Working on a high detailed H45 coal hopper 3 bay. Just a few snap shots for now.. Putting 100 Ton trucks on them soon.. Working the trucks in CAD now.. These are the first run and will not be made into running cars as there were areas I needed to print and see just what can be done. Going to refine the design just a little bit more to make a robust good running T scale hopper. Lain
Holy cow that's tiny! Is the H45 a designation/model assigned by the railroad or the manufacturer? Sounds like a PRR type name.
Manufacturer designation. I don't think there were many railroads that didn't have this type of hopper at some point in their history lol! Tiny is an understatement... these are stupid tiny! Haa!! Its a challenge... will have to see what my "REV.B" hoppers will run like on tracks in the real "T" world. Lain
Thanks! I want these to be something that you go wow over...but have everything they need to be a great T scale addition. Its sometimes hard to digest that at a scale 45 ft long hopper...they are just over 1.2 inches long! Lain
The plan is to produce them in house with the Barber 100 ton trucks (In CAD and in the works right now) and standard couplers from T-guage.com Also in the works right now are metal wheels/pinsets with sleeves in a local machine shop via swiss screw machines. This has a bit to go. The development and refinement takes some testing. I want these to be good and as trouble free as possible in this scale. The other way to go will be buying complete wheelsets from T-guage.com Thats the initial plan anyhow. Thanks Hemi. Lain
First off, ooops! Made a mistake.. The H45 as I called this hopper is actually the H43 hopper and is a 45ft hopper.... Ok! With that out of the way... Just did a few updates on the model and will be printing the new version tomorrow or Friday to test the print and check detail on the model.. Going to print them in the grey and also try it in black. My hopes are for a matte finish in black.. Modified the bottom by shortening the center beam to expose the base door details and angles a bit more, and added brace stanchions to the inner tub. Lain
I printed some N scale bathtub gons in black. It's more of a satin finish. Any perfectly flat areas are glossy.
That looks awesome! When I did the grey for a first test, they also have glossy flat surfaces and like you said matte finish looking sides... I really like your inside details. Resin is some amazing stuff nowadays! These smaller scales it is a God send! I cant wait to get a minute to print this next test print but with normal work...and longer hours right now...time is tight. Thanks for sharing Hemi!
Ok, got a chance to print the new revisions on the "H43" not H45 hoppers.. On the right track (no pun intended lol).. Now to get the trucks printed, so we can get to some testing. Wheelsets are finally in so this will be interesting! Here are some pics of the new prints.. 45ft length, 3785 cu ft H43's....in T scale! 1.203" long by 7.3mm wide(.287) and body without wheels 7.1mm(.2795) tall. Lain interior stanchions Sides Base details Ends of cars There really is a brake system in there! Haa!!!!
Hey JT, I have M1 x 2 mm self tapping phillips screws that are working fine for trucks that I am making. These can be found on Amazon and Ebay. They are the black oxide phillips ones that will be in a bundle. I did buy mine on ebay for starts and got 1000 of them for like 20 bucks. I am still working on my trucks in 3d print resin and have been quiet on here for a minute as we are developing an SD40 fully geared on both trucks with a dual shaft motor, a 62ft bulkhead flatcar, and have a 15,200 gal sulfuric acid tank car in the works right now. These little screws are kind of a God send for this stuff! They do well in the 3D prints. I will post a picture of them and will get a picture of them in the train cars. Keeping in mind they work fine on my design but may not work well with the trucks from Tgauge.com Lorraine does those cars a little differently with a different screw setup. When we get these cars complete, they will be with trucks and couplers complete..thus we went with the M1x2 very tiny self tappers. Also...we do 3D print the pilot hole for the screws and finish drill them to correct size. A standard .035 drill works best and doesn't break the cars. I added the screenshot of the ebay posting (there are several) of the listings for those screws. You have to select the M1x2 from their listings. Thanks! Lain
Kurt, do you have a T scale layout? Reason I ask is like any "Beta" testing.. I know I will have to put a few out there to test real world to get feedback. Lain
Not yet, but the more I see, the more I want one! I've seen a few at local trainshows in the last couple of years here in Western Washington. So amazing in even a 1x2 layout! Basic starter set from Tguage.com might be in my future if all this keeps up, then start a detailed layout to take to shows in the future. I have alot of Milwaukee Road Z-scale right now, but the T would be really easy to transport and easy to set-up!
The wife and I are looking at this as a long term project as I have been into 3D printing for about 10 years now along with all the machining. I want this to be my next layout and I want to continue to develop more and more cars as well. That coal car was my pioneer in printing the first trial in this scale. It really is what showed me if it was possible to get the detail in such tiny cars. I have more track on the way now so I will definitely get some test loops built. I have magnetics that I am utilizing to keep the cars on the rails as you know they dont weigh anything near enough to keep them on the tracks. The metal wheels I am getting quotes on now can be magnetized so that may be the future sets of wheels. I currently dont own a screw machine so outsourcing is neccessary for the wheels right now. I want to see where I can take this.