3D printing what to do next 1/48 vehicles?

AlanRailOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

So I am working a catenary system that uses Pittman Poles with Marklin catenaries; where I have most of the parts printed to support the catenary; someone suggested a parking garage sign for his parking lot. I am making that; but . . .

. . . I was thinking that I no longer have to put up with 1/43 scale cars or 1/52 scale trucks both of which miss the 1/48 scale size mark by a good percentage. They really do look out of scale next to the engines. I have accepted that size kludge for a long time. No more!

I can make a group of 1/48 scale sedans that requires at most 3 pieces:1) body frame with opening doors fairly easily leaving openings for LED head and tail lights; 2) The glass can be accomplished by using clear resin for a windshield and windows insert; and 3) A body frame with rotating wheels.

There are many cars that have already been modeled in the various model sites, so I may start there.

Also, I finished my track-side block signals that have openings for 30 ga wiring and to place G-Y-R LEDs.

I will place all of my designs on SHAPEWAYS so that anyone without a 3D printer can have them printed by SHAPEWAYS for a fairly low cost.

1/15/1712:14 PM

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triplexOGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

Alan, can you send me a few pics of what your catenary poles and connecting wires look like? I am tempted to take a crack at putting up at least one loop for Electric engines.

thanks,

Milt

1/15/1712:37 PM

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Tom ShireyOGR Forum Member

Wow....I'm in awe.

1/15/1712:43 PM

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AlanRailOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

Milt

I will post pictures of the catenary system; an idea I "borrowed" from one of the railroad magazines and adopted from what Alan (Adman) Arnold is doing on his layout. I am finishing off the pieces now and painting them.

The Pittman Poles consist of a steel vertical post and crosspiece welded high on the pole; I obtained many of these on eBay; there are even some T-shaped poles for tracks close together where two cantenaries can be attached. The Marklin HO cantenaries are like the MTH ones only smaller in height. Marklin has several y-shaped catenaries for switches and x- shaped crossovers. These are isolated as if you could power them. I am not.

The Marklin Cats. like the MTH Cats are supported at the poles by two round insert pegs that reach out from the pole, placing the catenaries above the center of the track.

My 3D printed element slips over the horizontal cross piece that then becomes the upper peg and the element has the lower peg; further the element has a 30 degree support arm that fits back over the vertical pole. Each of the arms has insulator pieces to simulate the insulated nature of a catenary support system. I added a secondary insulated piece for the carrier wire.

Once I have this developed further I will post it.