for S gauge trains! While it won't work for fixing these steam locomotives they DO HAVE the plans & files to build diesel-electric locomotives, and I suppose one could use the files for the motor bogies to build some electric freight motors, some trolleys or interurban cars, or anything nice like that.

The S Gauge stuff is sold by "Dragon Railroad" which -- here's the files. I do not have a 3d printer yet, nor do I have $56 for plastic train directions, but I'm really curious about making some of these little guys and detailing them. You can probably get the American Flyer trucks from Lionel now that have rotating bearing caps, and of course detailing parts are available from a lot of places, so that'll be interesting to see just how good they could look.

Dragon Railway V2 - Complete set

Sleepers are made from cutting strips of printed circuit board. (PCB). Rails are ordinary code 100 rails. Gauge is 16.5mm.

3D printing... Great idea.

I prefer scratchbuilding the manual way though, but it is good to hear you have3D printing plans!

 

[Captain Caveman]

Me with my classic Aurora Postage Stamp Trains and tracks, 1968. I sooooo loved N-Gauge.

View attachment 142485

Such nostalgia!

Lovely! A bit small for me as I have tried it. I do have an N gauge loco.

 

[Captain Caveman]

Here is one where the body is made from rusty tin and the chassis came from an old Triang bogie. Wooden bufferbeams were glued on and new wheels were slid onto the Triang axles.