CN Yellowhead Division

[Scottl]

Thanks guys!

I have shifted gears to working on trains again.  I still have a bunch of used freight cars I picked up in 2021 that needed to be refinished into more appropriate paint schemes.  I wanted a cut of cement cars for the Hinton local so I stripped and refinished seven covered hoppers.  I also tryed out some Sunyscopa decal paper on my laser printer for the decals and I am very pleased with how thin and easy to work with it is.  There is apparently extra thin film available as well, but this is what was possible from Amazon and without a massive shipping charge from S. Korea.

[Scottl]

Finally fired up the 3D printer to try it out.  I'm pretty happy with the results from my first prints so I progressed to a model of one of several intermodal well cars I want.  First up, 40' Thrall stand alone car.  I scaled it from a 48' Walthers car and modified to make it more realistic.  There are several variants of these, some chopped from 48' and some seemingly new with a different floor design, so I'll do a few in each for my fleet.  After that, the 40' Thrall five-unit will be next.  Ultimately, I want to do the NSC 40' cars to match the beautiful JTT 53' models.

This print shows many artifacts and I'm still learning the ropes, but the walkways print nicely and the body is good too.  The rail posts and walkways had almost no support so it is a miracle they did as well as they did. I think the body will need to be supported with brass strips on the inside to keep it from warping and the lower container will need some extra weight, but I think this will serve nicely.  I'll keep refining it but enjoying the process.

[James Costello]

Finally fired up the 3D printer to try it out.  I'm pretty happy with the results from my first prints so I progressed to a model of one of several intermodal well cars I want.  First up, 40' Thrall stand alone car.  I scaled it from a 48' Walthers car and modified to make it more realistic. 

FWIW Scott, considering these are based on the Thrall / Walthers models, skip the walkways etc and go straight to the Gold Metal Models etch brass kits while you can. I know Gary has gotten great looking results with his walkways, but I'd be saving myself the grief on this model.

[Scottl]

That is my back up plan.  The walkways (based on shapes from Gary's projects) print very well.  The railing, not so much, but it is early days.  If need be, I can always etch my own from stainless as well.

[Scottl]

Next version seems to support the prospect of the walkways printing well.  These are paper thin and have a tread pattern made from holes.  They printed with next to no supports.  However, the end railings are not cooperating at all so I am trying to print them separately. 

I'm honestly suprised how well the walkways print, very encouraging.  And with resin that is 2-years out of date