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My Ho Union Pacific Gas Turbine Project

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  • Member since
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  • From: South Lake Tahoe California
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My Ho Union Pacific Gas Turbine Project
Posted by MetrolinkFan on Sunday, April 2, 2023 4:08 PM

Hello all I am wanting to make a Ho Union Pacifc Gas,urbine engine from a sorta long frame I have. I have 4 athearn two axles truck I plan to put on the frame I have. I need some photos of one with the shell off so I can see what it looks like,But I may not be able to make the.This engone with the 2 axles on the front or rear of the engone.I make have to make the six axle one so any help would be great Thanks all,Btw wisgh me luck n this project I have planned.

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Posted by Overmod on Sunday, April 2, 2023 5:30 PM

There is a SketchUp 3D model of the 'three axle truck' Big Blows that could probably be used to drive a suitable 3D printer.  So that might be a 'shortening of the way' for that option.  You would still have to build an appropriately strong model frame for it, so the below advice would still apply.

There are people here who can tell you how to scratchbuild a frame out of suitable plastic stock and solvent-weld it, and who can tell you how to use that fabrication as a pattern to cast something using a RTV mold and cheap vacuum deaeration and then suitable resin, or where to start looking at eBay for suitable components or locomotives to 'bash'.

Unfortunately the PM system doesn't work unless you've already PMed someone, and you can't access personal contact details by looking at profiles very well, so you sort of have to ask publically with contact information to have anyone here respond personally and individually other than as a public post in a thread.

In addition, you're likely on mandatory moderation until you have made some magic, undisclosed number of satisfactory posts, at which point what you write will appear mysteriously, in the order and with the date and time you actually made them, hopelessly confusing what you might actually want and need in the process.  Bear with it; "they know not what they do", and at some point, well, they've always gotten around to unmoderating new posters.  So far.  Be prepared to make many relevant posts, even though you don't see them, as the way moderators distinguish the (depressingly many) trolls and scammers that sign up every day from legitimate new community members is by looking at the posts.

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Monday, April 3, 2023 12:41 AM

Is a 3D printed shell available?

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by Overmod on Monday, April 3, 2023 6:08 AM

SeeYou190
Is a 3D printed shell available?

Right up at the top of my initial search (for 3D printed UP gas turbine) was a printed propane tender for that conversion (of one of the four-B-truck units).  That would presume sufficient interest by owners of the various models of those first-generation turbines to do the very specific mods to build that very specific prototype... but to me it would follow that appropriate shells would be available and perhaps more importantly to the OP specific chassis kits to use OTS AAR B model trucks and drivetrains (even if the truck wheelbase is not precise).  I cannot run a proper search now, but some of you might.

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Posted by mbinsewi on Monday, April 3, 2023 6:28 AM

I seen the tank on Ebay.  The only thing I could find on Shapeways is in N scale, which is the full locomotive print.

He will also need to use Alco trucks, but I guess it depends on how accurate he plans on building this.

Mike.

 

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Posted by MetrolinkFan on Monday, April 3, 2023 8:07 AM

Where do I find the 3D Printed model at? I am conffused on what you said Overmod.How to search for the 3D Printed model.

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Posted by Overmod on Monday, April 3, 2023 9:37 AM

Start by using a combination of search terms in Google or DuckDuckGo or whatever, containing first the most obvious keywords and then refining if you get swamped by 'too many hits'.  Do not be afraid to insert 'minus terms' (keywords preceded by the minus sign) which eliminate hits with those words -- for example if I'm looking for GG1 information on the Web or eBay I have to enter "GG1 -Lionel -MTH" to get rid of all sorts of things extraneous... to me.  Someone searching from the Classic Toy Trains community will have very different minus terms.

Within a few hits, you'll find makerspaces like Shapeways, within which you can search for particular items.  If one is not in your scale, contact the person and see if they'll run something at yours, since it is relatively simple for most 3D setups to change among the smaller scales.

