Modeling and 3d printing some 34' Overtons with an Ender-3

[WP&P]

That little hopper looks outstanding, I had to look hard to find the layer lines you referred to. Print quality is great!

The Rapido couplers feel overbearing, though. A string of these would have big gaps between them, when in reality they probably didn't even use standard knuckle couplers at the time. These would be good candidates for the use of Z-scale knuckles, perhaps. Another option I might suggest, if you need to stick with Rapido style couplers, would be to recess them as much as possible. If you can get it to where the back plane of the coupler is lining up with the end of the car body, then the gap between cars would just be the depth of the knuckle. This probably means restricted movement for the coupler, at least vertically, but I don't expect you'll be frequently uncoupling these. You'll get a cut of cars linked together and leave it, pretty much.

That leads to another possibility: you could 3D print a "link and chain" or drawbar connector, and permanently couple a chain of five or so of these, with active couplers only on the end cars. Even in that case, though, it still might be worthwhile to experiment with have far back you can recess the coupler boxes, to try to keep a consistent gap where car sets join.

[ChicagoNW]

Here is a link to Micro Trains Civil War Link & Pin type couplers.
https://www.micro-trains.com/index.p...roduct_id=1095

You might also go with a toy-type link. The cars have small post on each end of the cars with a link placed over the posts to join the cars. To join with normal cars conversion cars would be used, cars with a hook on one side and a coupler on the other.

Normally ore cars, like those, would never be found outside the mine. Long distance cars would be open gondolas about 30 feet long.

Can you describe the plastic you are using to make these cars. Is it like styrene or vinyl?

[Pencil]

According to John White*, these jimmys were used up until about 1900 - long past any other type of 4-wheeled car(in the US). Many of the prototypes used a hook and chain coupling system, but we modelers have a long history of using whatever 'works'
These cars would have been used in regular long-distance (often 'unit') trains. He mentions a Lehigh Valley train with 225 loaded jimmies in 1891; and another (earlier) with 593 - over a mile and a half long.
Their use seemed to be dependent on the railroad - some used these jimmies, and others used gondolas, hoppers, or iron pot hoppers.

*https://archive.org/details/americanrailroad00whit

[ChicagoNW]

I stand corrected. I am used to the ore Jennys used across the upper Midwest.


Here is a Kato Chain and Hook coupler.
https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/m/10718878
It is a direct replacement for the T-shank Rapido coupler.
I have use versions of the Janey(knuckle) and Titelok couplers with great success. I’ve picked up a string of BanDai B-Train Shorty cars, by a single car.

[Woodat]

@ChicagoNW
The plastic in question is a 3d printer filament called PLA+ . In this case it's from a company called SUNLU but there are others that make it. This stuff has some great qualities. It is fairly smooth when printing so I can do fine(ish) detail with it. It is a little flexible so I don't risk shattering. But most importantly it acts the same as styrene. I can shave it, drill it, and sand it with all the normal tools.

@all
Definitely yes on the couplers. Sadly here in the UK rapido is the standard so it's what I've been working around. Despite scavenging dozens of things from eBay and local shops I've amassed a grand collection of 5 knuckle couplers and 1 T coupler.

A lot of this early work is also based on the wheels I was originally able to source. The only wheels (and bogies) I could get in bulk cheap were some cheap little ones from AliExpress.



So a lot of the early work has been centered around these cheap little things. The carts are designed to mate directly onto those bogies to save time trying to build new wheel frames. I then just pop another coupler off and glue it to the other side to complete.

The design suggestion of extending the car is a good one, and it'll probably be done. I recently discovered (courtesy of help from @Pencil ) that they're about 5% too short anyway. There's also some invisible clearance I've designed already into it to allow the couplers to bend up so that's no problem. I can also recess the couplers back another 2mm without running into the ballast weight also.

But the good news is I've placed an order for some new metal wheeled bogies and knuckle couplers, should be here in a few weeks. When those are in I'll see how those work out. Failing that, when I do the final set for my layout it wouldn't be hard to fabricate some metal hooks and chains from some jewelry chain and wire I imagine. That would give it a proper look to the whole thing. I'd love those Kato ones (bet they are fairly easy to decouple) but getting them here any be a little cost prohibitive.

