OK ... you asked for more. This is my print of a Union Pacific Big Boy locomotive. Not long after getting my 3D printer I decided to try a major print rather than the usual small character models and fancy mechanical constructions most 3D printer folk do. I found this model online in Thingiverse (3D printer library). This guy (Paul Fischer) did a major piece of work to create this model and then printed it at about 9 feet long!!! Took him about 800 to draft the model and then 1000 hours to print it. There was no way I was going to tackle that so I scaled it down to 33% (which brings it to approx. O scale - 462mm or just over 18" in length). It took me over 3 months to print, construct and paint (don't know how many hours). There are approx 860 printed parts in this model. During the build I bought a second 3D printer (this is an addictive hobby) which helped speed up the process as I was able to double my printing. I did not print the handrails, the coal load, the track ballast or the supporting base stand. The handrails were going to be too flimsy at this scale so I used wire (twisted in a drill to stiffen it ... thanks Gormo). The coal is fish tank filter charcoal, the ballast is fish tank volcanic grit (no I am not into tropical fish) and the base support is timber. I see 3D printing coming more and more into model railroading, both by purchasing prints and/or getting your own printer. I have passed on some of my other scenic models to Gormo and you can see them in his recent Great Chesterford November Update YouTube if you're interested. Finally ... I don't think I will try another model this complex ... but who knows!
I've always liked this loco, from drooling over the Rivarossi (I think) version in my local model shop (Peppers - now long gone), and then seeing some O gauge versions. A very impressive build Paul
Fabulous Chris.. It just goes to show that if you want something unique, it`s going to take quite a lot of time and effort to bring it all together.......but ....then you have something really unique. Gormo PS....it`s a beautiful beast
Wow, impressive! props to the original designer for the amount of time it must have taken to print and build at 9ft long too though!