Dimensions of inside of several shells

[Iain]

Hi, there!

Does anyone happen to have the following shells handy and can take measurements (to lots of digits, if possible):
Kato RS2
Kato RSC2
Atlas RS1

I need the width, height, and length of the /inside/ of the main shell, not including walkways, and, separately, the dimensions of the inside of the walkway, including thickness.

[thomasjmdavis]

Atlas RS1 (measured on a shell from the run before the latest one, with my cheap digital caliper, dim in inches)
Shell
inside length 3.400
inside width at ends 0.362
inside width at center- 0.392  (the sides are a bit thinner from the cab back 1.157- I assume to allow a bit more space around the motor area)
inside height- 0.514

Walkway- assembled from the 2 parts that nest together
inside length  3.319 overall   3.270 at center (between clips that hold on bodyshell)
inside width- The part assembled is fairly flexible, so hard to get an accurate measure- I will say for clearance purposes 0.400 + a couple .001s
thickness- 0.075  recessed to 0.065 where the cab fits.

So, what's the project?

[Lemosteam]

Someone bought a Photon, methinks...

[CRL]

I was just looking at the Los Pinos & Toltec Smelter thread, then came here, and the weirdest idea came to mind...

Take a random locomotive mechanism and 3D print a shell that looks like a rock outcropping. Detail & weather with a miniature Fred Flintstone at the controls and labeled for the Bedrock Railroad.

*crickets*



I’ll go take a nap now.

[davefoxx]

I was just looking at the Los Pinos & Toltec Smelter thread, then came here, and the weirdest idea came to mind...

Take a random locomotive mechanism and 3D print a shell that looks like a rock outcropping. Detail & weather with a miniature Fred Flintstone at the controls and labeled for the Bedrock Railroad.

Were you "stoned" when you came up with that idea?   

DFF

[CRL]

No... just the way my brain works.

#brainfart

[peteski]

No... just the way my brain works.

#brainfart

Some people have kidney stones - you have brain stones.  Ouch!   I'm glad that I'm not  in your shoes hat. 

[Iain]

Atlas RS1 (measured on a shell from the run before the latest one, with my cheap digital caliper, dim in inches)
Shell
inside length 3.400
inside width at ends 0.362
inside width at center- 0.392  (the sides are a bit thinner from the cab back 1.157- I assume to allow a bit more space around the motor area)
inside height- 0.514

Walkway- assembled from the 2 parts that nest together
inside length  3.319 overall   3.270 at center (between clips that hold on bodyshell)
inside width- The part assembled is fairly flexible, so hard to get an accurate measure- I will say for clearance purposes 0.400 + a couple .001s
thickness- 0.075  recessed to 0.065 where the cab fits.

So, what's the project?

Baldwins

[CRL]

Some people have kidney stones - you have brain stones.  Ouch!   I'm glad that I'm not  in your shoes hat. 

Maybe decaled in Rock Island then?

Then you could do another locomotive with the boiler made from a big log with a point on the front, and have Barney Rubble at the controls. Put a bunch of dinosaurs in cattle cars and the grandkids would love it.

[thomasjmdavis]

Baldwins

I have a couple Sharks in progress (old JnJ shells on equally old Atlas/Kato RS3 mechanisms).  I assume from the request for measurements that you are doing road switchers.   Best of luck in any case.

[randgust]

One of my biggest gripes with many Shapeways designers is that they make a perfectly wonderful shell that doesn't apparently fit anything right, and that from the looks of things, has never gone through a full build into an actual model with photos to prove it will work.

So if you're starting with mechanism dimensions, and working out, that's to be commended.   Certain things like coupler pocket mounts, mechanism width and height, and interference with pickup wipers doesn't translate well from a prototype drawing, you've got to get in there and actually study and build it. 

And while I dump on them all the time for being literal lightweights, if you need a mechanism that's available, supported by parts, DCC compliant, and has good performance, Atlas is good if you can't find a Kato equivalent.   

