Why can't we have nice things?

[ljudice]

[ljudice]

This is HO of course....   BTW,  UP and BNSF have these exact machines, not sure about anyone else right now...

[Philip H]

I'm sure the guys that brought us the Plasser machines will get on this soon enough.

[ljudice]

Well - not anytime soon - that was Lemke/Hobbytrain and they've already announced their stuff for the next 2 years.  They are not doing one of these, instead a smaller machine for track repairs.  In Europe a lot of the machines that are highrailers in the US, like boom trucks, etc are small railbourne vehicles.

Given that the Hobbytrain Tamper practically exploded parts every time you put it on the track, I'm not sure if I'm up to them doing a working model.

This 09X-3 is made by Kibri, which was bought out by Veismann.  Veissman took the Kibri static tooling and made it into a dynamic model.  BTW, this thing is not cheap, I think about $350....

My guess is the best hope for something like this is Minitrix/Marklin.  They have done some pretty massive tooling projects for one off models, like the German tunnel rescue trains. 

I think this would sell well in Europe and be in hot demand in the US if it ever came to n-scale.

- Lou

[peteski]

Yes, the Hobbytrain Plasser tamper is really crappy!  Mine is in pieces (to be put back together eventually). I'm going to add lights and DCC (once the mechanism is more reliable).

Also, despite of what most US dealers state, are not made by Kato! They appear to be made by Ajin and they are poorly made even for Ajin (who made Atlas Shay and Model Power steam locos, along with many brass models in the past).

[elnscale]

once the mechanism is more reliable

How long do you leave it apart before it gets more reliable? 

[ljudice]

Yeah, some dealers like to make the association between Lemke - which designs and contracts for the manufacture of Hobbytrain products - and the fact that Lemke is the Kato European partner - acting like Katousa in the USA.

Lemke also distributes LS Models and some other products that are hard to find in Germany and through this channel they end up also in the USA.

The Plasser Duomatic had a tortured history, first to be designed and made by - get this - a company in Austria called Conrail - that went bankrupt. Then apparently to Ajin.  As a static model there is nothing wrong with it, but it was a disaster once it started moving.  The replacement parts are so expensive you won't believe it.

I believe there are unpowered as well as DCC equipped versions available now, but this machine is not widely used anymore in the US or even in Europe for that matter...

- Lou

[mike in bc]

I have the unpowered one, it works great
mike

[peteski]

How long do you leave it apart before it gets more reliable? 

It is on its 2nd year and no improvement yet! 
Seriously, I have already done several modifications to the trucks but as it always happens to me, this project was side-tracked by several others with higher priority. No wonder I can't ever seem to finish all the projects i start!  I have some that are over 15 years old!

[ljudice]

BTW, there is evidence that some European company is planning to release a large track laying machine (like the large ones used by UP and BNSF on concrete tie projects).  The model is 1.2 meters long - but that is all the info I have.

[peteski]

BTW, there is evidence that some European company is planning to release a large track laying machine (like the large ones used by UP and BNSF on concrete tie projects).  The model is 1.2 meters long - but that is all the info I have.

In N scale? That would be around 3 feel long!  If the price is similar to other European N scale models then (judging strictly by length) this will probably cost couple thousands of dollars. 

[ljudice]

Yep - N-scale!   

I don't know anything about the guys doing this, although I did send a message asking for more info.  It's hard to tell on the price.  There is a boutique market for trains in Europe, but also lots of folks like us who are willing to purchase nice stuff with a justifiable price if it's accurate and well made.  The talk was about "tooling" being done, which could mean many things - even Shapeways for all I know.  They are doing a railbourne escavator first and have not posted any shot of it yet - so who knows.

Linea Models in Italy has one of these machines - a brass kit in HO - and as you suggest it is astronomically expensive.

I'll say it again - I can't believe there isn't more interest out there in this type of model, especially since there is commonality between North America and Europe (and maybe other places???).

Some guy in Belgium did an N-scale tamper (much more modern one than the Hobbytrain thing) in Shapeways and it is really spectacular.  But it does not show up anywhere in Shapeways searches and I have not been successful at contacting him for more info.  I am not even sure if he has offered it for sale, since it seems as if he works for VolkerRail (a rail contractor) and was allowed to use their plans for his models.

There was also some Australian guys doing some modern machines - they seemed to get to designs and then stopped.  They never answered my requests for info, which is strange - and makes me think it's just stale email addresses out there in the inter-webs... 

I'd love to do more on Shapeways and I've tried converting some public domain models of some machines into buildable models with no luck at all.  I know quite a bit about 2D CAD (I developed VLSI CAD software for several years) and work with 3D art and design software as one of many sidelines to my current business, but what I need is something that can go from a 3D model to a 3D model that obeys a set of design rules (wall thickness for example) without a lot of manual labor.  Is there anything like that out there?

- Lou