Sadly these redesigns won't make it until the next iteration however. I just finished printing off a current batch of 4. Have added the cross bar at the top and modeled the shute and doors (not that anyone will see them once these have loads put inside). The base bed will be extended/modified though as it's the basis of the upcoming flatbed, bolster, and logging cars.

Just like how the design of the car was dictated by external factors, the upcoming layout (including the choice of these small cars and locomotives) is being driven by the same. House space is a crazy premium over here, so this layout is going to be on the small end of tiny. Less then 2x4'. Sadly this meant no large diesels or long rakes of carriages. Instead I'll be focusing more on a small back woods operation. But to make that happen I need to know what rolling stock I can functionally make and support it with.

So suggestions and advice are incredibly welcome for all this. Thank you!. Everything helps when it comes to design iteration ��

[ChicagoNW]

Not every layout in North America fills a basement. There are a lot of us that have layouts that fit on a card table. You are taking the right tack by pairing a small space with tiny equipment. You don’t have to limit yourself to some backwoods operation. Here are six designs that were planned for the top of a filing cabinet (15”x30”) using Tomix Mini Fine Track and Tram Track. https://www.nscale.net/forums/album....chmentid=39413 With the space you are planning, you will do much better. The key to a good small layout is breaking the scenery into small isolated vignettes. Good scenic viewblocks are a must. The layout always looks best when your eyes are at track level.

About your trucks, it is difficult to see which type you bought. Because many across the pond from you replace our Rapido equipped trucks(bogies) with MicroTrains ones, if you ask, you might get some for a lot less.

[Pencil]

What about printing up some 'H'-shaped drawbars that would fit in the coupler boxes in place of the Rapidos, sorta like WP&P mentioned? That would give you the short distance between the coal cars at the expense of not being able to (easily) break down the string of cars.
I don't know that I'd worry too much about 5% size delta from the plans - it looks like a bunch of railroads used similar designs, but they likely would have made small changes to suit their needs.

@ChicagoNW - those screw link couplers are crazy! Wow!

Curtis

[ChicagoNW]

@Pencil,
Because those cars don’t have any steering, using a H bar connector would lock the train into a straight line. The H bar is easily made by cutting the Rapido couplers. Many ore Jennys were linked up that way their two rotating trucks(bogies) allow the unit train snake through curves.

[Woodat]

Alrighty, a few final photos to close out this thread. The Mk1's of the overton set is finished. When I'm ready for a final set I'll be touching up and reprinting the models, but that'll wait until after I have a working layout. For now these (plus the coal jimmies) give me enough to test with. Given they're just tests I haven't done the truss rods or a particularly great paint job on any of them (those will be on the next set).

And speaking of the jimmies, I diverted a couple hours last night to slapping some paint on those as well. I wanted at least 3 to test with - and since they only take 1.5 hours to print I ended up printing 6. Unlike the first one, the second batch also has the cross support beam and a fully modeled interior (though not the coupling-hiding modifications).

Anyway, here's the photos. After the layout and the corrections on these models I'll probably look at some way of releasing them all. As far as this half is concerned, also in the pipeline are the logging cars, freight cars, and possibly a locomotive or two. But first I've got a bunch of buildings to finish up and do, as well as track to lay down. Will start a new thread on that once that's rolling.

[badlandnp]

Those all came out looking great!

[Boiler-man]

How about using Z scale MT couplers?

[Sumner]

Ender-3
Modifications:

0.2mm nozzle (required)
New control board (optional but cleared up some random detail issues)
2nd Z-axis + motor (also optional but helped a lot with some z-banding errors in earlier printing)
stronger bed leveling springs (optional. At least the earlier ender-3s all came with some weak springs that wouldn't hold level very long)

Somehow I missed this thread earlier and just came upon it today after seeing your great start on your layout. I'm still using the stock .4 nozzle but .014"/.36 mm is about as small detail wise I've been able to go. You are getting down to almost half of that. That does interest me .

