Hello gang,
I just discovered these amazing figures in a Luke Towan video. They are incredibly realistic!
https://westedge3d.com.au/gallery/
They are definitely not cheap, and the current selection of figures is too new for my 1950s layout, but these guys are producing figures that are so superior to the current average model people that I don't think there is any comparison. Note that they don't require painting. The colours are molded in.
This is what the future holds for us!!
Cheers!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Those are sweet Dave. My subconscious was looking for the red circle with the white arrow to push play and see those figurines talk
Don't surprise me that Luke Towan uses figurines that realistic in his tutorials these days. Love Luke Towan videos and learned a lot from the guy through the years.
TF
I'm not sure if I completely believe those photos, Dave. Those look a bit tooooo real to my eyes and I suspect they have been photoshopped to appear "blurry" so they don't look too realistic.
Call me suspicious...but I think I'm right on this one...
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
tstageI'm not sure if I completely believe those photos, Dave. Those look a bit tooooo real to my eyes and I suspect they have been photoshopped to look "blurry" so they don't look too realistic.
Hi Tom,
I guess we would have to see them in reality to find out if you are right or not. However, even if the photos have been enhanced, there is no denying that they are vastly more detailed than the current Chinese offerings.
Luke Towan did mention that the finish on the figures was too glossy, but the problem was easily solved with Dullcote.
I think that if they were to produce figures for the 1950s then I would definitely consider the investment. I wouldn't do my whole layout with them but I would use them strategically in foreground scenes, just like you would put a few high end trees at the front of the forest. I would put a few on a station platform that was in close view, but I certainly wouldn't fill a passenger car with them.
I suspect that, like many new developments, the quality will go up and the price will come down.
EDIT:
I decided to put my money where my mouth is so I ordered a set of four figures. We shall see if Tom is right!
Went in to take another look and did see what you're saying Tom.
There's probably no doubt this company is selling some nice quality, more realistic figurines than their competitors. But why are, what normally is studio quality photos, so blurry. I've taken clearer pictures then that with my phone.
Hi Tom and TF,
Before we totally destroy these guys by accusing them of deliberately blurring their photos, let's wait until I get the figures that I have ordered to see what they actually look like. I have made the company aware of this thread so they may respond directly.
I would make one other observation: These are HO scale figures that are not going to be viewed with a magnifying glass when they are on the layout. I don't think that anything will be lost if the details are not perfectly crisp. The suggestion of detail will still be there. We use that effect all over our layouts and I think it will work well here too.
Hi Tom, I can assure you and others on this thread that there's no Photoshop or trickery involved here! I know, because I'm a co-owner of the company that makes the figures! :-)
We use an EinScan H colour 3D scanner to scan real people, and then print them in full colour on a J55 Prime full-colour polyjet 3D printer made by huge USA-based 3D printer specialists Stratasys. We are based in New South Wales, Australia, and we are the first company in the world to use this technology to create products for model railroaders the world over. We also do a range of amazing cemetery headstones, statues and memorials which have been scanned photogrammetrically by a friend.
The reason that close-up photos look 'blurry' is that the N and HO figures are tiny, and up close you can see that the edges of the layers in the print catch the bright lights in our studio. When the figures are standing up on a layout - as in Luke Towan's video - that "silvering" as we call it is much less evident.
Stratasys - a global company - are fascinated by the way we are using their tech, and are looking into how it can be improved for tiny prints like ours. If you'd like to know more, YouTube has lots of videos about the J55 and polyjet colour printing, and also the Einscan H colour scanner.
We too have more info on our website, Instagram and Facebook pages: just search 'West Edge 3D'. You can also see there some of the links to reviews from magazines like Model Railroader and the UK magazine Model Rail. This technology is really new, and we love explaining what we're doing to modellers, so if you have any questions, please message me here, or our contacts are on the website. Wishing you all a happy and safe Christmas and New Year, Lindsay O'Reilly.
I have been communicating with Lindsay O'Reilly, the owner of the company. He has posted a response to your concerns about the clarity of the photographs but his response won't show until the moderators approve his post, assuming that they do. I explained to him that he can't promote his company on the forums, but I believe he is able to answer questions about it. Stay tuned.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Very realistic. Are these produce by a 3-D printer rather than a mold?