If it passes the first reviews, by all means, actually get a chassis from somewhere to design around.   You (we'll) be glad you did.

[Iain]

One of my biggest gripes with many Shapeways designers is that they make a perfectly wonderful shell that doesn't apparently fit anything right, and that from the looks of things, has never gone through a full build into an actual model with photos to prove it will work.

So if you're starting with mechanism dimensions, and working out, that's to be commended.   Certain things like coupler pocket mounts, mechanism width and height, and interference with pickup wipers doesn't translate well from a prototype drawing, you've got to get in there and actually study and build it. 

And while I dump on them all the time for being literal lightweights, if you need a mechanism that's available, supported by parts, DCC compliant, and has good performance, Atlas is good if you can't find a Kato equivalent.   

If it passes the first reviews, by all means, actually get a chassis from somewhere to design around.   You (we'll) be glad you did.

So, I specifically want to do DRS6-4-1500s, and the only way to get a three axle truck where the middle axle is centered is Kato.  I have one, but I can't use it as a base for measuring any more because I thined it down to fit in another shell.  It might be that I just live with a slightly too fat hood to use the Kato mechanism.  I'm interested in the Kato RS2 because then the one shell would work for DRS4-4-1500s as well.

Personally, I can live with thinning down a mechanism, and have done it before.  But, if I am to design something that has commercial viability, would other people be willing to do the same?  At the end of the day, I need DRS6-4-1500s, but I am sure other folks would be interested.

@PiperguyUMD did some rather nice designs for Shapeways, but, I find that I prefer the hood, cab, and walkway to all be separate parts.

If this all works out, I'll revisit my Lima project.  It seems that the Photo doesn't leave the support artifacts that you get with Shapeways, and that opens up some possibilities for printed on detail.

[randgust]

Ian, one thing I've done...as a creature of the auction sites.

I'll shop around for damaged and unpopular units, but when you're investigating something like this, the only way to do it right may be to bite the bullet and just get a chassis.   And when you're done with it, put it back out for sale.    You may loose a little bit of money, but you'll get it right.   I've probably had about half a dozen various locomotives I've bought, studied, inspected, and decided to just resell them as they just didn't make the cut on my expectations.

I think that's been Mark "Spookshow" Peterson's approach on how he's tested and inspected as many locomotives as he has, get one, test it, and get rid of it... rather than become the ultimate N hoarder.

I will say that the Kato RSC chassis is one of the very best I've tinkered with, but it may be a challenge to convert one to DCC.   But it sure made a honey of an MRS1 conversion chassis in terms of performance.     And one of the very worst was an Atlas RSD5, darn thing was just way too light, not enough frame weight left to be very useful.     The only downfall on it may be that cab position, I had to mill part of that off to adjust for the new cab location.

I've got some nice shots of the Rail to Water Transfer (ex-Durham & Southern) Baldwins in Chicago in 1980 if you need something like that.   I've also got cast resin sideframes for the off-center six axle Baldwin trucks that work as overlays on the Atlas C630 trucks (if reversed).   That was part of a project I was working on with the late Verne Niner, and that was way before RP became as good as it is.

[PiperguyUMD]

@PiperguyUMD did some rather nice designs for Shapeways, but, I find that I prefer the hood, cab, and walkway to all be separate parts.

If this all works out, I'll revisit my Lima project.  It seems that the Photo doesn't leave the support artifacts that you get with Shapeways, and that opens up some possibilities for printed on detail.

Thanks, those were some of the first things that I did through shapeways. That being said they could probably be revised and updated at this point. Initially, I tried to print the cab, sill, and hood as separate pieces, but the fit of the parts was always an issue. Plus, the sill inevitably warped, and was very fragile. I was willing to make the trade because I was only interested in WM or Reading units, so I only had to paint one color. I may still revisit these, but if I do, it will be so that I can print them on my photon.

Good luck!