What control board did you get and would you still get it or maybe have a preferance for a different one?

Same with the second Z axis?

With the .2 nozzle has clogging issues gone up. The is basically the only problem I have with my Ender 3 Pro (early version). Going to a copperhead hot end replacement (not the whole hot end) has helped. I print at 210 with it but it still has clogging problems at times. I do like the fact that the clogs now are not in the end of the Bowden tube so easier to clear and I don't have to keep cutting the tube shorter and eventually replacing it. An interesting thing is that I bought a second Ender 3 Pro and have used it a lot and haven't had a clog in it yet. I've changed my retraction to 5 and speed to 50 so not sure if that has made a difference. Use Hatchbox gray and print at 210/50. I did buy a Micro Swiss all metal hot end that I was going to put on this printer to try but haven't at this point and might wait on it. I'm wondering if something else is different on the newer Pro that has cut down on the clogging issue (keep waiting for it to happen but hasn't so far--probably will next print now).

Are you running a stock hotend?

Thanks for the info and great work on the cars and roundhouse. I'll probably try some of the Ender mods at some point. I should start using the resin printer that is setup put hasn't been used. Love the filament printer and find it fine for almost all of the N scale items I've printed (lots). Easy to use, no smell, no cleanup.

Sumner

[sid]

clogging up is prob your filament its ether dirty or has got moisture in it or bad filament thats not true. filament is picky. i dont know what brand u are using but hatchbox is the best out there and grey seems to be the best color for reliable prints. . on my ender i print at 50c bed temp and 195 to 200 hot end. might check you tube too make sure its cut square and install it tight . back off the nozzle a we bit and then install the tube then tighten the tube, that really helps . could be a bad #2 nozzle too. fine tuning make a big difference . i love your cars pretty neat.

[Sumner]

Sid I posted about the clogging and use the same HatchBox that you do. Do you never have clogs?

Sumner

[Doug Gosha]

I'm waiting for them to perfect 4D printing before I take the giant leap.

Doug

[spiralcity]

Took a brief break on the overtons to slap some paint on the coal wagon. I'm not bothering to clean it up much as there'll be some later iterations, but it definitely looks cute

(Standard reference peanut m&m included in the last shot for scale)

https://i.postimg.cc/HWvv0tLD/13-DDC...0-F0349498.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/HnnZDrBh/4-F1-D...2-F86-E485.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/c48hRyjw/0457-A...BD9-BB7-D6.jpg

I'll also say my camera picks up the printer aberrations far more than my human eyes can. The layer lines are invisible unless you're 6 inches from it. They're even more invisible if I use solid coats instead of washes for painting

Nice job on the wagons. I get a kick out the couplers combined being as long as the wagon.

[sid]

Sid I posted about the clogging and use the same HatchBox that you do. Do you never have clogs?

Sumner

Nope not in the last two years......i do get worn nozzles though and change them ........I make darn sure to cut that tube square and when i insert it into the hot end i back off the nozzle a couple turns then insert that tube all the way in then i tighten that nozzle so its putting pressure onto that tube . i print with my ender 3 and the ender pro at 200 nozzle and bed 50.
ive tried that other supposed to be better hot end and ive sense went back to the standard hot end. i remember i did have a thermosister go bad one time. in fact i think its close to time to change that out (just a feeling i get ) NOW the first year i owned that ender yes i got a lot of clogs, but now i really dont worry about them. fine turning is the key.....like listening to a couple V8's running , every noise and at that one RPM everything is in tune . had a boat with twin screws two 350's one ran backwards. that baby would hummmm

[sid]

hummmm 4th D printing

[Sumner]

I make darn sure to cut that tube square and when i insert it into the hot end i back off the nozzle a couple turns then insert that tube all the way in then i tighten that nozzle so its putting pressure onto that tube .

Thanks, I have done that but maybe not backing the nozzle out enough. I've printed a lot with the new 3 Pro and no clogs yet so maybe something else is better than my older Pro.

Sumner