Firstly thanks for taking the time to have a look at my website, it is in it’s early days and will grow with hopefully interesting things.
Today I would like to talk about my R-Type carriages, I am very happy with how these are looking and with the way they go together. The photos in the gallery are of different prototypes and so are still unfinished in their detailing. For example the latest piece designed is the passenger steps, these have been added to the HR car but not on the others at the time of photographing them. These are not the first carriages I have designed in 1 gauge, but they are the first I want to supply as kits so that others can built and put them behind some of the Australian locos that are now gracing tracks around the place.
Some details about my kits, the body is assembled from 3 layers of 1mm and 1 of .6mm ply, this allows a 3 dimensional look not achieved with less layers, it also allows for etching of planking detail on the inside of the carriage. This also helps with fitting of either PETG or Acrylic for windows. All the doors have been redesigned to follow this process as well but are not in the gallery photos. Because carriages have rounded ends and doorways these have been routed out of 3mm basswood sheet then laser cut to length and holes for handrails inserted. The roof is removable from the body so you can detail it further down the track, as well as for the fitting of lighting onboard. Roof vents are 3d printed in a tuff resin. The chassis is assembled from ply side and end rails and resin board top and bottom plates, resin board is also used to make the fillets along either side, these are very strong as well as looking prototypically correct. I am using Kadee 821 couplers except on the baggage end of the HR where 820s are used. The 820s have a little more give for connection to the loco but the 821s being smaller allow more rotation of the bogie. There is also room on the mounting plate to fit other styles of couplers to suit your loco connection. At the moment I can get carriages around a 1.6m radius with ease. The bolsters for the bogie’s to hang from are multiple layers of ply with lock nuts fitted into for ease of mounting and adjustment of tension.
Speaking of Bogie’s, these are also assembled from ply, wheels used are now Kadee 950s running in ball bearing for very smooth rolling. I have tried Roll-ez wheels but found they look more toyish for these than the cast Kadee’s. The picture to the right has plastic LGB wheels due to my 2nd delivery taking forever to arrive from the USA in these Covid delayed postal days. I have designed them to be assembled as 2 sides that bolt together with discrete bolts for assembly and disassembly if necessary. To finish of, each bogie comes with 2 3d printed side detail pieces.
That gives you hopefully a little info about my kits, finally today all kits now come in a storage box to carry or display the finished model. the box also aligns with track to allow the carriage to roll out and onto your track with no handling.
On the verge of jumping to this scale, you have me hooked with these cars as I use to travel to school in Wentworth Falls from Lapstine on the set that use to be stabled at Valley Heights.
Fantastic kits, I look forward to them becoming available.
Keep up the excellent work.
Thanks for your looking at my site and your interest in my models. It’s a great scale and there are a few of us in the Blue Mountains working on this, just down the hill at Springwood. They should be available mid July, awaiting components from the USA.
Warren
I love the work you have done. They look great.
I certainly plan on purchasing, when available. Personally, I would be looking a RTR version, as opposed to a kit. In red/custard