Modeling the B&M Railroad during the transition era in Lowell, MA
hon30critterBefore we totally destroy these guys by accusing them of deliberately blurring their photos
That's a bit harsh, Dave. I merely expressed my doubts initially because of the things I've seen posted on websites over the years given as "proof". I will say that the following photo that I found on WestEdge3D's website this morning is much more convincing to me. Maybe it's the corn flake on Santa's left knee.
Plaid and patterned shirts in HO scale is something I have never been able to paint.
I would be in for a set or two just for this feature if 1950s people become available.
Still... I would repaint the faces, but that is just me.
Also, I would prefer to see actual figures rather than edited images next to a fake ruler.
I am available to do proper photography of miniatures if needed.
-Photograph by Kevin Parson
The poor images on a sales sight should be fixed.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
tstageThat's a bit harsh, Dave. I merely expressed my doubts initially because of the things I've seen posted on websites over the years given as "proof"
Sorry, I didn't mean it to be harsh. It was a poor attempt at humour. Your scepticism is entirely reasonable.
WilmJuncAre these produce by a 3-D printer rather than a mold?
Hi WilmJunc,
They are produced by a multicolour 3D printer.
Here is some interesting information about the printer that they use and their ability to do custom printing:
[/quote]
hon30critter WilmJunc Are these produce by a 3-D printer rather than a mold? Hi WilmJunc, They are produced by a multicolour 3D printer. Here is some interesting information about the printer that they use and their ability to do custom printing: One thing that may interest you is a current offer we have for modellers. There are a number of colour scanning apps available for both iPhones and Android phones. We have been experimenting with the iPhone App TRNIO (costs USD5 in the App Store) and successfully printed the figures it produces. If you can send us any scans of real people dressed as the figures you want, and they are suitable for our range, along with permission from the scanned person to add the figure to our range (permission to reproduce and sell their likeness), then we will print your first set of those figures for free; you just pay the postage! At present we us an $8500 EinScan H scanner, but we suspect in a couple of years’ time smartphones might be all anyone needs for the kind of scale figures we are producing! Cheers, Lindsay. Lindsay O’Reilly Director West Edge 3D Pty Ltd Dave
WilmJunc Are these produce by a 3-D printer rather than a mold?
It sounds like with this new technology, you will soon be able to take photos of freinds, family, and yourself and have them made into figures to place on your layout.
hon30critter Hello gang, I just discovered these amazing figures in a Luke Towan video. They are incredibly realistic! https://westedge3d.com.au/gallery/ They are definitely not cheap, and the current selection of figures is too new for my 1950s layout, but these guys are producing figures that are so superior to the current average model people that I don't think there is any comparison. Note that they don't require painting. The colours are molded in. This is what the future holds for us!! Cheers!! Dave
Rich
Alton Junction
richhotrain hon30critter Hello gang, I just discovered these amazing figures in a Luke Towan video. They are incredibly realistic! https://westedge3d.com.au/gallery/ They are definitely not cheap, and the current selection of figures is too new for my 1950s layout, but these guys are producing figures that are so superior to the current average model people that I don't think there is any comparison. Note that they don't require painting. The colours are molded in. This is what the future holds for us!! Cheers!! Dave So far, nobody has asked what "not cheap" means. So, I will. How much do they cost? Rich
So far, nobody has asked what "not cheap" means. So, I will. How much do they cost?
$30 for set of four fiqures in HO.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL richhotrain So far, nobody has asked what "not cheap" means. So, I will. How much do they cost? $30 for set of four fiqures in HO.
richhotrain So far, nobody has asked what "not cheap" means. So, I will. How much do they cost?
So, $7.50 per figure. No thanks. I don't care how realistic they turn out to look.
richhotrain ATLANTIC CENTRAL richhotrain So far, nobody has asked what "not cheap" means. So, I will. How much do they cost? $30 for set of four fiqures in HO. Yikes, I feared the worst, and you delivered the bad news. So, $7.50 per figure. No thanks. I don't care how realistic they turn out to look. Rich
Yikes, I feared the worst, and you delivered the bad news.
Yeah, but I'm thinking those might be Australian dollars. Not too bad at $0.67 in American dollars; a little more bad at about $0.95 in Canadian dollars. Still not cheap.
My concern is plaid shirts in N Scale.