In some cases, you may find a 3D model for something like a train simulator that could be used to develop a file to drive a 3D printer 'at the right scale'.

Common sense and 'proactivity' in use of search results are your best tools here.

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Posted by MetrolinkFan on Thursday, April 6, 2023 11:11 AM

Heads Up,I decided to make the UP Big Blow Turbine,That would be eaiser then the UP Gas Turbine. Yes later on I will mkae the,UP Gas Turbine for now the UP Big Blow Turbine.Cause I have a SD90Mac frame I can power that with the parts I have,Then make the UP Big Blow Turbine shell from hard cardboard.Then print some side views of the UP Big Blow Turbine shell.I have some 2 axle athearn power trucks,then paint the side frame silver.Until I can afford a athearn.DD40 or a DD40AX powered frame engine.Just letting you know what my plans are for now,Yes I will post photos of my work.

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Posted by mbinsewi on Thursday, April 6, 2023 12:35 PM

FYI, the DD40ax frame (the prototype) is 14' 11" longer than the prototype gas tubine. 

Mike.

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Posted by MetrolinkFan on Friday, April 7, 2023 11:42 AM

So I heard the Ho UP DD40X is 16' long,How long is the UP Ho DD40?

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Posted by Overmod on Friday, April 7, 2023 11:49 AM

Just as "too long" for your purposes.

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Posted by Overmod on Friday, April 7, 2023 12:17 PM

eBay has at least three motored DD40s for about $40 each shipped with tax.  Get two and you'll have a four-motored A and B unit...

Someone will likely have 3D-printed Big Blow-style side frames (I forget what they're called, but Ed will know) scaled to fit something like an Athearn PA truck mechanism.  If I were doing this, I'd adjust the frame length between the motors and then 'to length' to accommodate the PA truck towers on the right scale centers.  But for that amount of work you could start with a PA frame and arrange to lengthen it...

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Posted by mbinsewi on Friday, April 7, 2023 1:08 PM

Prototype info from Wiki:

DD40ax = 98' 5"

Gas Turbine = 83' 5.5"

Mike.

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Posted by Darth Santa Fe on Friday, April 7, 2023 8:53 PM

The Athearn DD40 was based on a never made prototype that was close to the DD35 in design, so it's closer to the DD35's 88' 2".

_________________________________________________________________

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Saturday, April 8, 2023 11:13 AM

MetrolinkFan
Heads Up,I decided to make the UP Big Blow Turbine,That would be eaiser then the UP Gas Turbine.

Sounds exciting!

I would love to see work-in-progress pictures over in Weekend Photo Fun if you like to share.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by maxman on Saturday, April 8, 2023 2:55 PM

MetrolinkFan
Then make the UP Big Blow Turbine shell from hard cardboard.

If I understand correctly you intend to make the shell from "hard cardboard"?

Has this ever been done before?

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Posted by Overmod on Saturday, April 8, 2023 3:14 PM

Weren't most of the prewar kits either printed cardboard or printed tin sides?

This is just a quick way to get colored sides with printed detail quickly and easily -- he can cut away sections or install detail parts as desired...

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Posted by maxman on Saturday, April 8, 2023 4:07 PM

Overmod
Weren't most of the prewar kits either printed cardboard or printed tin sides?

Which war?

I think there were some stamped metal items (tin plate?), and definitely some printed items for rolling stock.  But I've never heard of cardboard being used. 

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Posted by Darth Santa Fe on Saturday, April 8, 2023 4:20 PM

Single layer cardboard is basically a thick rigid paper, so you can actually get a decent quality result out of a good grade of material.  I think some of the old companies like Mantua and Red Ball used to make some boxcar sides that way, and you can still get building kits like that for lower cost than plastic or metal.  Some modern Japan based manufacturers like Cosmic also make decent looking diesel, freight and passenger car kits this way.

