Dry Bulk Trailers in N Scale!!!

[Pomperaugrr]

It looks like my dream and my wallet's nightmare are going to come true.  I need a ton of these for my Specialty Minerals, Fairfield Processing and Sheffield Plastics plants!  I had better start saving now!!! 

http://www.shapeways.com/model/644188/n-scale-42-dry-bulk-trailer-2-pack.html

Eric

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Eric I have my doubts that a design that complex will look good from shapeways. I really wish we could get some of these creat designs and send them to the guy that Bryan uses. They seem much more competant.

I have been burned on every shapeways product I have purchased including:
Items undeliverable.
Items unproducable even though they passed their requirments.
products have a rough, thatched surface as bad, and in some cases worse than MakeMyModel.
Parts mal formed, missing, warped etc.
Different part than what was ordered.

The theory is much better than in real life. Until they figure out just how to build these models correctly, all the best designs in the world will look like ball of hairy wax.

[TiVoPrince]

Looks
like I will be adding a plastics loadout track...

[Scottl]

I've had pretty good success with some of the Shapeways parts- none of the missing or mixed up business.

These trailers look really nice, some of the fine details might need to get replaced and the body smoothed, but it fills a gap and I'd like one when they become available.   

More n-scale glory!  Take that bigger scales 

[flight2000]

They are available now, but who is going to be the first to drop $36 for the pair???   

http://www.shapeways.com/model/644930/n-scale-42-dry-bulk-trailer-2-pack-kit.html

Brian

[Chris333]

I wouldn't even think of buying those until you can find a clear photo of actual painted models. 3D drawn images are perfect and shouldn't be used to show you what you are buying.

[FrankCampagna]

I wouldn't even think of buying those until you can find a clear photo of actual painted models. 3D drawn images are perfect and shouldn't be used to show you what you are buying.

Precisely. I could probably turn out a reasonable looking image in Wings. Implying that image is what you are actually buying is deceptive, at best.

[Philip H]

Well, considering all the discussion on Trainboard about his other stuff (where he's a regular member as Mark Watson BTW), I might just do it.  His stage coaches and old time cars turned out really well, and there are copious pics to prove it.  I would expect he'd have some of this after initial production too.

[Pomperaugrr]

I just pulled the trigger and ordered two sets.  I do need these and even if they are not foreground quality, they will fit a need for my industries.  Time will tell.

Eric

[Chris333]

It's not the designers fault. The 3D model is perfect and it just doesn't look like that when printed out. From what I've seen model with things like thin railings or ladders turn out worse than solid objects. A lot of the smaller parts will either by broken off when you open the package or they will break when you accidentally breath on the model. It's just how shapeways and FUD is.

[Pomperaugrr]

Good point, but since these will be in signature scenes which absolutely need dry bulk trailers, and there are no other N scale alternatives, even yard loaves are better than no trailers at all at this point.  I don't have time to try to scratchbuild these.  I can always keep these in the background if better alternatives come out eventually. 

I will eventually need about 24 dry bulk trailers to finish the scenes I have planned.  That provides ample opportunity for other manufacturers to fill this void.  The four I'll get from the two Shapeways kits will be a decent start for now, even if they need some work.  I'm willing to take the gamble and see what I get, before I pass judgment.  It might be a $78.50 mistake, but I'll chance it.

Eric

[Chris333]

You might be the first to post good photos.

[Pomperaugrr]

Thanks for the vote of confidence...but I'm not holding my breath and don't have high expectations.  I have not made any train related purchases in a while, so i figure, it is only money, right???  Well money and being publicly humiliated for spending that much on sight unseen models.  Time will tell.   

Eric

[Chris333]

I could go take a photo of my wasted money 

I bought some Nn3 steel hoppers and parts were broke when I opened the box. Then I soaked them and even more parts fell off. Stuff like way over sized stirrups were gone. They are still sitting in the container awaiting transport to the trash.

[NARmike]

$36... sight unseen... That's about the same as a meal and a glass of wine for me and the Mrs. at a restaurant we've never tried before. Maybe the food is good and maybe... not so much. Maybe the wine is excellent or maybe I'll bring it home to strip some paint off that damn Kato shell. We don't seem to have a problem with that gamble at all and we do it quite often. I'll be ordering some too... maybe even post a review like a food critic.

Mike Maisonneuve
Modeling the Northern Alberta Railways' Peace River subdivision in N scale.
http://nscalenar.blogspot.ca/