N Scale FQX/OCX

Wow how time fly's! been really busy with work and personal life...

Anyway the first of several new posts to come.

Today we received the first test shots of the N scale FQX/OCX. As expected couple of things to fix, however overall they are very impressive!

The deck detail is very fine and the container brackets look superb. The bogie's and wheel look great and run smoothly on tests, more to follow.

Here you can see the brake rigging and the two main versions, FQX to the top and OCX underneath. This is similar levels of detail to current HO models. The central beams are die cast to give weight.

Click on this one to see how it looks painted.

Off to do some testing on the layout and to undercoat one in grey.

Legs

G'day All, over the last few weeks we have done a little bit on the layout. The most obvious being the addition of legs instead of using the fold up tables. We have been think about this for some time and have finally settled on 25mmx25mm Aluminium legs into sockets for their light weight, small size and strength

The layout will have two sets of legs, a high set for all of the layout when it is away from home and a low set for the part of the layout that will be on the Cubelok benches.

Here is an overview, at the moment the legs are clamped on to get the feel of things.

This next picture shows the shorter legs on the Cubelok bench work

Interesting things occur at the tops of legs... this is the plan for ours.

A 100mm aluminium square will be welded to a flat plate by Ashley (thanks!) to form a socket. The plate will be screwed to the frame. A bolt will be use to go through the socket and through the leg and be tapped on the other side of the socket. This way the legs will be unable to go up or down, and will be easily removed by one bolt per leg. well that's the plan, we haven't done one yet!

This way short, long or maybe even medium sized legs can be easily put on the layout. Cross bracing will be clamped on a couple of modules and it should all stiffen up nicely.

N Scale 442 Painted

I couldn't help myself, I just had to paint one of the rapid prototyped models. I have wanted a Candy 442 for some time so here it is!

I used the Alps printed decals supplied in the kit. I undercoated the model in Tamiya Fine undercoat (Which is white), masked the white then painted the body Accuflex Signal Red. I then masked and painted the black. Gave it a gloss coat from a Tamiya spray pack, applied the decals, then a coat of Testors Dullcoat.

Need to give it a good weathering now, most of the time the "white" roof was black from Alco grime!

I'm very happy with the model, it looks great painted.

Cheers

Rob

Rapid Prototyping Australian N Scale

G'Day all, been busy with work, sod it, but this week saw a parcel arrive from peter Boorman with some extra goodies on top of a restock of items.

This is a 442 cast from a Rapid Prototype master designed by Colin Bolin (who is an exceptional modeller using "normal" modelling techniques, and now using 3D design!).

A number of us have been playing around with this technology over the last 3 years, I've been aware of it and watching its development for around 10 years (I first saw it at a Simulation Trade Show in 2002). The problem has been that while it does "organic" designs well when it came to building flat surfaces it struggled

The H car above was an earlier attempt a few years ago, I commissioned the model from David Germain who did the 3D artwork. Even after finishing the model with sandpaper you can see the layers in the side.

In recent times company's such as Shapeways (do a search on "N scale") are opening up the opportunities for people to do it easier... provided you can draw the 3D drawings!

However until relatively recently the results you could obtain by etching and assembling a brass master provided a superior result and finish... now however, based on these samples, I think the pendulum has just swung.

Detail shot of one cab

Cab Detail

The C Class was designed by Rob Popovski and produced the same way but uses a Kato SD40 mechanism.

A C class as well!

C Class nose detail

Adding the details

Where has the last few months gone! Fully recovered from my operations and back at work, three months to catch up on, travelling interstate every second week...

We have the Sandown Show coming up in one week, so have been working on the details.

First the van goods needed a platform! Need to paint one handrail white... and weather it a little bit.

While doing that I added some of the new Spirit design point levers (static models only), and we replaced the light heads on the light posts with solid brass versions, rather than white metal... h'mm I need to straighten that pole!

This is how they look at the "Eastern" end of the yard.

At the west end the workers have a dunny... the door is open so it is unoccupied... maybe...

O Wagon cast test sample

Have been working on the O wagon for about 12 months or so. After the usual first stuff up with the test etch we finally have the hopper master done and the first castings out, thanks to the skills of Peter Boorman. Here are some pictures, a couple of modifications to the etch parts and then it will be in production.

This should make a couple of the Victorian N Scale Collective members quite happy :)

Added to the KT and KS wagons we did last week we now have a good collection of the signature wagons that ran through Nowa Nowa in the 1970's and early 1980's.

New Model underway FQX/OCX Container Flat

Aust-N-Rail in partnership with SDS Models would like to announce their next RTR Australian N scale wagon.

It is the FQX/OCX in three different versions. The NSW OCX/NQCX, the Victorian FQX/VQCX with tie down rings and the Victorian FQX/VQCX with side lashing bar. We are also hoping to be able to offer a specific SAR FQX/AQCX version (modified from the Vic version) however this is still under consideration. 12-14 colour/number versions are under consideration.

These models will also feature an N scale version of the XSC bogie, the first of a planned series of Australian specific bogies, with 36in wheels.

The wagon will have a detailed underfloor, a deck with container anchors sized for the Deluxe Innovation containers and body mounted Micro-Trains© couplers.

The combination of the new bogie and the “underslung” Micro-Trains coupler will allow a prototypical ride height for the wagon.

As you can see we have the first drawings already. We’re expecting the first engineering samples in time for the Hobsons Bay MRRC show at Easter, with the final production in time for the Caulfield show in August.

Detailed underfloor. Purple die cast chassis

Container locks will be separete items to place

These will nicely complement the expected Austrains N scale NR, as well as the existing range of N scale RTR models.

As usual we will offer a preproduction order with an appropriately reduced cost.

These models will be available direct and through hobby shops.

Rob Carpenter

Aust-N-Rail

www.aust-n-rail.com.au