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Sunday, April 9, 2023 5:22 AM

Darth Santa Fe
Single layer cardboard is basically a thick rigid paper, so you can actually get a decent quality result out of a good grade of material.  I think some of the old companies like Mantua and Red Ball used to make some boxcar sides that way, and you can still get building kits like that for lower cost than plastic or metal.  Some modern Japan based manufacturers like Cosmic also make decent looking diesel, freight and passenger car kits this way.

There is at least one company making custom narrow gauge conversion kits using laser-cut cardboard.

Of course, Bar Mills uses it in a lot of their laser cut kits, along with traditional wooden laser cut pieces.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by richhotrain on Sunday, April 9, 2023 6:01 AM

Out of cardboard?

Who knew?

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Sunday, April 9, 2023 6:26 AM

richhotrain
Out of cardboard? Who knew?

The cardboard used in these kits is not the same old chip board used in older Campbell or Fine Scale Miniatures kits.

This carboard is very smooth, rigid, and glues up very easily. It also does not seem to warp when painted normally.

Bar Mills even laser-engraves some detail into the surfaces on some pieces.

The first HO kit I built from laser-cut cardboard was a Walthers farm building. The cardboard Bar Mills uses is much higher quality even than that.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by richhotrain on Sunday, April 9, 2023 7:29 AM

SeeYou190
Hmm. Well I'll be.

Rich

 

 
richhotrain
Out of cardboard? Who knew?

 

The cardboard used in these kits is not the same old chip board used in older Campbell or Fine Scale Miniatures kits.

This carboard is very smooth, rigid, and glues up very easily. It also does not seem to warp when painted normally.

Bar Mills even laser-engraves some detail into the surfaces on some pieces.

The first HO kit I built from laser-cut cardboard was a Walthers farm building. The cardboard Bar Mills uses is much higher quality even than that.

-Kevin

 

Alton Junction

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Posted by mbinsewi on Sunday, April 9, 2023 8:18 AM

The OP has posted some of work in past threads.

He's made passenger cars and locomotives using cardboard.

Mike.

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Posted by maxman on Sunday, April 9, 2023 8:55 AM

mbinsewi

The OP has posted some of work in past threads.

He's made passenger cars and locomotives using cardboard.

Mike.

 

Any links?

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Posted by Overmod on Sunday, April 9, 2023 9:52 AM

maxman
Overmod
Weren't most of the prewar kits either printed cardboard or printed tin sides? 

Which war?

The same one as for 'prewar' Lionel.  Doubleyadoubleyatoo.

I think there were some stamped metal items (tin plate?), and definitely some printed items for rolling stock.  But I've never heard of cardboard being used.

I think the problem here might be unintentional semantics.  The material used is probably much more like 'cardstock' -- it isn't like 'shirt cardboard', and in fact many types of coated stock used for inkjet photo printing may be heavy enough to use directly without lamination.

There are a couple of eBay sellers who selectively market older 'craftsman-type' kits that involve cut and stamped (for things like 3D board detail) stock rather than wood.

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Posted by MetrolinkFan on Sunday, April 9, 2023 11:51 AM

I use white art painting board for my passenger cars I have made over the years.Once I get started on my 2 projects of the UP gas turbine ill.Post work in progress photos.I use the thin what boards not the thick kind.

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Posted by mbinsewi on Sunday, April 9, 2023 3:05 PM

maxman
Any links?

I remember some pictures from the OP in the past.  I don't have any links, ask the OP, maybe he'll show them.

Mike.

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Monday, April 10, 2023 12:30 PM

Examples of laser-cut card pieces.

-Photograph by Kevin Parson

These are from a Fos Scale Models kit.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
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  • From: South Lake Tahoe California
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Posted by MetrolinkFan on Tuesday, April 11, 2023 10:36 AM

Im working on my Union Pacifc Gas Turbine GTEL Today,I found my Ho SD90MAC powered frame using Athearn motor and trucks.I will post photos wip,Wish me luck everyone I hope it works out. 

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