Shapeways as a source of model rail designs and parts

Shapeways allows designers to design and sell 3D printable items. I have from time to time perused the Shapeways site for model rail parts and designs that may not be readily available in 'ready to place' or kit form. However to date I haven't actually ordered anything from them.

The search filters is a bit simple and could do with an Advanced Search feature to allow improved search results, however with a bit of persistence you can muddle through the results.

From a NSWGR modeling point of view, I can recommend a visit to Ray Pilgrim's Shapeway store as he has invested some considerable time in designing prototypical signals and relevant support brackets for the servos, etc. I would be interested in seeing how lighting up the Clearance Posts with LEDs would look on a layout.

From a generic railway modeling view, I came across Madasu Designs which offer some interesting accessory parts for a layout. I would particularly like to see how the 500 gallon water tanks and the 44 gallon drums turn out.

Another shop, Focus offers a number of designs that might suit modelers. I particularly like the whiskey barrels. It would also be interesting to see how open the designer would be to doing these in OO (1:76) as beer barrels that could be used as freight cargo or static features near an old UK style pub.

Well that is about it from me on this topic. Have a look at Shapeways as a possible source of model rail parts, etc or even give it a go yourself with their online tools for designers.

RMCQ Show and Qld Rail 12mm collection started

Now that I am back again from my recent sabbatical from blogging, what has been happening. Well the Tour De France is over again for another year and as usual some surprise upsets but Froome won the contest.

On the modeling front, not much has happened as highlighted in the last post, however I have been pottering around with some ideas for the Club HO station area backscene and very low relief buildings that are needed. I have purchased the Evans Designs Model Builder software (http://www.modeltrainsoftware.com/model-builder.html) which seems to be the way forward. I am thinking of making it three dimensional by using thin card (1-1.5 mm) against the backboard with a building on it, then in front of it using foam board (about 5mm) with the foreground buildings on it. I will come up with a design concept and place on the layout to see if it works as I am hoping it will.

On the subject of the Club HO layout, we have decided to incorporate a 12mm (HOn3.5) design that will coexist with the 16.5mm system. This has got me interested in Queensland Rail rollingstock as this is the prototype I grew up with, more so than NSW, but to date not much mass produced RTR 12mm available (PGC Models do small runs I believe and I will look into these to pad out my mixed traffic trains with some interesting rollingstock). However Southern Rail Models and Wuiske have been producing some nice RTR rollingstock. I also have 12mm and 16.5mm QR 2300 class  locos on order from Southern (care of Mr Mackie). Why the 16.5 you might ask? Something to run on the main layout (modeller's licence - the bogies were swapped out to standard gauge will be my story!).

So at the club's (RMCQ) show on the weekend just gone, I have started the 12mm collection with the purchase of a 4 pack of Southern Rail 4-wheelers from a vendor at the show, Railco.

(picture sourced from Southern Rail Models website http://www.southernrailmodels.com.au/)

I have also been on the hunt for a OO bus for my layout, but to date I have only been able to find buses specific to a region or city. However also at the Railco stall I came across an Oxford Diecast model of a generic British Rail bus which suited perfectly.

 

(picture sourced from Oxford Diecast's website http://www.oxforddiecast.co.uk/)

On the subject of the RMCQ Show, I took my sons down to have a look and there were some very good layouts in attendance. Some we had seen before, some added to, and some new. Some photos from the show can be found at Mr Mackie's blog (http://ca55ino.blogspot.com.au/2015/08/a-good-weekend-turned-into-great-weekend.html).

Also this week I received an email from a bloke at Shapeways, the 3D printing company, wanting me to do a blog post about their products and website. Not sure what is in it for me, but hopefully they will surprise me?