LINK to SNSR Blog
The way the technoligy is going, you will very soon see even better work, the printing in color printing is a big step up. I remember seeing the first emultion type printers (that was the term back then for resin printers) some 8 years or so back and the detail was amazing even in the home type units, they could produce this quality even then but not in multi colors.
Regardless of price or whether the figures are indeed real, why not paint them yourselves? What's the point of having a hobby when things are built-up? I'm not saying to scratchbuild everything, but there's satisfaction looking at a layout and seeing your hard work in building structures, painting figures, laying track, etc.
Just my thoughts.
kasskaboose What's the point of having a hobby when things are built-up? I'm not saying to scratchbuild everything, but there's satisfaction looking at a layout and seeing your hard work in building structures, painting figures, laying track, etc.
While I feel the same way... I paint all my figures... the last time I made a comment like this a serious insult-fest was thrown my way.
I cannot paint plaid patterns in HO, so I would buy a pack of figures just for this, but repaint everything else.
Painting figures is a challenge, and people that obsess with accurate paint colors and decal placement have a hard time painting something organic and bringing out life and personality.
You can already get yourself scanned and printed. I saw this being done at the last Timonium train show, and I believe that it will also be offered at the Amherst train show end of January.
I don’t know if it is the same outfit, but see minimefactory.com.
Glad to see someone else producing figures that are equal to or better in quality to Preiser.
A few years back I shared my email to Woodland Scenics, on this and one other forum, that me and a number of 1960's-70's era modelers were hoping to see the production of locomotive crews from that time period. In pleasant weather crews tended to dress casually: Blue or dark coloed jeans, Polo shirts, short sleeve collared office-type shirts, plaid shirts, baseball caps, work boots or work shoes, and occasionally Fedora hats! I railfanned SCL regularly and the photos nicely sum up what I saw most often: (photo credits: MorningSunWestRails and Walt Edward).
I never saw the traditional striped bibs on SCL or Amtrak crews.For some odd reason, I was blowtorched by a few modelers on this and one other forum for that suggestion.
Yes, there were some casual dressed figures already availabe but very few that were seated or standing in the right position for locomotive or yard crew scenes.
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
WilmJuncIt sounds like with this new technology, you will soon be able to take photos of freinds, family, and yourself and have them made into figures to place on your layout.
These guys are already able to do that, and apparently all you need is a scanning app on your phone.
Lindsay O'Reilly, who owns WestEdge3D, sent me some pictures which will give us a better idea of how crisp the details are on his figures. The photos that have three of the same figures in them are of N, HO, and O scales.
Here is a view of part of the collection:
You can see that the details are not absolutely crisp, but I think they look pretty good.
By the way, the website prices are in Australian $ so the price for HO figures in USD would be about $5.00 ea plus shipping.
Hi all, my post responding to some of the questions here has finally been approved, albeit appearing way back in the list where the post was that I originally replied to. If anyone has any questions about how we create our colour 3D-printed figures, ask away. They're printed on a Stratasys J55, a very cool 3D polyjet 3D printer that operates very similarly to a CD player! See an intro here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nv5mSaH1hc8&t=13s
Note that, at about US$100,000 this is not a hobbyist's home 3D printer! We sent figures today to Wisconsin and Utah, and earlier this week to Germany, California, New York State, a military base in Maryland, Canada (Dave!) and Colorado, so our little people are really getting around.
Lindsay in Ozanyone has any questions
Like your figures, but wondering if the 'frosted' appearance some of them exhibit is due to the printing process or the material?
Thanks, Peter
Hi Peter, yes the 'frosting' is a reflection off the edges of the printed layers. It's most apparent when the figures are lying down flat in our light studio to be photographed next to the ruler for the shop photos, because they're lit from behind the camera, for maximum reflection!... We've recently discovered that 20mins in Isopropyl Alcohol microscopically "rounds off" those layer edges (which are only 19 microns high!!) and the effect is much less apparent, and we treat all our figures this way now. It's also proportionally more evident in a photo of an N or HO scale figure, but it is virtually absent when the figure is standing up on a layout - see Luke Towan's video that Dave linked in the first post in this thread.
Sorry Peter, couldn't see the link to Luke Towan's video above, so it's here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL4U_rv0Cf0. Our figures look especially good in his scene (there's even one of me there - look for the older guy in the light grey jumper with a red backpack on one shoulder. :-)
You can also search YouTube for "Paper Kits have never looked so good - Realistic Scenery Vol.35".